By: ColdplayColdplay Click the cover

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 diceroll 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 standmy castles stand Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand Lyrics

Chorus I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringingJerusalem Roman cavalry choirs are singing Be my mirror, my sword and shield My missionaries in a foreign fieldmissionaries 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

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 Revolutionaries wait For my head on a silver plate Just a puppet on a lonely string Oh who would ever want to be king? Lyrics

Citations “Chris Martin Picture.” Hangout Altsounds. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May Coldplay, perf. 8Notes. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May , perf. Lyrics Mania. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May “Coldplay.” Msn. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Coldplay.” Pop Musicology. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May Coldplay, perf. Song Meanings. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May , perf. “Viva la Vida Lyrics.” Lets Sing It. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 May “Coldplay Picture.” Wikipedia- Picture. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Crowd.” i.ytimg. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Definition of Revolutionaries.” Merriam Webster. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May

More Citations “Dictionary.” Babylon Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May “Information about Jerusalem.” Fact Monster. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Jerusalem.” Mid East Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Louis XIV.” louis-xiv. Ed. Elena Steingrad. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 May “Louis XVI Picture.” Kohm. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Map of Jerusalem.” Mid East Web. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May Mor, Lena. “History of Jerulsam.” Holy Land Network. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 May “Picture.” Antiquiet. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Picture of Concert.” DoobyBrain. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Picture of Liberty Leading the People.” Art History Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May

More Citations Pioch, Nicolas. “Liberty Leading the People.” Web Museum. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May Robinson, J. H. “Information about Louis XIV.” History Hanover Edu. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Viva.” 991 Gallery. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Viva la Vida.” Yahnover. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May “Viva la Vida Album Cover.” Disco Salt. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May

Coldplay Coldplay is a band from London, England. Their music genre is alternative rock. Chris Martin is the lead singer and piano player of the band, Jon Buckland plays the lead guitar, Guy Berryman plays the bass, and Will Champion is on the drums. They met at the University College London (UCL) in 1996 in a residence hall. The first to join the band were Martin and Buckland. For the rest of that year, they planned the band. Later, Berryman decided to join and in 1998, so did Champion. He had played several instruments as he grew up, but never played the drums until then. After a huge success in England after their first album, they decided to come to the U.S. (Coldplay). back

This is referring to Louis XIV. He ruled France from 1643 to 1715, which is the longest reign in European history. During his reign, France was an absolute monarchy. He built the Palace of Versailles, which he lived in while he was king. The song is referring to how he had a ton of power and a lavish life in the beginning, but then near the end of his rule, there were many problems. (“Louis XIV”). “I used to rule the world” back Click here to learn more.

“Sweep the streets I used to own” This is referring to how every king’s rule ends and that glory does not last forever and will end at some point. He used to have all the power, now he is just sweeping the streets. He went from glory to peasantry; Now he is nothing. back

“I used to roll the dice” This stanza means that when he was king, he made decisions just based on luck and not really thinking hard about every little thing. back

“Now the old king is dead, long live the king” This is a traditional quote made following the death of a monarch, which is used in various countries. It means that the king has died, and they hope the new king will have a long life. This refers to when Louis XV died, Louis XVI became the king. The throne was supposed to never be empty, so once one king dies, the next king in line takes the throne immediately, which prevented any time without a government or control over the people. (Dictionary). back French: Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!

“My castles stand upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand” This means that huge, extravagant castles, are held upon something so weak. It is saying that the sand and salt will crumble and cannot hold the castles up forever. This metaphor also reflects Louis XVI’s indecisiveness throughout the time in was in power. In the end, this led to many mistakes. back

Album Cover This picture came from a famous picture from the French Revolution. It is called Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix. Coldplay choose this for their album cover because they wanted to have something revolutionary. back Click here to learn more.

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel. It is the holy city of the Islamic, Christian, and Jewish religions. Twenty kings ruled Jerusalem from 979 BCE to 586 BCE. Their reigns were anywhere from three months to fifty-five years. (Mor). back Click here to learn more.

A missionary is someone who attempts to convert others to a particular doctrine or program. They are people sent on a mission, especially a religious or charitable mission to a foreign country. back

“I know St. Peter won’t call my name” This means that he made too many mistakes. He will not get into the gates of Heaven. He has done too much wrong in his life to go to Heaven. Throughout Louis XVI’s life, he was very hopeless and depressed, so he thought he would not get into Heaven. back

Never an honest word means that when you are in power, you lie and don’t really tell the people you are ruling all the true things. back

“People couldn’t believe what I’d become” This stanza of the song means that when you have all the power, you become consumed in it and become a different person. You are not yourself anymore. back

“Just a puppet on a lonely string” This means he is lonely and just a puppet. He does not feel like a human anymore. The government becomes corrupt and changes the person completely. back