Viva La Vida (Update)

I love this new song by Coldplay. It has a ton of Catholic imagery in it.

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 enemies' 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
My 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

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

Thomas Peters (an American Papist) wrote about it a couple of weeks ago.

Here's an interesting thread discussing the possible meanings of the song...

Bingo! From page 9 (h/t Sainthoodx)...

So, in short, Martin [Chris Martin, the lead singer of Coldplay] is Lucifer (aka. Satan) singing/reminiscing/confessing his sins about the present time from a future perspective.

Lucifer was the most beautiful and terrifying Archangel, with the most authority. Once at the right hand of God, he was cast down to earth and, to this day, given authority by God as king of this wicked world - until the authority is stripped from him at the second coming of Christ, and starts singing this reminiscent song.

Seas rise at Satan's word, as he still retains as much spiritual authority as Gabriel or Michael, if not more because he rules the earth. But in the future he will sleep alone, defeated.

The crowd at large (excluding the revolutionaries, who know the truth) want to follow Satan. Often, without even realizing it, because they believe his lies - even the most common one that he doesn't even exist. So the crowds sing "Now the old king is dead, long live the king". Despite people's need for God, they reject his leadership for a more dangerous/interesting king. God will eventually strip Lucifer of that and "close the walls" on him and Satan will realize that his castles stand on pillars of salt/sand.

Jerusalem bells, and Roman cavalry choirs singing either celebrating the second coming of Christ or maybe Lucifer is reflecting (again: in the future, defeated) back to the present, when people are happy to serve Lucifer (ultimately, by not serving God). He obviously wants "missionaries in a foreign field" for himself, or people to spread his lies . He even mentions, there "was never an honest word.. when I ruled the world" - as he presently rules the world and is the "prince of lies").

His appearance into the world was wicked and wild. People had different reactions to it, but everyone couldn't believe how he'd transitioned from being the leader of all of heaven's armies to the prince of darkness. Many revolutionaries: Christians, crusaders, religious groups, and even Jesus (being the biggest revolutionary - who finally put Lucifer in his place, defeated and alone at Jesus' second coming). Lucifer's feelings are hurt because the revolutionaries mock him with "just a puppet on a lonely string, oh who would ever want to be king?", because his jealousy lead him to a failed attempt to dethrone God and take His place.

Now that he is defeated, he is repentant, so he has this feeling that St. Peter will call his name at the "pearly gates" from the book of life (the list of people allowed into heaven). He confesses that there was never an honest word, but that was way back when he ruled the world.

This could be Lucifers confession, or plea for salvation..

Update: the only issue I have with this theory is centers around these lines...

"People couldn't believe what I'd become
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate"

and the fact that the album cover is a painting about the French Revolution by Delacroix. This makes me think this might be King Louis the XVI.

And here's the 30-second clip on Youtube for its iTunes commercial...