Theme: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.Ĭhris Martin has explained the song lyric "I know Saint Peter won't call my name" in an interview with Q magazine: "It's about. He fought in the name of Christianity, but he knows that he will not be able to enter into the promised land. There is a price on his head, and he realizes he is a puppet, on a string controlled by others. Sure he had power, but the truth is, he is at the mercy of the people. And the people realize what he has become. He manipulated and used people for the sole end of increasing his territory and power. Missionaries, or crusaders, in the end they are conquering foreign countries.ĭrunk with power, he lied. Represent my image, my power, and my strength. It seems that he used religion as an excuse for conquest, as can be seen in these words:īe my mirror, sword, and shield: means basically: They stood on weak foundation, just as he stood on a weak foundation. His castles stood upon pillars of SALT and SAND. What did he base his power upon? Himself. Symbolically speaking, his power had a weak foundation, a weak base. In fact, he held the key to many castles, many kingdoms, all these countries that he conquered, were under his power and domain.Īnd in the next instant he lost EVERYTHING. When you are in power, you get caught up with your success, and time flies. Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand"Įverything happened so fast, from one minute to another. "now the OLD king is dead, long live THE king." He would replace other rulers, as a kind of expansionist/imperialist. He became close to a tyrant, a crusader, and took over other kingdoms. Rolling the dice means that he gambled with his power. Now the old king is dead long live the king" "sweeping the streets."įrom riches to rags, from kingship to poverty. (It's interesting that he sleeps in the morning.) Now he is a servant, or a beggar.
This is contrasted with the fact that he has been displaced from ruling. Seas of people would rise at his command. So I will try to generally analyze this song as best as I can: (now in the morning I sleep alone, sweep the streets I used to own.)
He is still alive, and he is reflecting on his past.
However, the song clearly states a transition from ruling to not ruling. King Louis XVI was found guilty of treason, and ultimately beheaded. but I feel that the song's purpose is a lot more general than that. A lot of people have interpreted the song as a portrait of King Louis XVI, etc.
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