Viva La Vida Uke tab by Coldplay

4 Chords used in the song: F, G, C, Am

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Tablature / Chords (Full Song)

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Artist: 
Year:  2008
Difficulty: 
2
(Beginner)
Key: C, AmChords
This is a version of Viva La Vida i wrote to make it sound a bit more happy and more fun to play on the ukulele :)

Intro: F chordF, G chordG, C chordC, Am chordAm x2

(Am chordAm) F chordF G chordG
I used to rule the world
C chordC Am chordAm
Seas would rise when I gave the word
F chordF G chordG
Now in the morning I sleep alone
C chordC Am chordAm
Sweep the streets I used to own

F chordF, G chordG, C chordC, Am chordAm x2

(Am chordAm) F chordF G chordG
I used to roll the dice
C chordC Am chordAm
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
F chordF G chordG
Listen as the crowd would sing
C chordC Am chordAm
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"
F chordF G chordG
One minute I held the key
C chordC Am chordAm
Next the walls were closed on me
F chordF G chordG
And I discovered that my castle stands
C chordC Am chordAm
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

Chorus:
F chordF G chordG
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
C chordC Am chordAm
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
F chordF G chordG
Be my mirror my sword and shield
C chordC Am chordAm
My missionaries in a foreign field
F chordF G chordG
For some reason I can't explain
C chordC Am chordAm
Once you go there was never
F chordF G chordG
Never an honest word
C chordC Am chordAm
That was when I ruled the world

F chordF, G chordG, C chordC, Am chordAm x2

Verse:
(Am chordAm) F chordF G chordG
It was the wicked and wild wind
C chordC Am chordAm
Blew down the doors to let me in
F chordF G chordG
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
C chordC Am chordAm
People couldn't believe what I'd become
F chordF G chordG
Revolutionaries wait
C chordC Am chordAm
For my head on a silver plate
F chordF G chordG
Just a puppet on a lonely string
C chordC Am chordAm
Oh who would ever want to be king?


Chorus:
F chordF G chordG
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
C chordC Am chordAm
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
F chordF G chordG
Be my mirror my sword and shield
C chordC Am chordAm
My missionaries in a foreign field
F chordF G chordG
For some reason I can't explain
C chordC Am chordAm
I know Saint Peter will call my name
F chordF G chordG
Never an honest word
C chordC Am chordAm
That was when I ruled the world

F chordF, Am chordAm x2 G chordG,G chordG,G chordG,G chordG x2

F chordF G chordG C chordC Am chordAm
(Ohhhhh Ohhh Ohhh) x2

Chorus:
F chordF G chordG
I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
C chordC Am chordAm
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
F chordF G chordG
Be my mirror my sword and shield
C chordC Am chordAm
My missionaries in a foreign field
F chordF G chordG
For some reason I can't explain
C chordC Am chordAm
I know Saint Peter will call my name
F chordF G chordG
Never an honest word
C chordC Am chordAm
That was when I ruled the world

Outro:
F chordF G chordG C chordC Am chordAm
Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh Oooooh

⇢ Not happy with this tab? View 17 other version(s)

Uke tab by , 17 Oct 2009

Tab comments (30)

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Share your strumming patterns, chords or tips to play this tab! ;)
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querikiki244 avatar
thank you so much
02 Aug 2025
Comment
apple_of_theearth avatar
For the intro, I use:
F (pluck 4x)
G (pluck 5x)
C (pluck 4x)
Am (pluck 5x)

Then for the rest of the song, I use:
F (D D DU)
G (D DU U U)
C (D D DU)
Am (D DU U U)

Plucking is totally unnecessary; the whole song could be played with just strumming or just plucking alone. Also, this may be a little messed up because I play by ear and have some trouble writing the way I play down.
18 Jul 2025
Strumming pattern
conezone avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Honolulu)
I like your strum pattern Demoontjuh! I modified it for my own playing skill to:
D D D u(switch!!)D uDuDuDu then repeat
09 Oct 2024
Comment
fcsvk avatar
flag for IT(ISO2) (torino)
D DU UDU
19 Jul 2023
Strumming pattern
Demoontjuh avatar
I use
(F) D D D D
(G) U U UDUDU
(C) DDDD
(Am) U U UDUDU

And I stand by it haha :)
31 Jan 2023
Strumming pattern
lilyisthesilliest avatar
I used [F]D D DU D[G]U U UD DU [C] D D DU D[Am]U U UD DU
22 Jan 2023
Comment
manuciao88 avatar
F and C =D D D D
G and Am= U Ud Ud D
25 May 2021
Correction
Bossalyn avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Melissa)
this is amazing, thank you <3
09 Jan 2021
Comment
hwallv avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (dublin ca)
i think im in love
14 Sep 2020
Comment
MsPiggy avatar
bruh i love ittt
13 Aug 2020
Comment
CrowCroww avatar
One of my favorite tabs now
19 Jun 2020
Comment
MsPiggy avatar
i love it
02 Jun 2020
Comment
BlackMusix avatar
flag for NL(ISO2) (Bovenkarspel)
well i do for the strumming (F),D D D D (G),U U UD U D U(C) D U D D D D(am) U U U D U D U (F) D D D D etc. Kinda hard to explain buut it sounds really good :)
26 Nov 2019
Correction
Maxi311 avatar
flag for NL(ISO2) (Leiden)
What tune do you play this in?
15 Oct 2019
Question
Nike_Adidas avatar
this tab is awesome
05 May 2019
Comment
Pangster24 avatar
I use D D D DU U UD U cause that's how the violin in the actual song it's kinda awkward for beginners because of the chord change, but it works for me
04 Apr 2019
Strumming pattern
Nike_Adidas avatar
i use dddd for r cord and uuudd for G cord
24 Feb 2019
Correction
lordadala avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Summerville)
If you are looking for Ⅰ of the easiest Coldplay songs to learn on the Ukulele this is your song this song is probably the easiest and most beautiful sounding song on the Ukulele for it by Coldplay
30 Jan 2019
Comment
IlaDaisy avatar
I use d d u d u when I strum. I think that works pretty well
24 Mar 2018
Comment
Plut0_King avatar
flag for IE(ISO2) (Galway)
my strumming pattern is D D U switch and it sounds fine
06 Mar 2018
Correction
MuppetMolly avatar
It's pretty swift seeing how simple such a boss song can be. Thanks man.
25 Apr 2012
Comment
georgiajoe avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Atlanta)
Lol if you can sing in that key, go for it.
14 Mar 2012
Comment
UkeKosie avatar
flag for NL(ISO2) (Katwijk aan Zee)
I think the tuning is +0.5 steps
01 Mar 2012
Comment
Lanikai15 avatar
great job!
29 Dec 2011
Comment
tinanguyenpx avatar
D D D D D (switch) D D DD D**
19 Aug 2011
Correction
tinanguyenpx avatar
I think the strum pattern is D D D D (switch) DD D DD D
19 Aug 2011
Correction
Casey Bauer avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Sebastopol)
strum pattern?
12 Jul 2011
Comment
ernestine avatar
flag for US(ISO2) (Fontana)
:O whats the strum pattern?
Sorry :/ im a beginner.
07 Jun 2010
Comment
bruddahbobo avatar
really good
22 Oct 2009
Comment
atang94 avatar
Pretty good. Perfect for my voice range.
21 Oct 2009
Comment

About this song: Viva La Vida

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