Coldplay Bring ‘Animal Farm’ to the Present in ‘Trouble in Town’ Video

Coldplay update George Orwell’s Animal Farm in the video for “Trouble in Town,” off their double LP Everyday Life, released last fall.

The band brings the satirical classic to the drug-addled streets of New York, where the city is plagued with homelessness and crime under the regime of a pig dictator (undoubtedly a nod to Trump). The 2020 Democratic debates are mocked as pig politicians argue at podiums on a television screen, which soon escalates into a fight.

A reindeer huddles under a blanket, reading Orwell’s book. A cat steals a beverage in a bodega, just as a fox evades arrest by a cheetah cop. The somber “Trouble in Town” is played in the background, as frontman Chris Martin sings, “And I get no shelter, and I get no peace/And I never get released.” The clip ends with the pig dictator getting into a cab and glaring at the driver.

Proceeds for the song’s masters and publishing will go toward the Innocence Project, for which frontman Chris Martin is an “Innocence Ambassador.” A portion of proceeds will also be donated to a charity, African Children’s Feeding Scheme.

“Trouble in Town” follows the video for “Champion of the World,” a track that featured a songwriting credit from late Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchinson. Other videos include “Cry Cry Cry,”  the title track, “Daddy” and “Orphans.”

Coldplay recently revealed that they would not be promoting Everyday Life with a tour until carbon-neutral concerts become a possibility.

Martin recently sat down for a Rolling Stone Interview with RS founder Jann Wenner. “Some people don’t really like what we do, and that’s OK,” Martin said. “God bless them. There are so many other things to listen to, and why worry about that? This album may sell this many, and we might win this, we might be band of the year or conversely worst band of the year. That’s great, wonderful.

“But ultimately,” he added, “My job, I realize, from seeing Bruce [Springsteen] is to be totally and unashamedly of service to the people that are listening.”