February 19, 2021
This week’s tune is a song about the temporary nature of life and how what we have today may not be there tomorrow.
A Song About The Temporary Nature of Life
Coldplay is a British rock band from London. They previously went by Pectoralz and Starfish before changing their name to Coldplay in 1998. The band reached global fame with their hit song “Yellow” in 2000. Since then they’ve sold over 200 million records worldwide, which makes them one of the world’s best-selling music artists. The album, Viva la Vida or Death and All of His Friends reached the top of the charts and was the world’s best-selling album of 2008. The hit “Viva la Vida” tells the story of a king who used to rule the world but in an instant lost everything and everyone turned on him. The song has been interpreted in many ways but it’s also about the temporary nature of life. It symbolizes someone who just like a king can have everything in one moment and nothing in another. The song is a lesson to acknowledge that nothing is forever and that we should learn to appreciate and value what we have at the moment because it may not be there tomorrow.
“…One minute I held the key. Next the walls were closed on me”
Lyrics
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning, I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
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
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 go there was never, never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world
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
Oh, who would ever want to be king?
Roman Calvary 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
Roman Calvary 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
