Viva La Vida

by Coldplay
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Sing this song instead — backing track for “Viva La Vida”
Backing track + lyrics — toggle the vocal, change the key, practice singing over piano.

Other arrangements of Viva La Vida

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Lyrics

I used to rule

the world.

Seas would rise when I gave the word.

Now in the morn ing I sleep

a lone,

sweep the streets I used to own.

I used to roll

the dice,

feel the fear of my en e mies’ eyes.

Lis ten as the crowd

would sing,

“Now the old king is dead, long live the king.” One min ute I held

the key,

next the walls were closed on me.

And I dis cov ered that my cas

tles stand

up on pil lars of salt and pil lars of sand.

I hear Je ru sa lem bells a ring ing, Ro man Cath o lic choirs are sing ing.

Be my mir ror, my sword, and shield, my mis sion ar ies in a for eign field.

For some rea son I can’t ex plain, once you’ve gone there was nev er, nev er an hon est word.

But that was when I ruled the world.

Ooh.

Ooh.

Viva La Vida — Classic Piano Sheet Music

14 people have learned this song

Read "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay in classic piano notation — both hands, real chords + notes, in the published key of Db. Engraved server-side from the publisher MusicXML; click any note to jump there as the score follows along at 138 BPM.

Tip: Break this song into sections and master each one separately. The speed control lets you drill difficult passages at any tempo.

About “Viva La Vida”

Is this the same engraved sheet music a piano teacher would print for "Viva La Vida"?
Yes — the score is rendered server-side from the publisher MusicXML using Verovio (the same engine RISM and OpenScore use). Standard piano notation, treble + bass staves, real chord symbols, key signature Db. Print-quality and identical to what you'd see in a printed piano book.
What key is "Viva La Vida" by Coldplay played in?
Viva La Vida is arranged in the key of Db on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "Viva La Vida"?
The arrangement plays at 138 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "Viva La Vida" easy to play on piano?
This is an advanced arrangement. We recommend breaking it into sections and using the speed control to drill harder passages.
Can I download sheet music for "Viva La Vida"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "Viva La Vida"?
"Viva La Vida" was originally performed by Coldplay. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Coldplay can I play here?
Try "Everglow", "HYMN FOR THE WEEKEND", "FIX YOU". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this the same notation a piano teacher would hand me?
Yes — "Viva La Vida" is rendered at engraver quality (the Verovio engine, the same toolkit RISM and OpenScore editions use) from the original publisher MusicXML. You get standard piano notation: treble + bass clefs, key signature Db, time signature, beams, dynamics — everything a printed sheet music book would have. Great for piano students learning to read music properly.
What's the difference between Sheet Music and the other modes here?
Sheet Music is the "classic" view — the one your piano teacher uses. Other modes (Beginner, Fall Down, Simple Sheet, Lead Sheet) trade real notation for color-coded notes and falling shapes to help absolute beginners. Use Sheet Music once you're ready to read both hands at once from real notation.
Can I practice from this view at my own pace?
Yes — slow the tempo from 138 BPM down (or up) without changing the pitch. The score scrolls in time and the currently playing note is highlighted, so you can drill a tough bar at half speed and bump it up once it feels comfortable.
Why can I click a note in the score?
Every notehead is interactive. Click and the audio jumps to that moment so you can drill a specific phrase or bar instead of replaying from the top. The currently playing note is highlighted as the music advances so your eye never loses its place.
Can I download the sheet music as a PDF?
Yes — Sheet Music PDF is one of the download formats for this song. The engraved score prints page-perfect on A4 / Letter so you can practice from paper as well as on screen.