Here are the official lyrics for the "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" album. They are taken from the official song book, copyright 2008 Universal Music.

Some of them don't seem like the words used on the album, but they are. Please don't post saying they are incorrect. They were taken directly from Coldplay's official piano/guitar/vocals book. Thanks!

 

 

Cemeteries of London:

At night they would go walking,

Till the breaking of the day,

The morning is for sleeping.

Through the dark streets they go searching

To see God in their own way,

Save the night time for your weeping,

Your weeping.

Singing la la la la la la la la lay,

And the night

Over London lay

So we rode down to the river

Where Victorian ghosts pray

For their curses to be broken,

We go underneath the arches,

Where the witches are and they say

"There are ghost towns in the ocean,

The ocean."

Singing la la la la la la la la lay,

And the night

Over London lay

God is in the houses,

And God is in my head

And all the cemet'ries of London,

I see God come, in my garden,

But I don't know what he said

For my heart it wasn't open,

Not open.

Singing la la la la la la la la lay

And the night

Over London lay

Singing la la la la la la la la lay

There's no light over London today.

 

 

Lost!

Just because I'm losing,

Doesn't mean I'm lost,

Doesn't mean I'll stop,

Doesn't mean I'm across

Just because I'm hurting,

Doesn't mean I'm hurt

Doesn't mean I didn't get what I deserved;

No better and no worse.

I just got lost

Ev'ry river that I tried to cross,

ev'ry door I ever tried was locked

Oh and I'm

Just waiting till the shine wears off

You might be a big fish

In a little pond;

Doesn't mean you've won,

Cause along will come

A bigger one

And you'll be lost!

Ev'ry river that you tried to cross,

Ev'ry gun you ever held went off.

Oh and I'm

Just waiting till the firing's stopped

Oh and I'm

Just waiting till the shine wears off

Oh and I'm

Just waiting till the shine wears off

Oh and I'm

Just waiting till the shine wears off

 

 

 

42

Those who are dead, are not dead,

They're just living in my head.

And since I fell for that spell I am living there as well

Oh

Time is so short and I'm sure

There must be something more

Those who are dead

Are not dead

They're just living in my head

Oh

And since I fell for that spell I am living there as well,

Oh

Time is so short

and I'm sure

There must be something more

Oh oh oh oh oh

You thought you might be a ghost!

You thought you might be a ghost!

You didn't get to heaven but you made it close,

You didn't get to heaven but you made it close,

You thought you might be a ghost!

You thought you might be a ghost!

You didn't get to heaven but you made it close,

You didn't get to heaven but you oh oh

Those who are dead,

Are not dead,

They're just living in my head,

Oo-

 

 

Lovers In Japan

Lovers, keep on the road you're on

Runners, until the race is run

Soldiers, you've got to soldier on

Sometimes, even the right is wrong

They are turning my head out

To see what I'm all about,

Keeping my head down

To see what it feels like now

But I have no doubt

One day we're gunna get out

Tonight,

Maybe we're gunna run

Dreaming of the Osaka sun

Oh----

Dreaming,

Of when the morning comes

They are turning my head out

To see what I'm all about

Keeping my head down

To see what it feels like now

But I have no doubt

One day

The sun will come out

 

 

 

Reign of Love

Reign of love,

I can't let go,

To the sea I offer

This heavy load

Locust wind,

Lift me up

I'm just a pris'ner in a

Reign of love

Locust will

Let us stop

How I wish I'd spoken up

To the

Reign of love

Reign of love,

by the church we're waiting

Reign of love,

my knees go praying

How I wish,

I'd spoken up,

Away get carried

On the reign of love

 

 

 

Yes

When it started we had high hopes,

Now my back's on the line,

My back's on the ropes.

When it started we were alright

But night makes a fool of us in

Daylight

There we were dying of frustration,

Saying

"Lord lead me not into tempation"

But it's not easy when she turns you on.

Sin, stay gone

If you'd only

If you'd only

Say yes

Whether you will's

Anybody's guess

God only, God knows,

I'm trying my best,

But I'm just so tired of this loneliness

Hey!

So, up they picked me by the big toe,

I was held fromt the rooftop,

Then they let go

Dizzily screaming,

"Let the windows down."

As I crawl to the ground

If you'd only,

If you'd only

Say yes

Whether you will's anybody's guess

God only, God knows,

She won't let me rest,

But I'm just so tired of this loneliness

I've become so tired of this loneliness

 

Chinese Sleep Chant

Ah, sleep

I need

Sleep satisfies,

Sleep satisfies,

Ah, sleep,

I need,

Sleep satisfies

Sleep satisfies

Sleep-

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep satisfies

Sleep satisfies

Fall asleep

Fall asleep

Sleep mystifies

Sleep mystifies

Fall asleep

Fall asleep

Sleep satisfies

Sleep satisfies

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep

Sleep satisfies

Sleep satisfies

 

 

Viva La Vida

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

I hear Jerusalem bells are 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,

But that was when I ruled the world

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

And 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 are 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

Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh

Whoa oh oh oh oh

Whoa oh oh oh oh

Whoa oh oh oh oh

Whoa oh oh oh oh

Hear Jerusalem bells are 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.

Oooh ooh oh oh oh----

 

 

Violet Hill

Was a long and dark December,

From the rooftops I remember

There was snow,

White snow

Clearly I remember,

From the windows they were watching while we froze

Down below,

When the future's architechtured

By a carnival of idiots on show

You better lie low

If you love me

Won't you let me know?

Was a long and dark December

When the banks became cathedrals

And the fox

Became God

Priests clutched onto bibles

Hollowed out to fit their rifles

And the cross

Was held aloft

Bury me in armour,

When I'm dead and hit the ground,

My nerves are poles,

That unfroze

And if you love me,

Won't you let me know?

{Guitar}

I don't wanna be a soldier

Who the captain of some sinking ship would stow,

Far below

So, if you love me,

Why'd you let me go?

I took my love down to Violet Hill,

There we sat in snow,

All that time she was silent still,

So, if you love me,

Won't you let me know?

So, if you love me,

Won't you let me know?

 

 

Strawberry Swing

They were sitting,

They were sitting in the strawberry swing,

Ev'ry moment was so precious

They were sitting,

They were talking in the strawberry swing,

Ev'rybody was for fighting

Wouldn't wanna waste a thing

Cold cold water,

Bring me round

Now my feet won't touch the ground

Cold cold water,

What you say?

When it's such,

It's such a perfect day

It's such a perfect day

I remember

We were walking up to strawberry swing,

I can't wait till the morning,

Wouldn't wanna change a thing

People moving,

All the time

Inside a perfectly straight line

Don't you wanna,

Curve away?

When it's such

It's such a perfect day

It's such a perfect day

Ah----

Now the sky,

Could be blue,

I don't mind

Without you it's a waste of time

Could be blue

Could be grey

Without you I'm just miles away

Without you it's a waste of time,

Oh, the sky could be blue

I don't mind

Without you it's a waste of time

 

 

Death And All His Friends

All winter

We got carried

Away over all the rooftops,

Let's get married

All summer we just hurried

So come over just be patient and don't worry

So come over, just be patient and don't worry

So come over, just be patient and don't worry

And don't worry

Drive!

Drive!

Drive!

Drive!

No I don't want to battle from beginning to end,

I don't want a cycle of recycled revenge,

I don't want to follow death and all of his friends

No I don't want to battle from beginning to end,

I don't want a cycle of recycled revenge,

I don't want to follow death and all of his friends...

 

 

The Escapist

And,

In the end,

We lie awake

And we dream of making our escape

And,

In the end,

We lie awake,

And we dream of making our escape....

 

 

 

Please don't post below saying the lyrics are incorrect, they are correct and direct from the book.

 

So there you have it! Those are the official Coldplay lyrics for all the Viva La Vida songs, taken from their official piano/guitar/vocals book. I was surprised at a few of them, because they don't seem like the actual words Chris is singing in the songs, but they are. Hope you enjoyed them!

 

Louise

Well I've had "official" coldplay tab books that have given incorrect lyrics before, and even in studio versions their tend to be minor variations from the written lyrics. Chinese Sleep Chant is a clear example of that, as there are multiple voices saying different things, and even in live performances, Chris doesn't always sing the same lyrics. So the fact that these are branded "official" isn't enough to convince me that I am mistaken when my focused ear hear's distinctly different vocals on the track and every other performance of that song.

While I believe these lyrics to be 95% correct, and acknowledging that I could very well be mistaken... in certain instances, I find my own experience to be more reliable than the publication that this list came from.

exactly what i was going to say especially CSC since i have seen a performance where chris says sleep crucified...

bsides this is not quite the place to post this, is it??

Haha you should post scans of the sheets :D

 

The ones we have now are a little controversial as to the "official-ity" :lol:

These books can be and have been wrong lyrically and musically. Mostly they are accurate, but they are not 100% confirmed by the band. Their guess is as good as ours

^

*thinks of GPASUYF*

 

 

"guess is as good as mine":rolleyes:

Is it the same book as this one? I'm just curious :)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8n40sd