Does anybody here have any clue what the lyrics to Viva la Vida are supposed to mean? I know Viva la Vida means "Live Life" in Spanish but the song just confuses me. It's an awesome song though. Discuss the meaning to this incredible song. Here's the lyrics for anybody that doesn't know: 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 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 I hear Jerusalem bells a 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 go there was never Never an honest word And that was when I ruled the world 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 Oh who would ever want to be king? I hear Jerusalem bells a 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 I hear Jerusalem bells a 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
I'm pretty sure it's referring to an overthrow of a king in Jerusalem during the time of the Romans. I just don't know which one because there were lots.
Yeah that's kind of what I was thinking just not that precise. I still don't know hat that has to do with "Live Life" though.
WRONG It's about the French Revolution that's the whole thing about head on a silver plate... Jerusalem bells are church bells I believe...
I don't know what you mean about the silver plate thing. I haven't learned about France in school yet. But the revolution does seem like a better explanation now that I go back and look at it.
It's what they did after they killed the king. They would put the beheaded person's fallen off head on a silver platter. Much like this.
Did you guys know that song got sued by Joe Satrani who said Coldplay ripped him off. Check it. Or it's all fake and I'm just confused. Oh and I have no idea what the song is about. Something about revolution or obtain ones land.
Actually two people have sued coldplay for stealing the song. I personally think it's a load of bullshit. Think about it. There are only so many melodies you can make with notes. When you start thinking of notes, the music starts to write itself, that is why there have been so many musicians who accuse other of stealing their music over the years. There are definitely parallels between the songs, but you really hear what you want to hear, and I can see large differences also. And Viva la Vida isn't even their best song. Not by far. Check out their old stuff.
Yeah I really like Clocks and Speed of Sound. I haven't heard everything by them but they are plain amazing. Violet Hill is also fairly good. I think we've all agreed Viva la Vida is about the French Revolution. Am I wrong? Also is this from the soon to be overthrown king's point-of-view? That's the impression I'm getting from the words.
''Bassist Guy Berryman explained to Q magazine July 2008 about this song that features lyrics about cavalries, missionaries and kings: "It's a story about a king who's lost his kingdom, and all the album's artwork is based on the idea of revolutionaries and guerrillas. There's this slightly anti-authoritarian viewpoint that's crept into some of the lyrics and it's some of the payoff between being surrounded by governments on one side, but also we're human beings with emotions and we're all going to die and the stupidity of what we have to put up with every day. Hence the album title."'' ''Q magazine asked Chris Martin about the lyric on this song "I know Saint Peter won't call my name." The Coldplay lead singer replied: "It's about… You're not on the list. I was a naughty boy. It's always fascinated me that idea of finishing your life and then being analyzed on it. And it's that runs through most religions. That's why people blow up buildings. Because they think they're going to get lots of virgins. I always feel like saying, Just join a band (cackles head off). That is the most frightening thing you could possibly say to somebody. Eternal damnation. I know about this stuff because I studied it. I was into it all. I know it. It's still mildly terrifying to me. And this is serious."'' Sauce I use this website a lot, especially when I'm trying to figure out what a song means, etc. Don't start that discussion again. Seriously.
The cover art is of the French Revolution, so I would think it is mainly based on that. Most songs don't have meaning these days anyway
I didn't think it was based on one event. I always assumed it was just based on the general feelings of events of the same nature. Treason, revolution, etc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TryMDOBeaOc This Halo vid explains more about this song than the actual music video. But the line "sweep the streets I used to own" suggests that the king that fell did not fall on a sword...
Quick historical lesson. He is referring to the guillotine, or during the revolution "the national razor". The french were in a monarchy before the revolution. There were three classes of people. One class made up like 97% of the population and were ALL very poor while the other 3% were rich beyond imagination. After seeing the American's revolution, a thing called "the enlightenment" happened where basically everyone thought that if someone else could do it, so could they. There was also poverty and famine and all those fish n' chips that made them unhappy with their government. So people started revolting. The first act was against the Bastille, a prison where ALOT of weapons were held which the people needed to revolt. They destroyed the entire thing. Then and a man by the name of Robespierre had a newspaper that encouraged the revolution. In his paper he would create lists of people that were against the revolution and they would be killed by the national razor. In the hundreds, each day rulers would be silenced by the razor. Robespierre gained too much power though, and soon started to write out names of anyone who opposed him. Soon he was overthrown and the revolution "ate it's own" by killing those who started it in the first place. Then they basically slowly went back to a monarchy again. King Louis' decedent eventually took over again. Kind of a pointless story in history in my opinion. Nothing was accomplished other than death. The song could be referring to Robespierre OR the King.
OK I think the song is more about revolution in general... more specifically about violent revolution... most notably the french revolution, which is why they put that picture of the french revolution on the front The American revolution too was very violent, but was more of a defensive, than offensive conflict
yeah i believe it was about the french revolution. But whenever I listen to it, i think of the book: The Count of Monte Cristo