In an unexpected turn of events at BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Luton, the world-renowned band Coldplay surprised festival goers with a brand new song titled “Orange.”
Yes, we couldn’t quite believe it either! The song, which frontman Chris Martin revealed was written just the night before, pays tribute to Luton and our beloved football club, Luton Town FC.
Prior to the festival, there had been calls from Luton residents for Coldplay to change the lyrics of their hit song “Yellow” to “Orange” in honour of the Hatters’ iconic kit colours. And let’s not forget our local rivals in Watford FC, wear yellow – it would be criminal to sing ‘Yellow’ in Luton.
Radio 1 DJ Greg James even got behind the idea, telling BBC Three Counties Radio presenter Justin Dealey: “I will send a couple of emails, because they owe me a favour.
“It’s the sort of thing Chris Martin would do if you put pressure on him, if you told him ‘the people of Luton would love you even more if you did this’.”
But while the band didn’t quite meet that request, they went above and beyond by coming up with an entirely new song dedicated to our town. Officially, mind blown!
The lyrics of “Orange” playfully acknowledge Luton Town’s recent relegation from the Premier League, with lines like “It’s hard to be a football fan here in Luton town. Sometimes you do the best you can, still you find you’re going down.” However, the song also perfectly captures the resilience and spirit of Luton, as Martin sings:
“But when you get knocked down in Luton, you always get back up.”
Sums us up perfectly!
Coldplay’s “Orange” tribute will undoubtedly go down as one of the most unforgettable moments in Luton’s history. It’s not every day that a world-famous band writes a song just for our town, and this is the kind of thing that will be talked about for generations to come. It’s incredible that our town inspired such a memorable and heartfelt musical moment from one of the world’s biggest bands. That’s something every Lutonian can be proud of.
Want to relive the magic or catch it for the first time? Check out the full video and experience the Luton love all over again!
About the Author
Laura Redmond
Laura is a passionate supporter of the Step Forward Luton campaign and a Place Activation and Marketing Coordinator. Armed with a journalism degree and unwavering love for her university town, she believes there's more to Luton that meets the eye. From charity work to market management, Laura's professional journey has explored every corner of Luton. When she's not busy being a marketing maven, she's lacing up her walking shoes to explore the town's green spaces or unearthing Luton's hidden foodie gems.
