A 2008 Coldplay single, a string-driven anthem about the fall of a king, with a baroque arrangement and a title borrowed from a Frida Kahlo painting.
Composition
Viva la Vida was written by the four members of Coldplay with production by Brian Eno. The arrangement is built on a sustained string motif rather than the band’s typical piano or guitar lead, and the title is drawn from a 1954 painting by Frida Kahlo.
Reception
Released in May 2008, the single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. It became Coldplay’s first U.S. number-one single and the album of the same name was the best-selling album worldwide in 2008.
Legacy
The song won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year at the 2009 ceremony. American guitarist Joe Satriani filed a copyright suit alleging similarities to his 2004 instrumental “If I Could Fly,” which was later settled out of court.
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