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Viva la Vida

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For the album sometimes referred to as "Viva la Vida", see Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends.
"Viva la Vida"
Song
B-side"Death Will Never Conquer"

"Viva la Vida" is a song by English alternative rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008). The lyrics to the song contain historical and religious references, and the track is built around a repeating string section with a percussion background.

The song was released on 7 May 2008 as the album's second single, debuting to critical and commercial success. "Viva la Vida" has reached the top spot of the UK Singles Chart and Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first number-one single, as well as their only Transatlantic number-one.

Background

The song's Spanish title, "Viva la Vida", is taken from a painting by 20th century Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. It translates into English as "long live life".[1]

During the album's production, "Viva la Vida" is one of the songs that had polarized each member's opinion over which version they should choose. In an interview, vocalist Chris Martin recalls, "... we did quite a few different versions and went round the houses a bit and eventually settled on those treatments for it."[2]

Music and lyrics

Template:Sound sample box align right

"Viva la Vida" excerpt
The music of "Viva la Vida" is built around a string arrangement.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Template:Sample box end The lyrics to "Viva la Vida" contain historical and religious references.[3] Martin has explained the song lyric "I know Saint Peter won't call my name" in an interview with Q magazine: "It's about ... You're not on the list. I was a naughty boy. It's always fascinated me that idea of finishing your life and then being analysed on it. And this idea runs throughout most religions. That's why people blow up buildings. Because they think they're going to get lots of virgins. I always feel like saying, just join a band ... That is the most frightening thing you could possibly say to somebody. Eternal damnation. I know about this stuff because I studied it. I was into it all. I know it. It's still mildly terrifying to me. And this is serious."[4] When asked about the song, bass guitarist Guy Berryman said: "It's a story about a king who's lost his kingdom, and all the album's artwork is based on the idea of revolutionaries and guerrillas. There's this slightly anti-authoritarian viewpoint that's crept into some of the lyrics and it's some of the pay-off between being surrounded by governments on one side, but also we're human beings with emotions and we're all going to die and the stupidity of what we have to put up with every day. Hence the album title."[5]

Unlike the typical arrangement of Coldplay songs, in which either the piano or guitar is the prominent instrument, the track mostly consists of a string section playing the song's upbeat riff, along with a steady bass drum beat, percussion (including a timpani and a church bell), bass guitar, and Martin's vocals; there is limited use of electric guitar in the song. All the strings are arranged and performed by violinist Davide Rossi, who is also one of the main collaborators of the album.[6] Although Coldplay are widely labeled as an "alternative rock" band, "Viva la Vida"'s classical composition and historical subject matter have led to the song being labeled as "baroque pop" and "chamber pop".[7][8]

Plagiarism allegations

Coldplay were briefly accused of plagiarism of "The Songs I Didn't Write" by American alternative band Creaky Boards, for the melody of "Viva la Vida".[9] Creaky Boards' band member Andrew Hoepfner claimed that Martin had heard them playing the song at a live show in October 2007.[10] The band released a video clip, in which it compares sections of both songs.[10] Coldplay denied the claim; band spokesman Murray Chambers said Martin was working in AIR Studios in London at that time, having checked the singer's diary.[11] In addition, Coldplay had recorded a demo version of "Viva la Vida" in March 2007, long before Creaky Boards performed it live in October of the same year.[10] Creaky Boards later retracted the accusations and speculated that both songs may have been inspired by the video game The Legend of Zelda.[11]

In December 2008, American guitarist Joe Satriani filed a copyright infringement suit against Coldplay at the Los Angeles federal court. The suit claims that "Viva la Vida" incorporates "substantial original portions" of his instrumental track "If I Could Fly" from his 2004 album Is There Love in Space?.[12] The band has denied the allegation, saying the similarities were "entirely coincidental".[13]

The irony of the situation is that Los Enanitos Verdes released their song "Frances Limon" in 2002, on their album Amores Lejanos, before Joe Satriani and Creaky Boards. [14]

Release and promotion

Chris Martin performing "Viva la Vida" during the band's 2008 Viva la Vida Tour

"Viva la Vida" was initially released only with iTunes Store pre-orders of Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends on 7 May 2008 – the "new edit" version of the song – which led to the song's temporary exclusion from the UK Singles Chart.[15] It was released as a download-only single on 25 May 2008, and a physical CD single in Europe on 29 July 2008 to coincide with the release of the single's music videos. "Viva la Vida" was well-downloaded in the internet, becoming iTunes' second best-selling song of 2008.[16] From 24 December 2008 to 5 January 2009 a remix of song, called "Thin White Duke remix", was downloadable for free as a Christmas gift from the band's website.

The song was used as part of Apple Inc.'s iPod + iTunes advertisement campaign.[17][18] Coldplay performed the song live for the first time at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards.[19][20] It has since gone on to make many media appearances, featuring as a song played on the radio in the episode "We're Not in Kansas Anymore" of the teen drama 90210,[21] appearing on the international soundtrack to the Brazilian soap opera A Favorita.

Reception

Critical response

Critics were positive towards the song. In the Entertainment Weekly review of the album, critic Chris Willman wrote: "Take the title track ... on which [Martin] imagines himself as a paranoid monarch. 'Who would ever want to be king?' Martin asks. 'Revolutionaries wait/For my head on a silver plate!'. The confident majesty of the music, however, belies how he and his bandmates have invigorated their rock-lite reign."[17] Josh Hathaway from The Plain Dealer noted "Viva la Vida" as the "catchiest" song in the album.[22] Chris Jones of the BBC noted: "The string/brass mutations that bolster a track like ["]Viva La Vida["] ... conjure tunes so sweetly melancholy."[23] In the IGN review, critic Chad Grischow wrote, "It is their one and only foray into unabashed orchestral pop, but the punchy strut of the strings and fantastic marching vocals make it far too charming and lively to dislike, and even harder not to love."[24] "Viva la Vida" has been nominated for Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Performance by a Duo or a Group at the 2009 Grammy Awards.[25] This song was number 9 on Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Songs of 2008.[26]

Chart performance

"Viva la Vida" has become the band's highest-charting single. Fueled by high digital sales, the song peaked at the top spot of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first number-one single and their second top ten on the Hot 100.[27][28] It is the first song by a British group to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 since "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls in 1997,[29] and it is the first song by a British rock band to top the chart since UB40's 1993 song "Can't Help Falling in Love". Although the song was initially successful in digital sales,[27][28] after being released, it went on to become the band's highest-charting single in American radio, becoming their first top ten hit on the Hot 100 Airplay where it peaked at number eight.[30] It had also become the band's first number-one single on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[31] "Viva la Vida" also became the first song to top both the Hot 100 and Modern Rock chart since Nickelback's "How You Remind Me" in 2001 and 2002. On the Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks, the song has become the band's first number one, as well as the first single on the Capitol Records label to ever top the chart.[32]

The single was also successful in the United Kingdom. Although the song had been disqualified from the UK charts due to initially being available only by pre-ordering the album on iTunes, it became eligible to chart after the album was released. "Viva la Vida" hit number one on the UK Singles Chart, becoming Coldplay's first chart-topping single in the UK.[33]

In Canada the single made a "Hot Shot Debut" at number four on the Canadian Hot 100 on the issue of 24 May making it Coldplay's highest debut there.[34]

Music videos

File:Vivalavida1.jpg
The official music video

The official music video for "Viva la Vida" was directed by Hype Williams and premiered at Coldplay's official website on 1 August 2008.[35] The video depicts the band performing against a blurry, warped version of Eugene Delacroix's painting "La Liberté guidant le peuple." The video ends with every band member crumbling to rose petals that fly into the air.

File:Vivalavida2.jpg
The alternate music video version

A second, alternate video was shot in The Hague, the Netherlands, directed by Anton Corbijn and released alongside the first.[36] This second version is a tribute to Corbijn's video for Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence" and portrays Chris Martin as the king from whose perspective the song is sung. During the video, he carries Eugene Delacroix's painting "La Liberté guidant le peuple.". At the end, he hangs the picture up in a white stall on top of a hill. As he sings the last chorus, his band mates surface heading his way, tying in loose ends from the "Violet Hill" video.


Track listing

Digital download
  1. "Viva la Vida" (New edit) – 4:04
Promotional CD
  1. "Viva la Vida" (Radio edit) – 3:45
  2. "Viva la Vida" (Full album version) – 4:01
CD release
  1. "Viva la Vida" – 4:01
  2. "Death Will Never Conquer" – 1:17
Official version
  1. Album version – 4:01
  2. Radio edit – 3:45
  3. New edit – 4:04
  4. Thin White Duke mix – 7:24

Charts

Chart (2008) Peak
position
Australia Singles Chart[37] 2
Czech Airplay Chart[38] 1
Dutch Top 40[39] 1
German Singles Chart[40] 5
Greek Airplay Chart[41] 1
Israeli Singles Chart[42] 1
Italy Singles Chart[43] 2
Japan Hot 100 Singles[44] 3
Swiss Singles Chart[45] 5
Turkey Top 20 Chart (Billboard)[46] 3
UK Singles Chart[47] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[31] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks[31] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks[31] 1
U.S. Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks[31] 1
U.S. Billboard Triple A Tracks[31] 1
U.S. Billboard Pop 100[31] 7

Chart procession and succession

Preceded by UK Singles Chart number-one single
28 June 2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
28 June 2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks number-one single
30 August 2008 		Succeeded by
U.S. Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks number-one single
16 August 2008 - 23 August 2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
"I Kissed a Girl" by Katy Perry
 Dutch Top 40 number-one single
4 October 2008 – 18 October 2008 		Succeeded by
Spain number-one single
13 December 2008 – 26 December 2008 		Succeeded by

References

  1. ^ Serpick, Evan (2008-03-18). "Rolling Stone Exclusive: Coldplay's New Album Title Revealed". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-10-04.
  2. ^ "Viva La Vida interview: Full transcript". Absoluteradio.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-12-09.
  3. ^ Martens, Todd (2008-06-13). "Coldplay's 'Viva La Vida': 10 track-by-track reactions". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  4. ^ Youngs, Ian (2008-06-06). "Joining Coldplay's musical journey". BBC. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  5. ^ "Coldplay: Viva La Vida". The Q Daily. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  6. ^ Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (Media notes). United Kingdom: EMI. 2008. {{cite AV media notes}}: Unknown parameter |bandname= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Miers, Jeff (2008-12-14). "Joe Satriani vs. Coldplay: Viva la difference?". Buffalo News. Retrieved 2008-12-28.
  8. ^ Young, David (2008-06-10). "Viva la Vida Review". sputnikmusic. Retrieved 2009-01-07.
  9. ^ Adams, Guy (2008-06-19). "The song they didn't write? Coldplay are accused of plagiarism by American band". The Independent. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  10. ^ a b c "Coldplay: Viva La Vida' not copied from Brooklyn band". NME. 2008-06-16. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  11. ^ a b Martin, Nicole (2008-06-20). ""Coldplay didn't copy us, says American band"". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  12. ^ Goodman, Dan (5 December 2008). "Guitarist accuses Coldplay of plagiarism". Reuters. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
  13. ^ "Joe Satriani". Coldplay.com. 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  14. ^ "Los Enanitos Verdes". Jorge Ballesteros Garcia. 2009-02-04. Retrieved 2009-02-04.
  15. ^ M., Jon (2008-06-20). "CD Spotlight". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  16. ^ Kreps, Daniel (2008-12-02). "Coldplay, Leona Lewis Top iTunes 2008 Sales Chart". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  17. ^ a b Willman, Chris (2008-06-13). "Viva La Vida - Music Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  18. ^ Guerra, Joey (2008-06-16). "Coldplay channels U2 on new album". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  19. ^ Kreps, Daniel (2008-06-02). "MTV Movie Awards Reunites Wayne and Garth, Features First TV Performance of New Coldplay Single". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  20. ^ Lang, Derrick J. (2008-06-01). "Over-the-top MTV Movie Awards have smoke, no fire". Fox News Channel. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  21. ^ Stolz, Kim (2008-09-03). "'90210′ Premiere: How Does It Compare To The Old Bev?". MTV. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  22. ^ Hathaway, Josh (2008-07-15). "Coldplay - Viva La Vida - Music Reviews". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  23. ^ Jones, Chris (2008-06-12). "Coldplay - Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends". BBC. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  24. ^ Grischow, Chad (2008-06-19). "IGN: Viva La Vida Review". IGN. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  25. ^ Harris, Chris (2008-12-04). "Lil Wayne, Coldplay Lead Grammy Nominations". MTV. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
  26. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2008". Rolling Stone (25 December 2008). Retrieved 2008-12-25
  27. ^ a b Caulfield, Kieth (2008-06-18). "Coldplay Headed To No. 1 On Billboard 200, Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  28. ^ a b Cohen, Jonathan (2008-06-19). "Digital Sales Drive Coldplay To Top Of Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  29. ^ Masterson, James (2008-06-22). "Chart Watch - Week Ending 28 June 2008". Yahoo! Music. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  30. ^ "Hot 100 Airplay: Viva la Vida". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2009. Retrieved 2009-01-03.
  31. ^ a b c d e f g "Artist Chart History - Coldplay". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-09-02.
  32. ^ "Billboard Chart Beat". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  33. ^ Sexton, Paul (2008-06-23). "Coldplay Dominates U.K. Album, Singles Charts". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-12-05.
  34. ^ "Canadian Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-22.
  35. ^ "Viva la Vida video 1". Coldplay.com. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  36. ^ "Viva la Vida video 2". Coldplay.com. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  37. ^ "Coldplay - Viva La Vida (Song)". Australian-charts.com. Retrieved 11 November 2008.
  38. ^ Czech Airplay 100
  39. ^ "Dutch Top 40". Top 40. 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  40. ^ "German Singles Chart". World Charts. 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-30.
  41. ^ http://www.radio1.gr/charts/greek_air.htm
  42. ^ "Israeli Singles Chart". Charts. 2008-06-19. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  43. ^ "Coldplay - Viva la Vida". Italian Singles Chart. 2008-08-18. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  44. ^ "Japan Hot 100". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 2008-06-17. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
  45. ^ "Swiss Singles Chart". Hit Parade. 2008-08-10. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
  46. ^ "Turkey Top 20 Chart". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-09-15. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |publisherss= ignored (help)
  47. ^ "UK Singles Chart". The Official Charts. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
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