Coldplay: Viva La Vida Meaning

Song Released: 2008

Covered By: Taylor Swift

Viva La Vida Lyrics

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...

1. anonymous

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   Dec 14th 2011 !⃝

   i used this for a text to text reference for the story of Macbeth by Shakespeare
2. kushibo

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   Nov 7th 2011 !⃝

   I think it's an allegory about George W. Bush taking the White House, engaging in war, and leaving power in disgrace.
   
   But it is done with broader applications to leaders of any time or place.
   
   http://www.monster-island.net/2008/09/viva-la-vinyl.html
3. anonymous

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   Nov 5th 2011 !⃝

   Guys its very ysimple.It's all figuritve about a person who had it all then lost it all thru his own mistakes.I can relate to this song as can many people.
4. anonymous

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   Nov 4th 2011 !⃝

   Viva La Vida Lyrics
   
   “I used to rule the world
   Seas would rise when I gave the word”
   
   George W bush was the leader of the most powerful country on Earth.
   
   “Now in the morning I sleep alone”
   
   He no longer has the White House, Government and Militray staff at his beck and call 24/7.
   
   “Sweep the streets I used to own”
   
   He is more a regular civilian now.
   
   “I used to roll the dice
   Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes”
   
   He no longer has Commander in Chief powers.
   
   “Listened as the crowd would sing
   Now the old king is dead long live the king”
   
   The change in administration when he became elected.
   
   “One minute I held the key
   Next the walls closed on me
   And I discovered that my castles stand
   Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand”
   
   The justification for Bush’s second Iraq war left when he did.
   
   “I hear Jerusalem bells ringing
   Roman Cavalry choirs singing
   Be my mirror my sword and shield”
   
   Bush’s Holy Crusade into the Middle East (paralleling those of the Dark Ages-Jerusalem calls)
   
   “My missionaries in a foreign field
   For some reason I can't explain
   Once you were gone there was never
   Never an honest word
   But that was when I ruled the world”
   
   Bush was dishonest about the necessity of deployment into Iraq. There were never terrorists there just a dictators regime (one of many worldwide).
   
   “It was a wicked and wild wind
   Blew down the doors to let me in
   Shattered windows and the sound of drums”
   
   The 911 attack created the impetus and opportunity for a second longer war in Iraq.
   
   “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 wanna be king?”
   
   Bush activated our military reserves as well as convinced all fifty governors to release all the States National Guardsman to Federal Service. Many were unhappy with this especially New Orleans in her time of need. Liberals and terrorist were both calling for Bush’s head.
   
   “I hear Jerusalem bells ringing
   Roman Cavalry choirs singing
   Be my mirror my sword and shield
   My missionaries in a foreign field
   For some reason I can't explain
   I know St. Peter won't call my name
   Never an honest word
   But that was when I ruled the world”
   
   “I hear Jerusalem bells ringing
   Roman Cavalry choirs singing
   Be my mirror my sword and shield
   My missionaries in a foreign field
   For some reason I can't explain
   I know St. Peter won't call my name
   Never an honest word
   But that was when I ruled the world”
   
   
   Think about it. Who is the most recent, most powerful, most controversial person in the world? Europeans called Bush the American’s “King” (King George) especially the British (how ironic).
   This song could almost be applied to Bin Ladin except Saint Peter is a very minor character in Islam and is not waiting at the gates to admit souls as he is said to in Christianity. Just call this song “George W.”

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
5. anonymous

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   Nov 4th 2011 !⃝

   "It was a wicked and wild wind
   Blew down the doors to let me in.
   Shattered windows and the sound of drums"
   Bush and the 911 attacks
6. anonymous

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   Nov 4th 2011 !⃝

   "It was a wicked and wild wind
   Blew down the doors to let me in"
   the 911 attacks created the impetus and oppotunity for Bush's military over deployment. Bin Ladin was never in Iraq (Sadam would have killed him as he did with all powerful rivals).
7. anonymous

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   Nov 4th 2011 !⃝

   Its about George W. Bush. Our campaign in Iraq while our true enemy is in Afghanistan.
8. anonymous

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   Nov 1st 2011 !⃝

   This song is aboet chris marting wen he divorce his wife and lose key to city becouse he gambled his entire life and was put in jail for 27 yrs for fightin for rights of black ppl and then became prince of africas.
9. anonymous

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   Sep 20th 2011 !⃝

   I think its a song about recovery. From addiction to drugs, alcohol; whatever addiction results in "never an honest word, but that was when I ruled the world" and "people couldn't believe what I'd become."
   
   The revolutionaries could be the drug dealers who wait "for my head on a silver plate, the substance abuser like a "puppet on a lonely string." When one recovers, one concludes, "Oh, who would ever want to be king?" meaning using, addicted.
10. anonymous

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    Sep 19th 2011 !⃝

    It's a song about recovery.
11. anonymous

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    Sep 14th 2011 !⃝

    I agree that it is about a king, but here's my spin on the tale:
    
    The speaker was a corrupt person when he rose to power. He was a great king at the very beginning of his reign. His people loved him, but the lesser government figures didn't like the way he threw his power around as he pleased, so they sabotaged him. He looked a bad person for a while and now he's exiled from his kingdom, where those who plotted against him now rule and are loved. The speaker now realized, just before death, that he was used ("just a puppet on a lonely string") so they could rise to power.
    
    My conclusion about him being close to death came from the line "I hear Jeruselum bells a-ringing," because when one is close to death, you start to hear bells. Those who are alive can't hear them because it's not thier time, but they are always ringing.
    
    His
12. anonymous

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    Aug 29th 2011 !⃝

    the song is basically about a man who used to be in imense power but feel from the seat or got replaced or lost and now hes on the bottom. he literally went from hero to zero
13. anonymous

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    Aug 25th 2011 !⃝

    I believe this is the story of satan because before Jesus died for our sins the world belonged to satan so its the streets he USED to own and when it says i know saint peter wont call my name its bcuz some people think peter will call you into heaven thus satan wont b there so peter wont call his name
14. anonymous

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    Aug 21st 2011 !⃝

    Maybe they're talking about Louis XVI's son, the daulphin who was shut away, walled up alive. "one minute I held the key, next the walls were closed on me", maybe they're talking about the poor helpless kid who no one wanted to save.
15. cutsdadestro

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    Aug 15th 2011 !⃝

    He is lonely cause his love left him. He got her by being the rebound. He is comparing himself to a king losing his kingdom. He's completely lost without her.

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