Covid Island Discs

Day 327: Viva La Vida, Coldplay

Recently I watched a Youtube video about Coldplay which discussed why they lost their popularity in the naughties. This is the title song from their album Viva-la-vida; an album which did not do as well as their first set of albums such as Parachutes and X&Y. Yet I still think this is a quality song which also explores the theme of a very powerful person losing their sphere of influence. I sometimes wonder whether Chris Martin may have penned this song partly reflecting his feelings on Coldplay’s drop from mega-band stardom. I particularly like the opening lines in the song:

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