LYRICS: Coldplay “Viva La Vida”

Songwriters: Berryman, Guy Rupert; Buckland, Jonathan Mark; Champion, Will; Martin, Christopher A J;

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemies eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
“Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!”

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt, and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
Once you know there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
(Ohhh)

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People could not believe what I’d become
Revolutionaries Wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter won’t call my name
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world
(Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh)

Hear Jerusalem bells are ringings
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can not explain
I know Saint Peter will call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh

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Today at 03:56 AM (1h 38m ago) by SushiAddict I think that he was some big king or general who had it all, money, fame (crowd would sing – now the old king is dead long live the king), women (now i sleep alone), and commanded some army (roll the dice, feel the fear in my enemies eyes), but when he lost, he discovered he was just (a puppet on a lonely string) and was suprised (one minute I held the key, next the walls were closed on me) and i guess I agree with fairy on the castle on pillars of salt, but on pillars of sand, I’m sure you’ve all heard the story of the two kings/people, on building their home/castle on sand, and the other on stone, and having the one on sand wash away with the first rains. and this may go against the current common census (and mabye coldplay) but I still belive that this song is about the crusades: pillars of san could also relate to that, then there’s the jerusalem bells a ringing, which was tha place the crusades attepted to take, then the “roman” cavalry choirs singing, and the revolutionaries may have something to do with that one of the armies form the crusades burned their own city…. idiots… then the “saint peter won’t call my name” would pertain to the great atrocities commited there… BTW, to the person who commeneted “This is the climax of the song: “I know Saint Peter will call my name”, you’re an idiot, it NEVER SAYS WILL CALL MY NAME, IT’S ALWAYS WONT!!!!, but other than that, I really like your interpretation Today at 02:20 AM (3h 14m ago) by ForgottenFairy Here is my “report” on Viva La Vida. Many theories have been reviewed about what the song means. Although most or all of those are very well thought of, I feel that the song really means what it means. Let’s start with the first verse. Verse one: This verse is really hard to conjure. Well, the first line in it clearly says that he used to rule the world, meaning he had command over anything on Earth. This follows over into the next line, he has command over anything on Earth. The third line probably implies that he had a signifigant other, etc… that was in his room when he woke up. Scary, yes, but it may well be that he had a bodyguard, wife, girlfriend, etc… that was in his room. The last line probably means that he walks around the streets he used to own, he’s remembering the golden days. Verse two: The first line simply means that he beats his enemies by skill. The third and forth line means that the crowds were loyal to him, and were overlyexcited that a new king was chosen, that would be him. Verse three: This verse is simple enough. It means that he once ruled with all accsess to anywhere in the world, but then the people rebeled against him and made him give up the power. Now these next verse lines are the most interesting. I will make a new paragraph for the story I am about to tell. There was a story about a women who was told to leave and never look back. The women looked back, though she wasn’t allowed to, and then she was turned to a PILLER OF SALT. So, the clearly means that the people told him not to look back, but he did, so his castle sat on pillers of salt and pillers of sand. The other verses are currently under study, so I will tell you what they mean later. Yesterday at 04:36 PM (12h 59m ago) by SimplePlan4life this song is so good it’s even better than “Violet Hill” Yesterday at 02:09 PM (15h 25m ago) by MrLister Great meanings to the song guys! Yesterday at 02:32 AM by Skyblue1400 im not sure what meassage coldplay is sending us i i think blurbat is correct. i didnt quite understand this song until i looked up the lyrics and began to think about it. but blurbat i think, is correct, and intellagent. its almost like he/she wrote the song. sorry about my spelling. Aug 14, 2008 at 08:15 PM by romanique I think that this is more than just about the history of empire, it is a reflection on human nature. It shows how deep down people want to pretend that they are on top of the world, and know everything in the world. It shows how other people are willing to blindly follow these leading individuals, thinking that they are participating in a noble cause, fighting for their great nation that should be the greatest on earth. In the end this causes empires to form and nationalism to defend them, and at the end of it all the people realize all to late the folly of their ways, and that as usual we as humans fail to learn from our own mistakes and habitually repeat them. Aug 14, 2008 at 06:20 PM by blurbat Let’s look at the lyrics. Verse 1. I used to be arrogant, prideful and controlling; I’ve been humbled. Verse 2. I used to be an adrenaline junky; I used to follow the crowd. Verse 3. I used to think I had all the answers; i was looking in the wrong place. Verse 4. This verse is more complicated because it changes voice. The first 6 lines are contrasted with the last – where in the last line Chris Martin again restates the theme from the first 3 verses. Verse 5. I was called by evil forces that lead me away from innocence; it changed me in the way loss of innocence changes all those who stray – into a realm where dignity and beauty are lost. I became a pupet of the forces of the world. Who would ever want this disconnected, barren way. Verse 6. repeat of Verse 4 interpretation. Verse 7. Now things come to their conclusion. Again the Chorus in contrasted with an change in voice. This is the climax of the song: “I know Saint Peter will call my name” So we have a song here about a spiritual journey. Very nicely done. Very easy to understand. And I can certainly see why Chris Martin doesn’t feel the need to explain the lyrics. Aug 14, 2008 at 03:11 PM by brick its not my kind of music but its kinda grool great+cool=grool….yeah Aug 14, 2008 at 02:39 PM by happyhobo2000 it represents all leaders and the rise and falls of their nations, like Napoleon, he ruled the world but then he fell and the french worked for countries that they used to rule. Saint Peter wouldn’t talk to King Henry because he made his own religion branch of Christianity. Richard the Lionheart spread his religion through Crusades. Overall all nations will rise and fall, and strike fear into the hearts of other nations (like Rome) then suddenly fall and another nation will rise then fall ect. i could go on and on about this because it represents the rise and fall of all empires. Aug 14, 2008 at 03:38 AM by letsfly1110 It is about Napoleon. Coldplay themselves have referenced that it is. Also, in the music video for this particular song, the musicians are edited to look like an older painting, the crackled surface of a canvas. If you watch the video, you see a series of zoomed in view of the painting “The First Consul crossing the Alps at the Grand-Saint-Bernard pass” by David Jacques Louis. This painting, of Napoleon, is what leads to further belief that the song is indeed about Napoleon. And seriously, about a dream? Lets dig a little deeper than that Samatam Aug 12, 2008 at 01:15 AM by lorddanby I theorized last week that it was perhaps about Napolean, for many reasons. The only other king, if staying within Europe, that I can think of mirroring this song to would be perhaps Richard II (the Lionhearted) and his endeavors during the send crusades and his reluctance to have ever been king. Aug 12, 2008 at 01:13 AM by lorddanby Best song ever created Aug 11, 2008 at 04:53 PM by camarilla Could it be a reference to Napoleon? I say this mostly because of the line “‘Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!’”, this could be about how Napoleon was involved in the revolution, killing the King of France, but then later became as good as a king himself. Also, he was the King of Italy. “Seas would rise when I gave the word” could be a reference to sinking ships, either due to the fact they do actually rise or due to the water motion of a ship sinking. Pillars of sand may be a reference to the Egyptian campaign which was in all respects a fiasco. But of course the song in whole reminds me most of Napoleon. There is a huge fall from grace in this song, it is in most every line. Napoleon had a larger fall from grace than most people that have ever ruled the world. (Exile to St. Helena) Aug 11, 2008 at 05:19 AM by artguy The insight and intellect regarding the lyrics to this song are impressive. But, I ask that you consider the possibility that the subject is really the present US administration. References to Jerusalem and Rome point to a true lack of real spiritual guidance, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The missionaries in a foreign land are the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wait with baited breath your thoughts. BTW…the song is haunting and beautiful. Aug 11, 2008 at 04:18 AM by samatam I have a theory its about a dream. Here is just a small example: I used to rule the world, seas would rise when i gave the word.(in his dream)Now in the morning i sleep alone(he wakes up, realizes he’s not a king and goes to sleep alone)Sweep the streets(his day job)that i used to own.(in his dream). Most of the rest of the song is his dream turning against him. How do you like that? Aug 11, 2008 at 03:38 AM by Alex211987 I really agree with dancechick, most of the song is a reference we might certainly associate with Henry VIII. I really liked the song as well as the video which, I think was made that way for people to have a wide view of what, really, the lyrics are about. It is Great! Aug 10, 2008 at 08:28 PM by dancechick i truly believe that this song was written about King Henry VIII. King Henry was a very respectable man while he was married to his first wife, but then Anne Boleyn came in and corrupted him (“just a puppet on a lonely string”) and all the references to religion, i believe is a reference to the catholic church. King Henry was a very devout catholic until the church refused to give him a divorce so then he worked on trying to come up with a new religion that would accomadate everything that he wanted. Thus the line “i know St. Peter won’t call my name.” and while King Henry VIII was ruling, no one was ever honest, they were all corrupt and always out for themselves and no one else. (“never an honest word but that was when i ruled the world.”) so there is plenty of evidence in this song that can be related to King Henry VIII. but it’s all in the eye of the beholder. Aug 10, 2008 at 03:21 AM by Hinsta119 great song!! idk wat its about but it sounds awesome and the music is jus so cool. not everyones typical song bout love and breaking up and stuff. coldplay is such a unique band! Aug 09, 2008 at 08:58 PM by maynott anything to do with canute? thought he could controll the sea (ln.2), probably had some enemies (revolutionaries bit) and made deals with the pope hence the christian stuff, but colplay’s saying that this doesn’t make him a good guy (saint P won’t call…). all I know i It’s an AWESOME song!!! Aug 08, 2008 at 08:02 PM by xxxSydxxx COLDPLAY is lyk so totally awesome and hav such an artistic outlook on life in general. Aug 08, 2008 at 10:15 AM by elpeetee its about the crusades to get back jerusalem. they were ‘missionaires in a foreign field’, and saint peter wont call his name because he commited to much killing and bloodshed Aug 08, 2008 at 12:54 AM by xxxSydxxx love this song and i love coldplay! Aug 08, 2008 at 12:39 AM by ThomThom This song is not about a particular ruler, politician, king, pope, emperor or historic event. It is a metaphor for the constraints and sudden highs and lows of fame. As Marilyn Manson said: ” They love you when you’re on all the covers, when you’re not they love another” My interpretation of this song is about how futile and fragile the whole celebrity thing is, which artistically translates into metaphors of kings etc… Aug 07, 2008 at 02:24 PM by musicluva33 i luv this song!!!!!! Aug 07, 2008 at 01:33 PM by slave To me I believe he is singing about his youth. When he was young and thought he was invincible. Now he’s sweeping the streets his young crew used to roam. Listen to the song imagining you are an 18 year old with no fear, contrasted with a working fathers reflection of his life. Complimentary “Viva La Vida” Ringtone

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by eliot on Aug 16, 2008 at 12:31 AM Show <!– –> this song is about power and it’s consequences. how it is imposible to hang on to it, how transient it is, how erratic, alienating and self destructive. how the only way to survive it is love or the memory of a love that is a mirror, a sword, a shield, spiritual protection. how the reward of power lost is nostalgia, earthly honesty and a pass to heaven.

by pauld62704 on Aug 15, 2008 at 11:16 PM Show <!– –> Additional to peanutbutter, I wish you had been on my staff, I might have listened to you. You seem to have very good insight.

by pauld62704 on Aug 15, 2008 at 11:09 PM Show <!– –> I think peanutbutter had it right. This is about someone who had it all and lost it because getting there was worth whatever you had to do. You can lose an empire…either a nation or in business. I know because I am that man. The business empire is gone, I did whatever I had to in order acheive my goal. (The lies, watching your enemy express fear and the people behind the scenes that wanted your head). The missionaries are those that worked for you and trusted you and you left them unsupported.

by j3tski33 on Aug 15, 2008 at 11:00 PM Show <!– –> It has nothing to do with real kings. It’s about youth. When you are young, you rule the world. No one can help but love the optimism and strength of youth, but then, you realize that it isn’t honest and it isn’t going to last. You become jaded and aged like all those before. “Oh and who would ever want to be king?” As in, who would ever want to remain young once you realize how unstable and full of dreams not reality youth is. And in the end, he knows St. Peter will call his name–he feels older, wiser, and justified. That’s how I see it.

by j3tski33 on Aug 15, 2008 at 10:59 PM Show <!– –> It has nothing to do with real kings. It’s about youth. When you are young, you rule the world. No one can help but love the optimism and strength of youth, but then, you realize that it isn’t honest and it isn’t going to last. You become jaded and aged like all those before. “Oh and who would ever want to be king?” As in, who would ever want to remain young once you realize how unstable and full of dreams not reality youth is. And in the end, he knows St. Peter will call his name–he feels older, wiser, and justified. That’s how I see it.

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