* The Fills - On the bridge and the outchorus you hear some subtle guitar lines that fill in the holes. In the verses, it's the vocal, which is almost secondary in the chorus. * The Lead - In the intro and chorus, it's the piano. * The Rhythm - Once again, unlike most songs, the drums play the rhythm element in "Clocks" because they mainly add movement and push the song along. The first one enters with the piano in the intro and plays throughout the song.
* The Pad - There are two synth pads that are very obvious. * The Foundation - Unlike most songs, only the bass and the kick carry the foundation (which is the pulse of the song) as the rest of the drums play the piano figure. Here's a look at the arrangement elements: The song develops nicely, with the piano hook re-entering on the first chorus along with an additional synth pad, and harmony vocals on the second verses and chorus. Right after the 2nd chorus, the piano figure moves up a third so it sounds different and the song develops even more. The peak of the song is the bridge, which then breaks back down into an empty piano intro. If you were to look at the form of "Clocks" on paper you'd think there was nothing special, but as in all popular songs, the arrangement cleverly takes it to a new place. But as in most hit songs there is a great hook, and it's the piano part on the intro and choruses.
The melody of the verse is very catchy and memorable, although the chorus isn't, unlike most hit songs.