☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics tell the story of a once powerful ruler who must suffer the loss of his power and authority.
- There is reference to the fear his enemies had and how they celebrated when he was overthrown, emphasizing the abrupt change of power.
- The fragility of his reign is depicted through the comparison of his 'castles' to 'pillars of salt and sand'.
- The lines 'I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing / Roman Cavalry choirs are singing' could allude to the Crusades.
- Refrain repetitions seem to show remorse or regret for his past, and the final line 'But that was when I ruled the world' shows his acceptance that his days as ruler are over.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Viva La Vida' by
Coldplay seem to tell the story of a powerful ruler who experienced his downfall and loss of power. The song opens with the lines 'I used to rule the world / Seas would rise when I gave the word', which indicates a time when the narrator had control and authority.
The next verse speaks of the fear his enemies had and how the audience celebrated when he was overthrown: 'Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!'. This underscores the abrupt power shift that the narrator experienced.
The text goes on to say that his 'castles stand / Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand', which indicates the fragility of his power. It shows that his reign was built on uncertain foundations and ultimately collapsed.
The lines 'I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing / Roman Cavalry choirs are singing' could allude to the historical event of the Crusades, when Christian armies attempted to reclaim Jerusalem from the Muslims.
The repetition of the chorus 'For some reason I can't explain / Once you go there was never, never an honest word / That was when I ruled the world' seems to show some remorse or regret for his past reign.
Finally, the song speaks of 'Revolutionaries wait / For my head on a silver plate', which indicates a violent overthrow. The last line 'But that was when I ruled the world' shows that the narrator has accepted the fact that his time as ruler is over.