“我”也曾统治世界,也曾令敌人胆寒,而革命者洪水般来袭,致使昨天我还一言九鼎,如今已成阶下之囚。Oh who would ever want to be king? 谁又想当王?我是那么不谙政治。于是我对国家和人民犯下过错,圣人彼得自然不会为我开启天堂之门,而我的侍从们,一旦你们离去,也就再没有诚实可言,国将不国,只有无奈。
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
大千世界曾由我主宰
巨浪也曾因我之命澎湃
而今我却在黎明独自入眠
在曾属于我的大道落寞徘徊
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!"
凡人生死曾由我主宰
尽情品味惊恐在死敌瞳孔绽开
欣然倾听百姓高歌喝彩:
“先王亡矣!新王万代!”
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
此刻我手握权位经脉
转瞬才知宫墙深似海
恍然发现我的城池
基底散如盐沙乱似尘埃
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
听那耶路撒冷钟声传来
罗马骑兵歌声震彻山海
担当我的明镜,利剑和盾牌
我的传教士屹立边疆之外
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never,
never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
只因一些缘由我无法释怀
一旦你离开这里便不再,
不再有逆耳忠言存在
而这便是我统治的时代
It was the 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
凛冽邪风呼啸袭来
吹散重门使我深陷阴霾
断壁残垣礼崩乐坏
世人不敢相信我已当年不再
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
起义大军翘首期待
有朝一日我站上断头台
恰如傀儡随吊线寂寞摇摆
悲哉,谁又曾渴望万人膜拜?
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
听那耶路撒冷钟声传来
罗马骑兵歌声震彻山海
担当我的明镜,利剑和盾牌
我的传教士屹立边疆之外
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
只因一些缘由我无法释怀
我亦知天堂之门不会为我敞开
不再有逆耳忠言存在
但这却是我统治的时代
Coldplay这首作品磅礴、大气:一国之君人前的无上荣耀与背后的落寞孤独,以及当权位摇摇欲倾时的哀叹,Oh who would ever want to be king,都使人久久陷入沉思。歌词所影射的国王(根据资料可能为路易十六),在某些方面令世人赞叹,但却只落得“昏君”二字,念及此,谁又会愿意为王呢。