Released	11 June 2008
Recorded	June 2007–April 2008 The Bakery, London; The Magic Shop, NYC; The Nunnery, Barcelona; A Church, Barcelona
Genre	Alternative rock, baroque pop
Length	45:49 73:18 (Prospekt’s March edition)
Label	Parlophone, Capitol
Producer	Markus Dravs, Brian Eno, Jon Hopkins, Rik Simpson

Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, often referred to as simply Viva la Vida, is the fourth studio album by British Alternative Rock band Coldplay, released on 11 June 2008 on Parlophone. The album was named after a Spanish phrase that translates in English literally as “live the life”. It can also be taken as “long live life.” Lyrically, the album contains references to love, life, death, and war.

Recording sessions for the album took place during June 2007 to April 2008 and featured production by Jon Hopkins, Rik Simpson, Markus Dravs, and Brian Eno. The album was their first to be produced by Eno. The band forced themselves to explore experimental styles, as Eno required every song on the album to sound different, and expanded their musical interests while recording Viva la Vida. The band wanted to make the album shorter than 42 minutes. Despite this, the album is longer than the length they intended. Development of the album delayed the release date several times.

Viva la Vida was both a critical and commercial success. Five singles have been released in promotion of the album; “Violet Hill” and “Viva la Vida” in May 2008, “Lovers in Japan” and “Lost!” in November 2008, and “Strawberry Swing” in September 2009. “Viva la Vida” became the band’s first song to reach number one in both the United States and the United Kingdom. It won Best Rock Album at the 2009 Grammy Awards and was also nominated for Album of the Year. It was the best selling album of 2008.^[1] To date, the album has sold more than 10 million copies.^[2] Viva la Vida was re-released on 25 November 2008 in a deluxe edition containing the original album and the Prospekt’s March EP.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Chris Martin, except where noted.^[81][82] Tracks 5, 6, and 10 contain two separate songs each; the latter two are hidden and not listed on the album sleeve^[83].

No.	Title	Length
1.	“Life in Technicolor” (Berryman/Buckland/Champion/Martin/Hopkins)	2:29
2.	“Cemeteries of London“	3:21
3.	“Lost!“	3:55
4.	“42“	3:57
5.	“Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love” (3:57/2:56)	6:51
6.	“Yes” ((4:04) includes hidden song “Chinese Sleep Chant” (3:01))	7:06
7.	“Viva la Vida“	4:01
8.	“Violet Hill“	3:42
9.	“Strawberry Swing“	4:09
10.	“Death and All His Friends” ((3:30) includes hidden song “The Escapist” (2:46): Berryman/Buckland/Champion/Martin/Hopkins)	6:18
Total length:		45:49

Bonus tracks
No.	Title	Length
11.	“Lost?” (Japan and iTunes)	3:40
12.	“Lovers in Japan” (Acoustic Version) (iTunes pre-order)	3:55
13.	“Death Will Never Conquer” (Japanese release of Prospekt’s March edition)	1:16

Lyrics

1. Life In Technicolor

[Instrumental]

2. Cemeteries of London

At night they would go walking
‘Til 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 lalalalalalalalaiy
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 wandering ‘neath the arches
Where the witches are and they say
There are ghost towns in the ocean
The ocean
Singing lalalalalalalalaiy
And the night over London lay

God is in the houses
And God is in my head
And all the cemeteries 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 lalalalalalalalaiy
And the night over London lay
Singing lalalalalalalalaiy
There’s no light over London today

3. 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!
Every river that I tried to cross
Every door I ever tried was locked
Oh and I’m just waiting til 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!
Every river that you tried to cross
Every gun you ever held went off
Oh and I’m just waiting til the firing’s stopped
Oh and I’m just waiting til the shine wears off

Oh and I’m just waiting til the shine wears off
Oh and I’m just waiting til the shine wears off

4. 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

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

Time is so short
And I’m sure
There must be something more

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 oh-oh

Those who are dead are not dead
They’re just living in my head

5. Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love

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
And I have no doubt
One day we’re going to get out

Tonight maybe we’re gonna run
Dreaming of the Osaka sun
Ohohohoh ohohohoh 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
And I have no doubt
One day the sun will come out

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 prisoner in a reign of love

Locust wind
Here I stop
How I wish I’d spoken up
To a reign of love

Reign of love by the church we’re waiting
Reign of love on my knees go praying
How I wish I’d spoken up
Away get carried on a reign of love

6. 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 temptation”
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 from 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 tired of this loneliness
I’ve become so tired of this loneliness

7. 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
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
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

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

8. Violet Hill

It 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 architectured
By a carnival of idiots on show
You’d 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 a fox became God
Priests clutched onto bibles
Hollowed out to fit their rifles
And a cross 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?

I don’t want to 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
Said if you love me, won’t you let me know?
If you love me, won’t you let me know?

9. Strawberry Swing

They were sitting
They were sitting on the strawberry swing
Every moment was so precious

They were sitting
They were talking under strawberry swing
Everybody was for fighting
Wouldn’t want to 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
Such a perfect day

I remember we were walking up to strawberry swing
I can’t wait until the morning
Wouldn’t want to change a thing

People moving all the time
Inside a perfectly straight line
Don’t you wanna just curve away?
When it’s such, it’s such a perfect day
It’s such a perfect day

Ah-ah-ah-ah-iiiiii
Now the sky could be blue I don’t mind
Without you it’s a waste of time
Could be blue I don’t mind
Without you it’s a waste of time
Now the sky could be blue could be grey
Without you I’m just miles away
Oh the sky could be blue I don’t mind
Without you it’s a waste of time

10. Death and All His Friends

All winter we got carried
Away over on the roof tops, 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

No I don’t want a 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 a 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