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-ringin'
Roman Cavalry choirs are singin'
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
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
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Aw, who would ever wanna be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringin'
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
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringin'
Roman Cavalry choirs are singin'
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
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-ringin'
Roman Cavalry choirs are singin'
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
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
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Aw, who would ever wanna be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringin'
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
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh
I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringin'
Roman Cavalry choirs are singin'
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
Lyrics submitted by zsub, edited by mike, christianbro9p, otac0n, stevenbol1, Adatasha, KeroseneFire, wolfkirby, maddie2325, Conbear1026
Viva La Vida Lyrics as written by Guy Rupert Berryman Christopher A. J. Martin
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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For me this song has always seemed to be talking about Louis XVI's fall from power and the fleetingness of that power. He used to rule the world, but now he sweeps the streets he used to own. Now obviously he's not literally sweeping the streets, but sitting in a prison cell. His castles stand upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand because his life was ripped apart so easily by the people. It talks about how he was taken away from the comfort of his life "It was a wicked and wild wind...". I think the main giveaway that it is talking about Louis XVI is the part "Revolutionaries wait for my head on a silver plate" because he was beheaded. "The sound of drums" refers to the fact that drums were played before his beheading to drown out the sound of any supporters of the king. I don't think "I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing" is supposed to be taken completely literally. It makes me think of the traditional symbol of a bell tolling at the end of a person's life. After he was executed, the citizens attending the beheading began chanting "Vive la Republique!". The fact that the song's title is "Viva la Vida" is no coincidence. The citizens may have been chanting "Viva la Republique", but this song is from the point of view of Louis XVI, and although "vida" is Spanish and not French, as king, he's reminiscing on his life, not the new republic.