Oh Marcello Lyrics

Lyric discussion by gingerale 

Cover art for Oh Marcello lyrics by Regina Spektor

What on earth is this song in reference to? I feel...maybe a literary reference? Can anybody shed a little light?

Well, the title is taken from an 80's song.

@gingerale Maybe it's a bit late but I'm almost sure it's about Marcello, character of The Conformist who's trying to escape his doom and obtain normality. He is surrounded by superficial female characters - his mother and his wife, in Bertolucci's film the address him no more no less as "oh, Marcello" and live in blind ignorance, not understanding what is going on.