帝国豪情REPEAT
第一次在流行乐副歌里听到诸如“耶路撒冷的钟声”、“罗马骑兵的战歌”这些字眼时，一阵血往上冲，激动得起了一身鸡皮疙瘩。 史诗般的歌词写得棒极了。COLDPLAY展示了他们不仅可以拿捏理智与情感的曲径通幽，还能把握历史演进的雄浑浪漫。
看了一些评论，把Viva la Vida 的主题多理解在宗教或革命的层面，我觉得都很有说服力。部分歌词的渊源和典故的确出于圣经或欧洲的宗教历史。但我在听这首歌时，眼前划过的不是ALMIGHTY GOD，也不是路易十六，而是大英帝国两百多年的日不落征服史画卷。
简单的理解办法是，我直接把歌词中的“I”换成“United Kingdoms”，一幅自汉诺威王朝至温莎王朝的英国史跃然眼前。
解读如下：
UK used to rule the world
Seas would rise when UK gave the word
Now in the morning UK sweep alone
Sweep the streets UK used to own
特拉法加海战后，英国一跃成为海上第一强国，真是有率土之滨，莫非王土的气概。但是现在，帝国斜阳之时，孤廖得只能扫扫门前雪罢了。
UK used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in UK’S enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
英国曾经主宰大半个地球的命运，周遭列国无不降伏于帝国威荣。在西班牙、葡萄牙、荷兰一个个列强衰去之时，新的统治者诞生了。
One minute UK held the key
Next the walls were closed on UK
And UK discovered that ITS castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
但一夕之间，祸福更易。蓦然发现，帝国不过如空中楼阁，又有大厦将倾之虞。无论统治得似乎多么牢固的印度、苏丹，都不过如沙上城堡，总有无可奈何花落去之时。
UK hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be UK’S mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason UK can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when UK ruled the world
仿佛间听到的圣城之钟和罗马骑兵的呼啸,帝国的往日荣光依稀浮现，使命感神圣感不可名状，帝国传教士的足迹也随之踏遍异域。但仍存王者之惑：凡曾征服之地，绝无真言，绝无真情。
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let UK in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what UK'd become
世界民族自决之潮浩浩荡荡，或如罡风，或如邪气，令帝国四面楚歌，前景堪忧。
Revolutionaries wait
For UK’S head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
帝域之内，叛者无比期冀着君王断头之日。殊不知帝国统治者也不过是个傀儡，谁又真正想要一统四海？
歌词至此，激昂转为困惑，历史的追溯转为终极的哲学拷问。COLDPLAY也在这里完成了华丽得让人窒息的史诗回顾。
“英国人脑子里总是充满了征服的欲望”。霍利尔在看完利物浦完成三球逆转AC米兰的惊天奇迹后，做了这样的评价。让我吃惊，也让我叹服他对不列颠民族的理解。
库克、纳尔逊、戈登这些日不落帝国的缔造者们，断断想不到在两百多年后，活在凋落时代的子孙们用嗓子、用吉它，而不是用战船、不是用枪炮向遥远的盎格鲁-萨克森铁血精神奉上浪漫奔腾的致意。
0000000000000000000，CHORUS！帝国豪情REPEAT！
---------------------
ps. I don't care what Chris's motivation is. I care what I am willing to understand.
看了一些评论，把Viva la Vida 的主题多理解在宗教或革命的层面，我觉得都很有说服力。部分歌词的渊源和典故的确出于圣经或欧洲的宗教历史。但我在听这首歌时，眼前划过的不是ALMIGHTY GOD，也不是路易十六，而是大英帝国两百多年的日不落征服史画卷。
简单的理解办法是，我直接把歌词中的“I”换成“United Kingdoms”，一幅自汉诺威王朝至温莎王朝的英国史跃然眼前。
解读如下：
UK used to rule the world
Seas would rise when UK gave the word
Now in the morning UK sweep alone
Sweep the streets UK used to own
特拉法加海战后，英国一跃成为海上第一强国，真是有率土之滨，莫非王土的气概。但是现在，帝国斜阳之时，孤廖得只能扫扫门前雪罢了。
UK used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in UK’S enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
英国曾经主宰大半个地球的命运，周遭列国无不降伏于帝国威荣。在西班牙、葡萄牙、荷兰一个个列强衰去之时，新的统治者诞生了。
One minute UK held the key
Next the walls were closed on UK
And UK discovered that ITS castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
但一夕之间，祸福更易。蓦然发现，帝国不过如空中楼阁，又有大厦将倾之虞。无论统治得似乎多么牢固的印度、苏丹，都不过如沙上城堡，总有无可奈何花落去之时。
UK hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be UK’S mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason UK can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when UK ruled the world
仿佛间听到的圣城之钟和罗马骑兵的呼啸,帝国的往日荣光依稀浮现，使命感神圣感不可名状，帝国传教士的足迹也随之踏遍异域。但仍存王者之惑：凡曾征服之地，绝无真言，绝无真情。
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let UK in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what UK'd become
世界民族自决之潮浩浩荡荡，或如罡风，或如邪气，令帝国四面楚歌，前景堪忧。
Revolutionaries wait
For UK’S head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
帝域之内，叛者无比期冀着君王断头之日。殊不知帝国统治者也不过是个傀儡，谁又真正想要一统四海？
歌词至此，激昂转为困惑，历史的追溯转为终极的哲学拷问。COLDPLAY也在这里完成了华丽得让人窒息的史诗回顾。
“英国人脑子里总是充满了征服的欲望”。霍利尔在看完利物浦完成三球逆转AC米兰的惊天奇迹后，做了这样的评价。让我吃惊，也让我叹服他对不列颠民族的理解。
库克、纳尔逊、戈登这些日不落帝国的缔造者们，断断想不到在两百多年后，活在凋落时代的子孙们用嗓子、用吉它，而不是用战船、不是用枪炮向遥远的盎格鲁-萨克森铁血精神奉上浪漫奔腾的致意。
0000000000000000000，CHORUS！帝国豪情REPEAT！
---------------------
ps. I don't care what Chris's motivation is. I care what I am willing to understand.
