Song Lyrics Romeo And Juliet

Songs That Mention Romeo And Juliet

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Romeo and Juliet – the star-crossed lovers who are the hero and heroine of William Shakespeare's play, which start appeared in 1597 – are probably the most famous fictional couple in history. Their story has been the field of study of many, many re-interpretations, every bit well as being referenced in some style or other in countless books, movies, TV shows, etc. Romeo and Juliet is also undoubtedly the Shakespeare work which has turned up the almost in some way or other in rock 'north' roll songs (at least we can't think of any rock songs that reference Henry V Role II).

Information technology's through popular cultural, at least, that well-nigh people know the story: Romeo and Juliet were two immature people who roughshod in honey, despite the fact that there was a biting feud raging between their respective families. The play, then, ends with both characters dying (we assumed nosotros didn't demand a "spoiler warning" for that one).

Not to sound misogynistic, but between the 2 of the them the proper noun "Romeo" probably appears more commonly by itself in popular cultural, being used as shorthand for a ladies' homo. Two examples of popular songs that use the name in that context are the Supremes' "Back in My Arms Again" ("… 'cause the boy she loves is a Romeo") and Supertramp's "Take the Long Mode Dwelling house" ("Then you retrieve you're a Romeo/Playing a part in a picture evidence… ")

Maybe one day we'll do a Romeo solo list. But for now, here's a list of x songs (by artists ranging from the king of rock 'n' roll to probably the most successful electric current solo artist to a ane-striking wonder) which in some way reference William Shakespeare'south immortal play Romeo and Juliet, whether it's re-imaging the entire original story or only name-dropping the famous couple.

#10 – "Happy Ending" by Elvis Presley

This deep cut from the king of rock 'n' roll comes from his 1963 film starring vehicle It Happened at the Globe's Fair and is performed during the moving picture's final scene. The song (written by Bob Weisman and Sid Wayne) really ignores the common romantic reinterpretation of the Shakespeare play and uses its actual tragic essence ("Our dear story gets me and so upset/Like Romeo and Juliet/I'm not smart plenty to figure out why/Some folks love a good cry") every bit a counterpoint to the song's appeal for a "Happy Ending," which Elvis does make it the picture (what did you lot wait? He's Elvis).

#ix – "Round and Round" by Ratt

This number #12 single from 1984 was one of the earliest major hits in the Eighties sub-genre which would come to be known as "pilus metallic," and also probably i of the best. Lyrically, no songs in that genre were exactly, well, Shakespeare sonnets, and the words to this one don't really make a whole lot of sense in full general. The 1 mention of the bard's famous lovers ("Like Romeo to Juliet/Time and time, I'm gonna brand you mine") probably just fit the meter more than than annihilation else.

#8 – "Romeo Had Juliette" by Lou Reed

Did New York City stone innovator Lou Reed alter the traditional spelling of "Juliet" on this song for copyright reasons? Nah (all of Shakespeare's works accept been public domain for centuries). Rather, continuing his ain tradition of creating songs based on gritty urban reality, this take on the famous couple from Lou Reed's 1989 album New York re-imagines their state of affairs as being set against the properties of a crude inner-city neighborhood in the twentieth century (absolutely, West Side Story had already put a similar spin on the original story, but that one didn't include references to uzis or cleft dealers).

#7 – "Burn down" by the Arrow Sisters

A few of the lyrics to this 1978 #ii hit past the Pointer Sisters written by Bruce Springsteen accept probably not aged well in the #MeToo era ("Your pullin' me shut/I just say no/I say I don't like it/Just you know I'm a liar"). This is also another example of Romeo and Juliet being not only pretty much just proper noun-dropped, simply too having a share infinite with another famous could (Samson and Delilah) whose story goes dorsum fifty-fifty further, all the way to the aboriginal Hebrew Bible (however, i could argue that when people think most this track, the "Romeo and Juliet" lyric is the first part of the song that comes to mind).

#6 – "Non Romeo Non Juliet" by Bryan Adams

Another deep cut from a classic rocker, this song from Bryan Adams' 2004 anthology Room Service actually uses the arcadian estimation of Shakespeare'south famous couple every bit the "perfect lovers" to dissimilarity the feelings of the boy and the daughter in the song who realize and accept that they are who they are ("He ain't pretty," "She'due south all skinny like a cigarette") and their relationship is just what it is, quite possibly need more than love ("We're just two lost souls and baby we got no regrets") besides equally a desire to live in the here and at present.

#5 – "Honey Story" by Taylor Swift

The xx-first century'south reining pop princess did her ain take on Romeo and Juliet on this rail which originally appeared on her 2008 album Fearless. The song is told from the perspective of "Juliet" (logically enough) but definitely understates the tragic attribute of the original Shakespeare piece of work, as in this song the worst the couple actually has to contend with is the disapproval of Juliet's father (which, to be fair, is a holdover from the play).

And it seems that when all is said and washed the lovers do take a happy ending – this Romeo seemingly ends up winning the approving of Juliet'due south father ("I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress") – which is of course is too in stark contrast to the fate of the couple in Shakespeare's version. But who can argue with love? (or with the song, which was Top 10 in at 14 countries).

#4 – "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Oyster Cult

Possibly the all-time-known song on our listing, long-running New York rockers Blue Oyster Cult enjoyed their only U.s.a. Top 20 hitting with "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" in 1976. The song has largely been interpreted – and in turn, criticized – every bit being well-nigh a suicide pact betwixt a teenage couple, who partially employ Romeo and Juliet as the inspiration for taking their own lives together ("Romeo and Juliet/Are together in eternity… /We can be like they are"). Ironically, while the ii Shakespeare characters do both end their own lives, it is not through a suicide pact: Romeo kills himself after erroneously believing that Juliet is dead, then she does the same afterward finding him dead (every bit for the song, it can be argued that information technology's more than about immortality that suicide).

#3 – "Cinema Testify" by Genesis

Ane more classic stone deep cutting, this one from the early days of Genesis (1973) re-imagines Romeo and Juliet as a modern couple who are a pair of young British adult professionals. The two never technically "meet" in the song, every bit each of the kickoff two verses focuses on them separately every bit they prepare to ultimately gather for a date (she puts on perfume, he dons a floral tie, etc.). The song's lyrics and then shift their focus entirely, taking inspiration from an entirely different classic work (T.S. Eliot's poem "The Waste Land") and thus we never learn the fate of this Romeo and Juliet (still, the vocal includes some amazing song harmonizing from the band's pair of legends, Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins).

#2 – "(Just Similar) Romeo and Juliet" by the Reflections

At that place've been at least a half-dozen recording groups called the Reflections (including a current metalcore band from the Twin Cities), but this vocal ensemble from Detroit scored their only major hit in 1964 with the #6 unmarried "(Just Like) Romeo and Juliet." As the parenthetical in the song's title would suggest, the Shakespeare characters here are used mainly as an analogy. The song'due south narrator at first revels in the original story ("Our love's gonna be written down in history/Just similar Romeo and Juliet") before ultimately realizing just what that "history" entails: "Our love's gonna be destroyed like a tragedy/Just like Romeo and Juliet" (although to be fair, he blames the situation on his own inability to find a task, non the girl or the relationship).

#ane – "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits

This runway from Dire Straits which originally appears on their 1980 anthology Making Movies besides re-imagines Romeo and Juliet as beingness in the modern twenty-four hours, at least every bit far equally we tin tell from some of the references in the song (TV, streetlights, the 1963 striking "My Fellow's Back" by the Angels). Though also not quite the tragedy that the original play is, the vocal is still quite somber.

Romeo tells Juliet that he loved her yet overtly questions the dear that she gave back, summing it up by asking her: "When yous gonna realize, it was just that the fourth dimension was wrong?" Dire Straits lead singer, guitarist and songwriter has apparently acknowledged that the song was based on his own troubled romance with British vocalizer Holly Beth Vincent (but the time at least was right for the song, every bit it went Acme 10 in the UK).

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