Viva la Vida

有些歌被寫出來的時候，創作者必然或多或少會意識到，在起起伏伏，高高低低的生涯裡，這將是其中一首最廣被傳唱的，對Coldplay來說，”Viva la Vida”應該就屬此類，而且，它是被特別標示出來的，從編曲、樂器和文字使用上都和他們其他廣為熟知的作品有段差距。

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
Listen 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 go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the 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 Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells are 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 Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

甫推出，”Viva la Vida”就存在某些謎團，歌詞內容自然是原因之一，但這首嵌入許多宗教和歷史名詞的歌曲，很有可能並沒有多少典故可供挖掘，不像Don McLean的”American Pie”之類的案例，可以在其中慢慢玩味解密，找出一些可供對號入座的時間、人物與事件，”Viva la Vida”更像是拼貼出特定氛圍的符號。對我來說，歌詞和專輯封面以及名字間的關係可能更有趣味，歌名取自Frida Kahlo的畫作，專輯則用了Eugène Delacroix的”La Liberté guidant le peuple ”當圖案，隱含的革命意像象濃厚(編曲也是如此，雖然我認為Delacroix和Frida的兩幅作品，其「革命」內涵有本質和時態上的些許差異，至少在名稱上就看得出來，一個追求當下的意義，一個追尋理想的未來)，Coldplay可能更接近Frida，但是援引那麼多宗教史的語句，則給予一種經回首過往而浮現感嘆的錯覺，於是，在本質和表象上，產生了過去、現在與未來的分裂感。而且，行文對權力者，革命者，與自我，乃至於詞和曲間的關係，都有某種層次上的曖昧性。當然，這是我個人的過度解讀，但想帶出來的是，”Viva la Vida”的疑點也許並不光在字詞間，放大來看的斷裂印象反倒更顯隱諱難解。

絮絮叨叨地扯了一堆有的沒的，什麼謎團也沒解決(事實上很有可能根本不存在任何謎團)，不如還是回來聽歌，歌好聽最重要不是嗎？