Chris Martin Honors Beau Biden With Poignant “Til Kingdom Come’
by Jon Blistein
Chris Martin performed Coldplay’s ”‘Til Kingdom Come" at the funeral for Beau Biden, the son of Vice President Joe Biden, who died May 30th of brain cancer at the age of 46. The funeral was held on Saturday at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Biden’s longtime home of Wilmington, Delaware, The News Journal reports.
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Martin offered to perform after learning that Beau Biden — an Iraq War veteran and the former attorney general for the state of Delaware — was a fan of his music. The uplifting, acoustic “'Til Kingdom Come" originally appeared on Coldplay’s X&Y, and Martin’s performance in Biden’s memory was similarly stripped down and heartfelt: His voice strained during the bridge as he pulled back from the microphone and, throughout, the song was underlain by the poignant pulls of a church organ.
President Barack Obama was among the eulogists, praising Biden’s “mighty heart” and dedication to his family, friends and country, saying, “He did in 46 years what most of us could not do in 146.
"Here was a scion of an incredible family who brushed away the possibility of privilege for the harder, better reward of earning his own way,” Obama added. “Here was a soldier who dodged glory, and exuded true humility. A prosecutor who defended the defenseless. The rare politician who collected more fans than foes, and the rarer public figure who prioritized his private life above all else.”
Beau Biden was diagnosed with brain cancer in August 2013 after doctors removed a small lesion from his brain. He was given a clean bill of health after several months of chemotherapy, but the cancer returned this spring and he sought treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he died. Last November, Biden did not seek a third term as Delaware’s attorney general; instead, he announced his plans to run for governor in 2016.
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