Viva la Vida Lyrics

Lyric discussion by SwampThing 

Cover art for Viva la Vida lyrics by Coldplay

Too many people take this song literally. Sure, it's about Louis the whatever. But it's really a metaphor of the writer losing his woman. When he had her, he was on top of the world. Nothing could stop him. His life was built on that joy. But now it's gone and he's got no one, no girl, no friends, nothing.

If this was just a history of King Louis, there would not be this line: "Now in the morning, I sleep alone". Self explanatory and nothing to do with King Louie. Or this line: "For some reason, I can't explain; Once you'd gone, there was never, never an honest word". He's alone now... the old friends (all hers?) just dodge him with lies about why they can't hang with him or help him.

I'd further guess the he hung out with her and her friends. He was someone because he was with someone very attractive or famous or both. Regardless, without her, he's on his own. His life was built on pillars of salt or sand... he just didn't realize that his happiness was this fragile and all layered on his relationship.

Song Meaning
Negative
Subjective
Sadness
Loss
Relationship
Metaphor
Isolation
Fragility