| Michael Penn – No Myth (Romeo in Black Jeans) Lyrics | 16 years ago |
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Andrea1975, you might be long gone from here, but I joined this site just to respond to your post, which I think you did a bang-up job with. I heard the song a little while ago on WFUV-FM (N.Y.C.) and it got me thinking again about the lyrics (all this time and I didn't even know the name of the song). So She says it's time she goes But wanted to be sure I know She hopes we can be friends. I think Yeah, guess we can say I But didn't think to ask her why; She blocked her eyes and drew the curtains With knots I've got yet to untie. What if I were Romeo in black jeans? What if I was Heathcliff?--it's no myth. Maybe she's just looking for Someone to dance with. See It was just too soon to tell And looking for some parallel Can be an endless game. We We said goodbye before hello My secrets she will never know And if I dig a hole to China I'll catch the first junk to Soho. What if I were Romeo in black jeans? What if I was Heathcliff?--it's no myth. Maybe she's just looking for Someone to dance with. Sometime from now you'll bow to pressures. Some things in life you cannot measure by degrees. I'm between the poles and the equator. Don't send no private investigator to find me please 'Less he speaks Chinese And can dance like Astaire overseas. (Okay.) What if I was? So what if I was? Maybe she's just looking for Someone to dance with. What if I was Romeo in black jeans? What if I was Heathcliff?--it's no myth. Maybe she's just looking for Someone to dance with. ...All of the above was going to be posted two days ago, but I had a couple of computer foul-ups, so it has had to wait until now to be sent. 1. The woman wants to be friends, but this obviously doesn't sit well with the man. 2. I think he rejected that proposal, because what happened before somehow registered strongly within him. He didn't handle negotiations well with her and basically regretted not just asking her "why?" 3. In trying to convince her, he tried to suggest that it was possible he could be/have been the love of her life--a soul mate kind of love, something he believes is true and not mythical despite only having great fictional characters to depict it, but then again, maybe he's wrong about her and she's just looking for something casual (he clearly is seeking something serious). 4. They said goodbye before really getting to know each other, before finding out what they might have meant to each other, and he seems, at this point, to have resigned himself to this, though he believes he's right about the possibilities for true love with her. He doesn't have examples of it outside of classic fiction, but to try to come up with "precedents" could be problematic and ultimately unproductive (you kind of have that with Romeo and Heathcliff as examples: two tragic loves). -AND- 4a. He's resolved that she won't ever know him--he's ready to go to the opposite end of the world and back before he'll have anything to do with her (taking the first "boat" back to Soho--most likely in London, perhaps New York City). -OR- 4b. The woman is of Chinese descent and he's suggesting that if he should do something of note that might be relevant to her, he'll be back to make another effort with/on her in Soho in London, or N.Y.C. 5. Eventually the woman will give in to the attentions of some suitor, and this epic love that he thinks is possible between them is not a myth, nor can it be measured by traditional standards, nor is it subject to rational consideration. Also, playing on the meaning of the word "degrees," he may be suggesting that the woman, who may be of Chinese descent, is rejecting him because he's not educated enough for her, and also because he's too much of a romantic (believing in the "myth" of true love). 6. He's lost--apparently he already feels something strong for the woman--and even though he's resigned to the relationship being over before it really got started, he's willing to be found if she's serious about rekindling the relationship. I think here he's being fanciful with his imagery about the investigator being able to speak Chinese and dance like Astaire in his prime. Basically she has to really want to have a go at it before he'll be willing to really try again. Again, making reference to Chinese culture suggests to me that the woman is of Chinese descent. I love how he says "Okay" in the song--almost as if he wants to take it back (again he may feel he's too much of the romantic with his imagery for her). 7. Something tells me it ultimately didn't work out between these two. The way Penn emphasizes the names "Romeo" and "Heathcliff" (he hits his highest notes on the names), seems to say to me that somehow he thought his relationship with the woman would be awe-inspiring and consuming and now it will never be. He then consoles himself with the rationalization that she's not interested in being swept off her feet, though he thinks it's inevitable (if not with him). 8. I never read "Wuthering Heights," so I don't know if when Penn sings immediately after "Heathcliff," "it's no myth," it's a reference to something in the novel. It could very well be, but I'm comfortable with the idea that he's a believer in true love. I am. 9. I wonder why he uses "were" with Romeo, but "was" with Heathcliff? A matter of expression? Grammatically correct for what he's trying to suggest? 10. The rhythm of this song is incredibly infectious. |
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