Coldplay’s Chris Martin Salutes John Farnham With Sweet Original Song: Watch

John Farnham was the man of honor for an all-star concert Sunday night (Sept.

20) in Melbourne, but Chris Martin almost stole the show.

The Coldplay frontman appeared remotely with an original song written for the legendary Australian singer.

The last time Australians got a chance to see Martin up close was in 2024, when the British band played to more than 700,000 fans on the Australasian leg of their Music of the Spheres stadium tour.

For his spot on Farnham’s big night, Martin stripped it right down.

Playing an acoustic guitar, Martin delivered a surprise number that was both self-deprecating and deferential to two great Australians, the late cricketing great Shane Warne and Farnham.

“Seventeen years ago in Melbourne, my friend Shane said to me: ‘There’s been a bloody big bushfire.

It’s something you should see,’” Martin sings, in video posted by TEG Dainty, co-producers of the event.

“’I’m going in up to Kinglake to check on how they are and I made us a mixtape, we can listen in the car.

“And I really do love Coldplay.

I love Coldplay, it’s true.

But my favorite is John Farnham, he’s a better singer than you.” It’s true, Martin admitted.

“Well thank you John, thank you John, I think you’re really great.

You made me get much closer to my cricket playing mate,” he continues.