A few thoughts on "Viva La Vida"

Coldplay's new album has been on my mind recently. I was attracted to it initially by its historical refrences: the Delacroix painting cover-art, the "VLV" music video that mimics it (I'm always impressed by that kind of video work) and looking at the track listing, it seems the songs would be sort of pretty.

But it's been handed a bad rap due to purported anti-catholic references within the lyrics "For some reason I can't explain/ I know St. Peter won't call my name", etc.

I've always been wary about getting too sucked in to music that could easily depress me or just isn't good for the soul (more latter than former), so I'm always analyzing everything I listen to (honestly, it keeps me busy while I listen to almost anything with lyrics). :) So I decided to do some research on the new Coldplay album because frankly I love Coldplay, but was feeling slightly odd about this one.

I read the entire lyrics for the album and there seems to be a running theme of "I know that God exists, but I'm not sure or I'm not ready, to let Him in yet." There is at least one religious reference within each song. Most of them are maudlin little ditties about cemetaries of London at night and "banks that became Cathedrals/And fog/that became God," (Violet Hill). But others are at least a little more poignant: "You thought you were a ghost/ You didn't get to Heaven, but you made it close."

?? Who wants to listen to that? It's rubbish (a polite word I use for something else, I'm afraid). I know that Chris Martin has given interviews about growing up Catholic in Anglican England, so perhaps this is his way of venting his needless struggles with faith, but I honestly don't see how Viva La Vida, which seems to be spouting the words of every disposed despot that ever lived, has anything to do with religion. It would make an excellent theme song for a biopic of Napoleon, starring Gerard Depardieu. :-P

So, no, I will not download the song Viva La Vida (the only one I like, anyway). I'm religious, if you hadn't guessed already, and I won't fund secularity, no matter how much it appeals to my senses. But...I will listen to it on YouTube from time to time, via iPhone. Something about driving with the top down and listening to Coldplay with the wind in your hair goes hand in hand. I think it's the string sections.

Viva La Optimismo!