"Viva la Vida" is a song written and recorded by Coldplay from their fourth studio album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, and was released as a single on 25 May, 2008.
Music videos[]
The official music video for "Viva La Vida" was directed by Hype Williams and premiered at Coldplay's official website on 1 August 2008. The video depicts the band performing against a blurry, warped version of Eugène Delacroix's painting La Liberté guidant le peuple, ending with the band members crumbling into rose petals. The video has 707 million views on YouTube as of September 2021.
A second, alternate video was shot in The Hague, the Netherlands, directed by Anton Corbijn and released alongside the first. This second version is a tribute to Corbijn's video for Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" and portrays Chris Martin as the king from whose perspective the song is sung. During the video, he carries Delacroix's painting. At the end, he hangs the picture up in a white stall on top of a hill. As he sings the last chorus, his bandmates surface heading his way, tying in loose ends from the "Violet Hill" video.
Sporting usage[]
During the 2008–09 season, the German football club Hamburger SV used "Viva la Vida" as their goal celebration song.
It is also the goal celebration song of the German football club Hannover 96.
The song also became the anthem of Spanish football club FC Barcelona during the 2008–09 season. It turned out to be a season of unprecedented success for the Spanish club in 2009, as they won all six competitions they could possibly be involved in, which no football club has managed before in history. The song was selected by the manager of the club, Pep Guardiola – himself a Coldplay fan – to help motivate and encourage his team. It was often played at the Camp Nou before the start of a Barcelona match. The song was also played during Pep Guardiola's farewell before his final match coaching Barcelona at the Nou Camp, a 4–0 victory against Espanyol on 5 May 2012. UEFA used "Viva la Vida" as the goal celebration song for the 2012 UEFA Champions League Final and Europa League Final.
The National Hockey League's New York Rangers played "Viva la Vida" at Madison Square Garden after victories during the 2011 season. The song was used by the Vancouver Canucks in a tribute video during Markus Näslund's number retirement ceremony held in Vancouver's Rogers Arena. It was also used in Game 7 of the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals when the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup on Vancouver Ice.
The Kansas City Chiefs play the song at the end of home games in Arrowhead Stadium.
Additionally, it is also used by the Kansas City Royals to celebrate home runs and wins at Kauffman Stadium.
This was the at-bat music of Scott Rolen, former third baseman of the Cincinnati Reds.
The song was also used pre-match during every 2008 Rugby League World Cup game before the two teams took to the field.
The song was played in honour of retiring darts player Phil Taylor after the 2018 PDC World Darts Championship final against Rob Cross.
Lyrics[]
[Verse 1: Chris Martin]
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
[Chorus: Chris Martin]
I hear Jerusalem bells a-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
[Verse 2: Chris Martin]
It was the 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
Oh who would ever want to be king?
[Chorus: Chris Martin]
I hear Jerusalem bells a-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
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
[Interlude: Will, Jonny, Guy, Brian]
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh oh-oh
[Outro: Chris Martin, Will, Jonny, Guy, Brian]
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) Be my mirror, my sword and shield
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) My missionaries in a foreign field
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) For some reason I can't explain
(oh-oh-oh oh-oh) I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Uh-Uh-Uh Uh-Uh
Uh-Uh-Uh Uh-Uh
Uh-Uh-Uh Uh-Uh
Uh-Uh-Uh Uh-Uh