Who would ever want to be the King?

Viva La Vida

"Viva La Vida" by Coldplay is one of my favorite childhood songs. It's lyrics talk about a imaginary speech of King Louis XIV to his people before he was beheaded. King Louis XIV and his wife Queen Marie Antoinette were guillotined during the reign of terror admidst the French Revolution. When King Louis XIV gave his last words, minutes before his death, the drums beat louder, no one heard what he said, his speech was lost to history as the French public were furious on him and refused to listen to him. After he was beheaded, people dipped their handkerchiefs in his blood as a souvenir. The King who had it all, died a shameful death without any glory. 


Lyrics of "Viva La Vida" (meaning - long live life)-

"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-ringin'

Roman Cavalry choirs are singin'

Be my mirror, my sword and shield

My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason, I can't explain

Once you'd gone, there was never, never an honest word

And that was when I ruled the world

It was a 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?"


To think that the ideas of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity emerged in some way through this unfit King Louis XIV is amusing to me. The French Revolution was a movement of the poor against the powerful.  Such pain, suffering and anger of the people of France is the reason why we have "Justice, Liberty and Equality" in our preamble and those as our fundamental rights. History is tragedy. And history repeats itself. Today's leaders should learn from history, how people's wrath is unforgiving. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Nurturing Love

Image
Recently, amidst my busy schedule of studying for upcoming exams, I took a small break to indulge in the Korean drama "Queen of Tears." Though I only managed to watch a few episodes, its poignant portrayal of relationships left a lasting impression on me. One of the lessons I learned from the series was how seemingly insignificant misunderstandings can snowball into significant rifts between partners. The drama showed the impact of lack of communication on the dynamics of love. It highlighted the importance of open communication in preventing unintended hurt and resolving conflicts before they escalate. Adding to this narrative was the idea of exclusivity in marriage. While the concept of exclusivity may initially seem comforting, over time, it breeds complacency. Partners start believing that they don't need to actively show their love or appreciation, thinking that their bond is secure by virtue of marriage alone. However, this misconception often leads to a decline of ...
Read more

The Call of the Void - Do you hear it?

Image
Many people have experienced an eerie impulse known as "l’appel du vide" or the "Call of the Void." It’s that sudden urge to jump when standing at the top of a building or to swerve off the road while driving. I first encountered this feeling during the Ranger ride at MGM. As the two arms of the Kamikaze Ranger swayed back and forth, I felt a temptation to fall. Suspended in the air, I imagined one of the arms breaking, leading to instant death. I wondered how free it would feel to plunge into the abyss. When I returned home, I googled this strange feeling and found that it's a common phenomenon. The French term "l’appel du vide" describes these intrusive thoughts. The impulse to jump off a building, drown at the beach, or even hit someone with a car is due to the Call of the Void. This happens when our brain misinterprets our fear signals, suggesting the worst possible actions. Fortunately, these remain just thoughts, dark and intrusive, because our s...
Read more

What if I don't want to be the Sun?

Image
  “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Some of us love taking the center stage, while some of us love standing in the corner, playing a minor role. We are always told to "shine like the sun". That is to become the brightest, the boldest, the best in the crowd. To be the main character. To own the center of the stage. People forget that not everyone wants to be the sun. And honestly, not everyone needs to be. Being the sun is exhausting. Every move you make will be watched, and your mistakes will be counted. There's a saying that the one who wears the crown must bear its weight. Not everyone wants to wear the crown nor bear its weight. What if we don’t want to shine all the time? What if we prefer to be a smaller light—like a firefly—that shines in its own way, freely, at its own pace? Isn't there beauty in that? Why is it that society only celebrates the brightest lights (the sun)? Isn’t a streetlight, quietly standing on the road, just...
Read more