Viva La Naked Hymn

Who would you guess is singing this:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sweep 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 Calavary choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

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

Of course you guessed..

Coldplay.

!

?

The new CD, Viva La Vida, not released until June 17, is already the biggest selling presale on ITunes. Its streaming live now officially  here (though I can't get it two work, two songs that do work are here) as it was leaked. Lots of buzz about the disc...and about the themes.

Subtitle:
Death and All His Friends.


But this is the guy who last time out basically felt God woke him up in the night to rewrite a hymn naked (Chris was naked, not the hymn), and then witnessed to a Rolling Stone reporter about it.

Another new song:

God is in the houses and God is in my head…
I see God come in my garden, but I don’t know what he said,
For my heart it wasn’t open…
link

Isn't that our story?

The lyrics are still not that hot (though good and Godhaunted), but kudos to producer Eno for some sonic reinvention.

Here is a glowing review from the Sun:

I nearly lobbed it in the drawer of unheard music next to SCOUTING FOR GIRLS’ last release.

But the innocuous sleeve with an obscure codename was in fact holding the biggest album of the year — possibly the decade.

I can bring you the first full review of the new COLDPLAY CD, out on June 12.

And I think epic is the word. The full title — Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends — should have been a clue.

The band have really pushed the boundaries of what we expect from an album, producing a beautiful, serious and sometimes testing 45-minute disc.

The attention to detail is incredible. You can imagine CHRIS MARTIN, GUY BERRYMAN, JONNY BUCKLAND and WILL CHAMPION obsessing over every note and word in this, their fourth album.

The boys have developed and evolved their songwriting with each of their albums — from Parachutes, released in 2000, to A Rush of Blood To The Head two years later, then X&Y and now this.

They haven’t gone off the rails with drugs and booze, churning out rubbish, like many a band before them.

This latest album — much of which was recorded in churches in Spain and and Latin America — is full of religious references. It’s as heavy-going as the Bible but as ultimately as rewarding if that’s your bag.
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