Viva La Vida
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
[If I wrote this song, I would probably give it the title “When I Ruled the World” because that reflects the gist of the song and it is a line repeated throughout the song. “Viva La Vida” is Spanish for “Live the Life.” The speaker describes having tremendous power. He says that he could control the oceans. It seems to me an allusion to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) who parted the Red Sea. Incidentally, the lead singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin, named his son Moses. This is like a rags-to-riches story in reverse. The character went from a position of power to a lowly job as a streetsweeper.]
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!”
[The character recalls having the power to make his enemies suffer. It seems like he led a revolt against a monarch. There is irony in the last line of the stanza. The people see that their king has just died but express hope that the next king will fare better. Yet as Dr. Phil says, the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. If the last king died in a revolt, what reason does the next king have to hope for a long life?]
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
[Looking back, the speaker feels that it all happened so fast. It was if one minute, he held the keys of power and the next he was in a kind of prison of poverty. The idea of castles standing on pillars of sand highlights the transitory nature of power. Just as a building on a weak foundation quickly sinks, a person with power can quickly fall into poverty. The pillars of salt may be a reference to the story of Prophet Lot, peace be upon him, whose wife turned into a pillar of salt in the Bible. I believe her transformation was a punishment for lacking faith. Maybe he is saying that when people lose power, it is a punishment for their lack of faith.]
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
That was when I Ruled the World
[This stanza is more cryptic than the previous ones. Jerusalem is, of course, the primary city of the Holy Land. Some of the most sacred churches in the world are in Jerusalem. I don’t know how to interpret “Roman Cavalry choirs.” When I hear the song, it sounds to me like “Roman Catholic choirs” which makes more sense as there are choirs in the Catholic Church. From my knowledge of Roman history I do not recall the Roman Cavalry having choirs. Why would soldiers mounted on horses need choirs? The line, “Be my Mirror, my Sword and Shield,” suggests to me two possible interpretations. One would be that it is a request to the woman he loves to be a mirror to him, like his other half. The second would be that it is a prayer asking God to be his Sword, to ask God to defend him and protect him.]
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
[The wind here may represent change or time. Time is like a current carrying people along.]
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
[He is describing losing his power and sinking into obscurity. Just as he replaced the previous king, he becomes replaced by another ruler.]
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
[In Christian theology, St. Peter is the gatekeeper of heaven. The speaker seems to regret his life and worries he will face retribution in the afterlife.]
Ohhh
Ohhh
Ohhh
Ohhh
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
[Song by Coldplay - The group comprises vocalist/pianist/guitarist Chris Martin, lead guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Will Champion. Lyrics courtesy of lyrics.astraweb.com, a fantastic free site for contemporary lyrics.]