Sarmadical

dude, did you not read that, it never said it was DIRECTLY about jesus, it clearly said that it was about Tiberius, NOT jesus, it just has biblical reference. But ya, the whole point of figuring out whole point of the meaning behind a song is what it means to YOU!, so for all we know, it could have NOTHING to do with ANY of the topics we mentioned. But we can generally see from the lyrics its talkin about a king of some sort and his downfall. Also as you said to look at the album cover and see that its a about French revolution, if you go back a couple of pages, someone posted something where one of the band members explains that the album cover has nothing to do with the song, and it just reflects the general album which is about revolionary ideas etc. So it does NOT have to be something about the French Revolution

ok, i signed up to the forums JUST to post to this IMO, i seriously believe that the song is a cross between relegion and history. It combines the 2 in a deep way, and this is what i found, i believe this is probably the BEST explanation for the lyrics, as it explains the historical aspect (the revolutions) and the biblical aspect (Jesus Christ, St.Peter etc) (btw this is not my post it is something i found) Im pretty sure you guys will like this explanation, cause i sure agree with it I'll re-post an answer I gave to the same question elsewhere. Okay, so I am seeing tons of crap out there about what this particular song means. And, most of them (in my opinion) are way, WAY off the mark. There is a very long-winded explanation trying to compare the song to Napoleon. That is wrong for any number of reasons which a basic history book would reveal. Napoleon never went to Jerusalem, so far as I recall (and I have studied his reign quite a bit - but if anyone else knows he did, please correct me). Also, "Roman cavalry choirs" are anachronistic to the Napoleonic era. And, it would be odd to pen such an overtly religious song in reference to Napoleon, a ruler who was at worst irreligious, or at best agnostic to organized religion. Also, there are references to the doomed Bourbon king, Louis XVI. Again, I believe that is flat-out wrong too, for most of the above reasons. I think these folks feel this way, mainly for the reference to the "head on a silver plate" and the overall remarks about lost power. France was a Catholic nation, so the references to Jerusalem and Saint Peter might fit. But, again, it would be anachronistic for Louis XVI to reference a Roman Cavalry choir. However, if you want my best guess, I think the song is about 1 of 2 potential people: the Roman Emperor Tiberius (heir to Augustus), or else Pontius Pilate. For Pontius Pilate, I think there are a couple of pieces of compelling evidence. First, there is are the References to "Roman Cavalry choir" and "Jerusalem." Pontius Pilate was the governor of Jerusalem during the period of Christ, and (as everyone knows the tale) condemned Christ to crucifixion (on the mount known as Calvary). For his deed, Pilate was condemned to walk the Earth for eternity. I think this could be revealed in the title, "Viva la Vida." There are several ways to interpret and translate the phrase. But, a common one would be "the life lives," or maybe something like "long live the life." However, apparently in Mexico (see the source) where the phrase originated, it can be interpreted as "Long Live Life." So, that could really speak well to Pilate's punishment to live forever and walk the Earth in despair, wringing his hands. I think you can draw some other pretty clear parallels. As Roman Governor, he was the representative of the Emperor in Rome. So, the song could be the reflection of a man who was once so powerful, but now finds himself cast down from power. Think about it: the Roman Empire is long gone, and Pilate (walking the Earth today) would be led to reflect how he used to be so powerful, but that power is now all gone, perhaps reminiscent of the inscription from Shelley's "Ozymandias." And, of course, there is the reflection of what philosophers have called the "slave philosophy" of Christianity. That is, the notion that the Christian religion, in preaching humility, forgiveness, and that "the meek shall inherit the Earth," would be capable of overcoming the greatest empire the world has ever seen (the Romans). This could be a good interpretation for the references to missionaries, etc. And of course, there is the point about Saint Peter not allowing the speaker into Heaven. As Pontius Pilate was doomed to forever walk the Earth, I think that is pretty clear. Now, if you want *MY* personal opinion, I think there is actually a stronger case for Tiberius, the second Roman Emperor. He reigned during the life of Christ and Peter, which would explain the references to goings-on in Jerusalem. The Roman Emperor was viewed as a living god, virtually omnipotent, which would explain the references to controlling the sun. Tiberius was also a ruthless and successful Roman general, which would explain the comments about "roll the dice" (as in, in battle) and seeing the "fear in my enemy's eyes." I believe the "old king" could easily be interpreted as Augustus (the first emperor), upon whose death in AD 14 Tiberius was declared the new king. But, what I find most intriguing is the following passage: Revolutionaries wait For my head on a silver plate Just a puppet on a lonely string Oh who would ever want to be king? In 31 AD, the Praetorian Prefect Lucius Aelius Sejanus attempted to organize a coup to overthrow Tiberius and install himself as the new emperor. In the end, the plot was discovered and the conspirators were tried for treason (and punished ... severely). The trial also paved the way for a reign of terror of sorts, where Tiberius purged a number of potential threats to his power, leading to many deaths (including many of the Senatorial ranks). However, the trials and the fear aroused by the conspiracy had an exhausting effect on Tiberius. Eventually, and in an almost unheard of step, he voluntarily went into exile on the island of Capri, leaving the administration of Rome to his bureaucrats. The conventional historical wisdom is Tiberius grew paranoid of the plots and came to loathe the position of ruler; essentially, becoming an unwilling ruler. Now, I think the whole episode of Sejanus is reflected in that telling passage: Revolutionaries wait For my head on a silver plate Just a puppet on a lonely string Oh who would ever want to be king? And finally, we have the reference of Saint Peter I think is also telling. Tiberius was the emperor during the life and crucifixion of Jesus Christ; in fact, his representative (the Governor, Pontius Pilate) actually condemned Jesus Christ to that fate. As such, it would not be implausible for Tiberius, in exile, having seeing the rise of Christianity, to fear he would not be allowed into Heaven (by Saint Peter, the gatekeeper of Heaven) for what he had allowed to happen. Now, there is one issue with the above interpretation. Scholars tend to believe Peter only died (by crucifixion) around 64 AD, whereas Tiberius died in 37 AD. So, how would Tiberius know to call him "Saint Peter" as that process of beatification and sainthood must have occurred after Tiberius was already deceased? I would argue that it is simply poetic license on the part of Chris Martin. If he had simply said "I know Peter won't call my name," beyond noticeably missing the extra syllable, no one would easily be able to understand who "Peter" was, and the religious impact would be lost. Just my 2 pence, but I think it fits rather nicely myself :) Cheers. 3 months ago Source(s): Pontius Pilate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontius_pil... http://www.coldplaying.com/index.php?nam... Tiberius: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiberius - Tammy Ami Oh I found this on yahoo answers, somebody posted this, so you can check there, but seriously that is one heck of a nice explanation that ties the relegious and historical aspect together. AND IT GIVES SOURCES :O LOL!