How Coldplay's first hit shares a first with Hull

Hull claims to be the first area to have a Yellow pages telephone directory; the title of Coldplay's first chart hit

"I was looking for a word that was like, 'yel-low'" vocalised Chris Martin when being interviewed about his first hit.

The rest is history - after Yellow entered the UK chart at number 4 in July 2000 and Coldplay continued to enjoy phenomenal world-wide success over the next two and a half decades.

But it is a history of two firsts that links Hull with Coldplay's initial chart single.

The title of their first hit, Yellow, came from the spotting of a Yellow Pages and Hull claims to be the first city in the UK to release a yellow-paged phone directory in 1954.

That was 12 years before British Telecom would release their Yellow Pages which the rest of the country would come to know.

But Hull is different, having always had its own independent telecom network which still exists today under the name of KCOM.

"Hull was the first area to have a yellow pages", said Neil Bartholomew, Managing director of KCOM Consumer.

"They are called the Colour Pages, but in true Coldplay style - they're all yellow" he explained with a smile.

Neil Bartholomew with a Hull Yellow and Colour pages

It was 1904 when the first Hull directory was printed after KCOM was formed as the Telephone department within the Hull Municipal Corporation. The pages of these directories are now yellowed with age.

But in 1954 the pages officially changed colour when a golden edition was printed to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

The Colour Pages then followed, except for one year, where it became the Hull Yellow pages - incorporating the Colour pages.

It then reverted back to being the Colour Pages until its final issue in 2022.

But there are more links to Coldplay hits Mr Batholomew adds, noting some of the listings.

"There's Para-dies and Co Timber merchants " which he links to their single Paradise.

"We've got Clocks another Coldplay song and we've got Parachute makers"

"We truly think this is the Coldplay Yellow Pages".

Coldplay are due to play at Craven Park Stadium in Hull on 18 and 19 August as part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour.

Early editions of Hull Telephone Directories

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