听歌学英语:Viva La Vida

听歌学英语:Viva La Vida

Viva La Vida 是西班牙语，意思是人们喊口号喊的“万岁”；这首歌很有气势，一些句子的用词可以说是霸气十足。 不过，歌词的真实含义，似乎并没有标准答案，写歌的人并没义务去解释这个，也许也无法解释。有人认为歌中的主角是Jesus Christ 耶稣基督,理由是歌中的主角曾统治世界，后经历磨难，与《圣经》的部些叙述近似；也有歌迷认为那写的Napoleon 拿破伦，因为他的一生也是如歌中所写般的大起大落；Anyway，不同的文化背景下的人可能会有不同的理解，也许都是合理的，今天我们就一起来学习这首，Viva La Vida！

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 dice¹
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 ringing
Roman Cavalry² choirs³ are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries⁴ in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
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
Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

1 dice   

n.骰子；vt.把（食物）切成小方块，冒险

参考例句：

• They were playing dice.他们在玩掷骰子游戏。
• A dice is a cube.骰子是立方体。

2 cavalry   

n.骑兵；轻装甲部队

参考例句：

• We were taken in flank by a troop of cavalry. 我们翼侧受到一队骑兵的袭击。
• The enemy cavalry rode our men down. 敌人的骑兵撞倒了我们的人。

3 choirs   

n.教堂的唱诗班( choir的名词复数 )；唱诗队；公开表演的合唱团；（教堂）唱经楼

参考例句：

• They ran the three churches to which they belonged, the clergy, the choirs and the parishioners. 她们管理着自己所属的那三家教堂、牧师、唱诗班和教区居民。 来自飘（部分）
• Since 1935, several village choirs skilled in this music have been created. 1935以来，数支熟练掌握这种音乐的乡村唱诗班相继建立起来。 来自互联网

4 missionaries   

n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Some missionaries came from England in the Qing Dynasty. 清朝时，从英国来了一些传教士。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The missionaries rebuked the natives for worshipping images. 传教士指责当地人崇拜偶像。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》