The Meaning Behind “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay and the Band’s Revolution Against Itself

“Viva La Vida” is an important song for Coldplay. It’s the title track of the British band’s fourth studio album. The French Revolution inspired the aesthetic, and for Coldplay, they felt they needed to revolt against… being too Coldplay. So they reinvented their sound, and the transformation continued the band’s rise to stadium heights.

Castles Made of Sand

“Viva La Vida” describes a struggle for power. But it’s also about how the ruling class and the ruled coexist in a society. In the opening verse, Chris Martin reveals how power often rests atop shaky ground.

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.

Moreover, the revolution is the easy part. Once in power, how does one avoid becoming paranoid of losing power? And how does one avoid becoming the very thing they’ve overthrown?

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.

Who Would Ever Want To Be King?

Coldplay’s bassist Guy Berryman told Q, “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.”

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.

“There’s this slightly anti-authoritarian viewpoint that’s crept into some of the lyrics and it’s some of the pay-off 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,” Berryman said.

It was a 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.
And revolutionaries wait,
For my head on a silver plate.
Just a puppet on a lonely string,
Oh, who would ever want to be king?

Photo by Shirlaine Forrest/WireImage