The French Revolution. Think about it.
The song is essentially putting itself in the shoes of Louis XVI and the theme is his transition from ultimate power to his death. He was found guilty of treason and eventually beheaded.
"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"
This first stanza is to show how he used to have immense power over everyone to the point where "seas would rise when he gave the word", but that he eventually turned into somewhat of a slave, servant, or beggar in which he has to "sweep the streets" as he is begging for mercy from the people.
"I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing
Now the old king is dead long live the king"
He then talks about rolling the dice -- gambling with power and how that eventually led the people to rejoice over the fact that the old king is now dead because he was a tyrant and crusader and his ruling would soon be replaced.
"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"
The "minute" connotes that everything happened so very fast that Louis XVI didn't even realize it until his castles, which represent his power, fell so quickly because of its poor foundation (salt and sand) and that the walls were soon closed.
"I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
Missionaries in a foreign field"
He frequently used religion to cover up his corruption and his doings so that explains the "missionaries in a foreign field" and the fact that he kept implementing conquest to raid other nations in the name of Christianity.
"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"
Because he was so caught up with the power he had, he never told a word of the truth when he ruled. He kept lying to his people, drunk with power, money, and secrets.
"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"
There is a story that when Louis XVI was walking up to the beheading device, he tried to say something to the people but the drums were too loud so no one could hear him. This could be what the "sound of drums" is suggesting. People also couldn't believe what they had let Louis become: an absolute tyrant.
"Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?"
"Revolutonaries" suggest people who wanted him to be killed in which it goes on to say that they are waiting for his head on a silver plate which can only mean one thing: the guillotine. The guillotine was a beheading device that Louis was killed on.
"For some reason I can't explain
I know St Peter won't call my name"
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world"
Even though Louis claimed to be fighting in the name of Christianity, he knows himself that St. Peter, the gatekeeper of Heaven will not welcome him because he is going to hell for all that he has committed.
Theme: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The song is essentially putting itself in the shoes of Louis XVI and the theme is his transition from ultimate power to his death. He was found guilty of treason and eventually beheaded.
"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"
This first stanza is to show how he used to have immense power over everyone to the point where "seas would rise when he gave the word", but that he eventually turned into somewhat of a slave, servant, or beggar in which he has to "sweep the streets" as he is begging for mercy from the people.
"I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing
Now the old king is dead long live the king"
He then talks about rolling the dice -- gambling with power and how that eventually led the people to rejoice over the fact that the old king is now dead because he was a tyrant and crusader and his ruling would soon be replaced.
"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"
The "minute" connotes that everything happened so very fast that Louis XVI didn't even realize it until his castles, which represent his power, fell so quickly because of its poor foundation (salt and sand) and that the walls were soon closed.
"I hear Jerusalem bells a-ringing
Roman cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
Missionaries in a foreign field"
He frequently used religion to cover up his corruption and his doings so that explains the "missionaries in a foreign field" and the fact that he kept implementing conquest to raid other nations in the name of Christianity.
"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"
Because he was so caught up with the power he had, he never told a word of the truth when he ruled. He kept lying to his people, drunk with power, money, and secrets.
"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"
There is a story that when Louis XVI was walking up to the beheading device, he tried to say something to the people but the drums were too loud so no one could hear him. This could be what the "sound of drums" is suggesting. People also couldn't believe what they had let Louis become: an absolute tyrant.
"Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?"
"Revolutonaries" suggest people who wanted him to be killed in which it goes on to say that they are waiting for his head on a silver plate which can only mean one thing: the guillotine. The guillotine was a beheading device that Louis was killed on.
"For some reason I can't explain
I know St Peter won't call my name"
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world"
Even though Louis claimed to be fighting in the name of Christianity, he knows himself that St. Peter, the gatekeeper of Heaven will not welcome him because he is going to hell for all that he has committed.
Theme: Absolute power corrupts absolutely.