Viva la Vida

Not to be confused with Livin' la Vida Loca.
This article is about the song by Coldplay. For the album, see Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends. For other uses, see Viva la Vida (disambiguation).

"Viva la Vida"
Single by Coldplay
from the album Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends
B-side"Death Will Never Conquer"
Released7 May 2008 (2008-05-07) (album version)
25 May 2008 (2008-05-25) (single version)
Recorded2007–2008
Genre
Length
  • 4:01 (album version)
  • 4:04 (single version)
  • 3:45 (radio edit)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Coldplay singles chronology
"Violet Hill"
(2008) 		"Viva la Vida"
(2008) 		"Lost!"
(2008)
Music video
"Viva la Vida" on YouTube
"Viva la Vida" (Alternative Version) on YouTube

"Viva la Vida" (/ˈviːvə lə ˈviːdə/, Spanish: [ˈbiβa la ˈβiða]; Spanish for 'long live life' or 'live life')[4][5][6] is a song by British 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 contain historical and Christian references (King of France Louis XVI, Roman cavalry choirs and the French Revolution), and the track is built around a looping string section with a digitally processed piano, while other layers are gradually added.

The track was first made available as part of the album pre-order on 7 May 2008, being released individually on 25 May 2008 as the album's second single. Debuting to critical acclaim and commercial success, "Viva la Vida" reached the top spot of the UK Singles Chart and Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first number-one single in both the U.S. and U.K. The song also won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in 2009.

  1. ^ Rojek, Chris (2011). Pop Music, Pop Culture. Cambridge: Polity Press. p. 46.
  2. ^ Beaumont, Mark (30 May 2008). "Coldplay: Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends". NME. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
  3. ^ Breihan, Tom (21 April 2023). "The Number Ones: Coldplay's "Viva la Vida"". Stereogum. Retrieved 21 April 2023. ...so maybe it's appropriate that their big, serious art-rock reinvention finally conquered the Hot 100 on the strength of an Apple commercial.
  4. ^ Benitez-Eves, Tina (1 October 2022). "The Meaning Behind French Revolution Roused "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay". American Songwriter. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  5. ^ Chosic (12 June 2019). "Viva La Vida meaning and the story behind Coldplay famous Song". Chosic. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  6. ^ Songfacts. "Viva La Vida by Coldplay – Songfacts". songfacts.com. Retrieved 29 November 2022.