Built around a repeating guitar sound, it utilises a marching tempo, supported by the pianos and rhythms that accompany the song's lyrics.

Coldplay vocalist Chris Martin stated that the band wrote the first line and the first little melody of the song years prior but did not finish it until 2007.

The rest of the band then joins in and the song's prominent guitar riff, characterized by a jagged, fuzzbox distortion effect, enters.

[11] Martin sings about medieval imagery of carnivals, cathedrals, religion and war, culminating in a soaring chorus with an anthemic theme.

According to Neil McCormick of The Sydney Morning Herald, he writes that the lyrics "I don't want to be a soldier", is a way that Martin can conjure John Lennon into the song's melody.

A promotional 7" vinyl release of the single was given away free in the 10 May issue of NME, including non-album track "A Spell a Rebel Yell" on the B-side.

In the Los Angeles Times review of the album, critic Todd Martens wrote: "The song's first guitar crush arrives after a lengthy ambient intro, and brings an electrifying jolt to the striking piano melody.

"[31] Simon Vozick-Levinson from Entertainment Weekly wrote: "'Violet Hill' opens with a thin synth wash that's very Music for Airports, and proceeds from there to some droning, stabbing guitar textures that sound cooler than most any Coldplay tunes I can think of.

"[32] Kristina Feliciano of Paste magazine wrote: "You know you're in for a different kind of Coldplay experience when Chris Martin ditches his anguished falsetto for a deep, doomy basso profundo, as he does on 'Violet Hill'".

[33] Mikael Wood of Spin magazine wrote: "'Violet Hill' pulls a similar fake-out, bludgeoning a delicate Eno-style soundscape with big Black Sabbath guitars.

"[34] Darcie Stevens of the Austin Chronicle wrote: "While the band's fourth LP begins light and pretty, its power breaks late-album with Old West tangent 'Violet Hill'".

[35] The song appeared on Rolling Stone's Hot List for May 2009, with the magazine calling it "a (relatively) hard-rocking attack on Fox News' America".

It was directed by visual artist Asa Mader, and parts were shot at Mount Etna and in the courtyard of Palazzo Biscari, Catania, Sicily.

[5][47] This original version of the video begins with the band climbing a hill and reaching a quiet town, where they start playing their instruments.

Chris Martin is seen singing holding a magnifying glass in front of his mouth, hitting the screen with a hammer and walking on the snow.

[47] This video was shown on a small on-stage television screen as part of the live shows, during the band's 2008 Viva la Vida tour.

Prominent personalities, such as Fidel Castro, Richard Nixon, Hugo Chávez, Robert Mugabe, Osama bin Laden, Saddam Hussein, Boris Yeltsin, Barack Obama, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Tony and Cherie Blair, and Elizabeth II and Prince Philip are featured in this alternate video.