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Romeo Is Bleeding Lyrics
Romeo is bleeding but not so as you'd notice
he's over on 18th street as usual
looking so hard against the hood of his car
putting out a cigarette in his hand
all the pachucos at the pumps
at Romero's paint and body
they're seein' how far they can spit
well it was just another night
but now they're huddled in the brake lights of a '58 Belair
and listenin how romeo killed a sheriff with his knife
and they all jump when they hear the sirens
but Romeo just laughs
says all the racket in the world ain't never gonna
see that copper's ass
he'll never see another summertime for gunnin down my brother
an' leavin him like a dog beneath a car without his knife
Romeo says "hey man, gimme a cigarette"
and they all hurry for their pack
Frankie lights it for him and pats him on the back
and throws a bottle at a milk truck
and as it breaks he grabs his nuts
and they know they could be just like Romeo
if they only had the guts
Romeo is bleeding but nobody can tell
he sings along with the radio
with a bullet in his chest
and he combs back his feathers
and they all agree it's clear
that everything is cool now that Romeo is here
but Romeo is bleeding
he winches now and then as he leans against
the car door and feels the blood in his shoes
and someone's crying at the Five Points
in the phone booth by the store
Romeo starts his engine
and wipes the blood off the door
and he brody's through the signal
with the radio full blast
leavin' the boys there hikin' up their chinos
and they all try to stand like Romeo
with the moon cut like a sickle
and they're talkin now in Spanish all about their hero
Romeo is bleeding as he gives the man his ticket
and he climbs the balcony at the movies
and he'll die without a wimper
like every hero's dream
like an angel with a bullet
and Cagney on the screen
Romeo is bleeding.....
Romeo is bleeding.....(aah)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey man)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey pachuco)
Romeo is bleeding....(aah, hey man)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey pachuco)
Romeo is bleeding.....(hijo de la chingada madre)
Romeo is bleeding.....(hey man)
Andele pues!
Hey Pachuco!
Hey Pachuco!
Hago la lucha!
Dáme esa pistola, hombre!
Hijo de la chingada madre!
Ay, que pinche pancho!
Hey man!
Hago la lucha!
Hago la lucha!
Vamos a dormir, hombre
Hey man!
he's over on 18th street as usual
looking so hard against the hood of his car
putting out a cigarette in his hand
all the pachucos at the pumps
at Romero's paint and body
they're seein' how far they can spit
well it was just another night
but now they're huddled in the brake lights of a '58 Belair
and listenin how romeo killed a sheriff with his knife
but Romeo just laughs
says all the racket in the world ain't never gonna
see that copper's ass
he'll never see another summertime for gunnin down my brother
an' leavin him like a dog beneath a car without his knife
and they all hurry for their pack
Frankie lights it for him and pats him on the back
and throws a bottle at a milk truck
and as it breaks he grabs his nuts
and they know they could be just like Romeo
if they only had the guts
he sings along with the radio
with a bullet in his chest
and he combs back his feathers
and they all agree it's clear
that everything is cool now that Romeo is here
but Romeo is bleeding
he winches now and then as he leans against
the car door and feels the blood in his shoes
and someone's crying at the Five Points
in the phone booth by the store
Romeo starts his engine
and wipes the blood off the door
and he brody's through the signal
with the radio full blast
leavin' the boys there hikin' up their chinos
and they all try to stand like Romeo
with the moon cut like a sickle
and they're talkin now in Spanish all about their hero
and he climbs the balcony at the movies
and he'll die without a wimper
like every hero's dream
like an angel with a bullet
and Cagney on the screen
Romeo is bleeding.....(aah)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey man)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey pachuco)
Romeo is bleeding....(aah, hey man)
Romeo is bleeding....(hey pachuco)
Romeo is bleeding.....(hijo de la chingada madre)
Romeo is bleeding.....(hey man)
Hey Pachuco!
Hey Pachuco!
Hago la lucha!
Dáme esa pistola, hombre!
Hijo de la chingada madre!
Ay, que pinche pancho!
Hey man!
Hago la lucha!
Hago la lucha!
Vamos a dormir, hombre
Hey man!
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
this is one of Tom's best poems/songs. it comes to mind a cocky Latino in the 1950's in L.A.
he's gutshot, trying to be tough in front of his amigos, secretly in agonizing pain. a tough cooki right up to the end, they all look up to Romeo.
and he doesn't let them down, even as his last breath slips from his lungs.
A fantastic song! You can almost see Romeo in your mind's eye :)
Anyway, for Guffle, Spanish is as follows:
Andele pues! [Come on, let's go!]. Hey Pachuco! [Hey jerk!]. Hago la lucha! [I'll take you on!]. Dáme esa pistola, hombre! [Give me that pistol, man!]. Hijo de la chingada madre! [You son of a fucking whore!]. Ay, que pinche pancho! [Oh, what a fucking wimp!]. Vamos a dormir, hombre [Let's go to sleep, man]
Cited by http://www.tomwaitslibrary.com/lyrics/bluevalentine/romeoisbleeding.html :)
Hope that helps
yeah, this song is so cool. tom is the most underrated artist ever, i wish more people would listen to his music
this is one of Tom's best poems/songs. it comes to mind a cocky Latino in the 1950's in L.A.
he's gutshot, trying to be tough in front of his amigos, secretly in agonizing pain. a tough cooki right up to the end, they all look up to Romeo.
and he doesn't let them down, even as his last breath slips from his lungs.
loads of people listen to him. He's huge, and hardly underrated I think, just slightly obscure, which isn't necessarily a bad thing
Anyone know what Tom says in spanish in this song?
Try listening to it ;) It's not in the lyrics, but he says some stuff in spanish at the end. I'm guessing it has something to do with "and they're talkin now in spanish about their hero".
Well, pachucos were a kind of cultural movement of mexican americans towards the 40s and 50s, and so when he says "hey pachuco" towards the end, just picture mexican americans with greased hair and zoot suits ;)
I don't think this song is about the Romeo character being injured or shot or literally bleeding. I think it's more metaphorical, saying that he's experiencing a deep emotional pain that he can't show to his fellow pachucos because they look up to him as their leader. He's trying to maintain the facade of being cool, composed, and unhurt, but the pain he is experiencing is killing him, and even while putting up the act he's constantly aware of it.
That may be, Tommy, but I prefer the literal approach. Too many songs have too many hidden meanings, I like the occasional literal song.