“Viva La Vida” Song Interpretation

We all have heard of the famous French Revolution. The time when the king of France
who once thrived lost it all and was overthrown by his citizens. This is the main idea of the song
“Viva La Vida” by Coldplay in their hit song “Viva La Vida” which was released on June 13,
2008. The song is written by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion, and Chris Martin.
The title of the song “Viva La Vida” means “Long Live Life” in Spanish. This song sets out a
depressing mood. The song is sung from the perspective of a ruler.

The song starts with the old king, reminiscing of his days when he ruled his kingdom.
However, he has fallen from grace, now only in the lower end of the spectrum in society. He
used to take various risks and evoke fear in his enemies. He talks about his rise to power and his
realization that his entire power was built upon lies and deception. He proceeds to look back on
his life, and reflect his own mistakes. Now, people are disappointed at him, and the king waits
for the inevitable moment he will get dethroned. The song ends on a sad note, with the king
concluding that Saint Peter won’t call his name, or that he won’t be forgiven for his mistakes.
The chorus shows the king denying his mistakes and blaming others for his wrongdoings, until
he realized he was the problem all along, and he fell into despair. Viva La Vida teaches us that
being a ruler isn’t as simple as we think, and we have to think before we act.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viva_la_Vida

Lyrics:
Verse 1:
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
 
Verse 2:
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's 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
 
Chorus:
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't explain
Once you'd gone, there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world
 
Verse 3:
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Aw, who would ever want to be king?
 
Chorus:
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't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
 
Bridge:
Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh
 
Breakdown:
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
My missionaries in a foreign field
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
For some reason I can't explain
(Oh-oh-woah, oh-oh, oh)
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
 
Outro:
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Mmm, mmm...