The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
A love struck Romeo, sings the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
He find a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "you and me, babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing
Hey, la, my boyfriend's back"
You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that
Anyway what you going to do about it?
Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded in my heart
And I forget, I forget the movie song
When you going to realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
Both dirty, both mean, yes and the dream was just the same
And I dream your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me, as if I was just another one of your deals?
Well, you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin
Now you just say, "oh, Romeo, yeah, you know
I used to have a scene with him"
Juliet, when we made love you use to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know that movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet
I can't do the talk like the talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you
And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat, the bad company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of orion
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you any time
Juliet, when we made love you use to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know that movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet
A love struck Romeo, sings the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
He find a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "you and me, babe, how about it?"
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
He find a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "you and me, babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing
Hey, la, my boyfriend's back"
You shouldn't come around here, singing up at people like that
Anyway what you going to do about it?
Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded in my heart
And I forget, I forget the movie song
When you going to realize, it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
Both dirty, both mean, yes and the dream was just the same
And I dream your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me, as if I was just another one of your deals?
Well, you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin
Now you just say, "oh, Romeo, yeah, you know
I used to have a scene with him"
Juliet, when we made love you use to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know that movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet
I can't do the talk like the talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you
And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat, the bad company
And all I do is kiss you, through the bars of orion
Juliet, I'd do the stars with you any time
Juliet, when we made love you use to cry
I said "I love you like the stars above, I love you till I die"
And there's a place for us, you know that movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet
A love struck Romeo, sings the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
He find a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "you and me, babe, how about it?"
Lyrics submitted by ShotgunXXWedding
Romeo And Juliet Lyrics as written by Mark Knopfler
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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It seems like most other people here think that the singer is comparing himself and his ex to Romeo and Juliet but I think that the singer is an alternative version of Romeo. I always thought of this song as rewriting or reconsidering Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet as if they hadn't died but had started to eventually drift apart and fall out of love, especially Juliet. There are lines that seem like they're critiquing the relationship R+J had, like when he says 'you can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold,' cause that is how they decided that they loved each other- just seeing each other quickly at a party. I think it's more interesting to think about this as if Romeo and Juliet - who represent the epitome of love - had some fault that would make them split apart if they hadn't been faced with tragedy.