Viva La Vida – English Lyrics

• By: Coldplay
• Album: Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the story behind Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida,' a song rich with historical and artistic references. Learning the English lyrics of this powerful track offers a gateway to understanding storytelling in music, exploring themes of history, power, and art. The song's grand orchestration and poignant narrative make it a compelling and memorable way to enhance your language skills.

[English]

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


Listened 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-ringing
 Roman cavalry choirs are singing


Be my mirror, my sword and shield
 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
 Oh who would ever want to be king?

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 St Peter won’t call my name


Never an honest word
 But that was when I ruled the world

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 St Peter won’t call my name


Never an honest word
 But that was when I ruled the world

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rule /ruːl/ B1	verb - to control or govern a country or area
king /kɪŋ/ A1	noun - a male ruler of a country
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth and all the people, places, and things on it
pillars /ˈpɪlərz/ B2	noun - a tall vertical structure of stone, wood, or metal, used as support for a building
castles /ˈkæsəlz/ A2	noun - a large strong building with thick walls, built in the past by a ruler to protect people
mirror /ˈmɪrər/ A2	noun - a piece of glass that reflects images
sword /sɔːrd/ A2	noun - a weapon with a long metal blade and a handle
shield /ʃiːld/ B1	noun - a piece of metal or other material carried by soldiers to protect their bodies
missionaries /ˈmɪʃəneriz/ C1	noun - people sent to a foreign country to teach their religion
cavalry /ˈkævəlri/ C1	noun - soldiers who fought on horses in the past
bells /belz/ A1	noun - a hollow metal object that makes a ringing sound when hit
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - moving air
wicked /ˈwɪkɪd/ B2	adjective - morally bad or wrong
revolutionaries /ˌrevəˈluːʃəneriz/ C2	noun - people who support or take part in a revolution
puppet /ˈpʌpɪt/ B2	noun - a doll controlled by strings, or a person controlled by others
salt /sɔːlt/ A1	noun - a white substance used to add flavor to food
sand /sænd/ A1	noun - a loose material consisting of small grains of rock
honest /ˈɑːnɪst/ B1	adjective - telling the truth or able to be trusted
foreign /ˈfɔːrən/ A2	adjective - belonging to or connected with a country that is not your own

Key Grammar Structures

• I used to rule the world

  ➔ Used to + base form (Past habit/state)

  ➔ "Used to" describes an action or state that happened regularly or existed in the past but does not happen or exist anymore. Here, it indicates a past position of power that the speaker no longer holds.

• Seas would rise when I gave the word

  ➔ Would + base form (Past habitual action)

  ➔ "Would" is used here to describe an action that happened repeatedly in the past, similar to "used to," but often implies a more voluntary or characteristic action. It emphasizes a consistent pattern during the speaker's reign.

• Next the walls were closed on me

  ➔ Past Simple Passive Voice

  ➔ The passive voice ("were closed") is used when the action is more important than the doer, or the doer is unknown/unimportant. Here, it highlights the speaker's helplessness as events happened *to* them.

• And I discovered that my castles stand

  ➔ Noun Clause (after a verb of discovery/cognition)

  ➔ The phrase "that my castles stand" functions as a noun, serving as the object of the verb "discovered." It introduces the realization or fact that was discovered.

• I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing

  ➔ Verb of Perception + Object + Present Participle (-ing form)

  ➔ This structure ("hear" + "bells" + "a-ringing") indicates that the speaker perceives an action in progress. The "a-" prefix before "-ringing" is an archaic or poetic form of the present participle, adding a classic feel.

• Missionaries in a foreign field

  ➔ Ellipsis (implied subject and verb)

  ➔ This is a concise phrase where the subject and verb (e.g., "They are" or "These are") are omitted, but their meaning is understood from the context. It acts as a descriptive noun phrase.

• Once you’d gone there was never / Never an honest word

  ➔ Past Perfect (had + V3)

  ➔ "You'd gone" (you had gone) indicates an action (leaving) that was completed before another past action or state (never an honest word). It establishes a sequence of events in the past.

• People couldn’t believe what I’d become

  ➔ Noun Clause (introduced by "what") + Past Perfect

  ➔ The phrase "what I'd become" acts as the object of the verb "believe." It's a noun clause that refers to the state or identity of the speaker, and "I'd become" (I had become) uses the past perfect to show a change completed before the "couldn't believe" moment.

• Oh who would ever want to be king?

  ➔ Conditional "Would" in a Rhetorical Question

  ➔ "Would" is used here in a hypothetical or rhetorical question to express doubt or to suggest that no one would genuinely desire such a position given the speaker's experience. It implies a strong negative opinion.

• I know St Peter won’t call my name

  ➔ Future Simple with "won't" (prediction/certainty)

  ➔ "Won't call" (will not call) expresses a strong negative prediction or a certainty about a future event, specifically the speaker's belief that they will not be granted entry into heaven.