To me, it's about a longterm relationship that was troubled, but to top it off, the other partner cheats with a man that she's idolized(static silhouette of the other guy waving from a tropical sunset) and that the singer casually knows(the reference to sharing the cigarette somewhere). The singer finds out about them and is haunted by his brief encounter with the other man. When he sings about always calling to tell his partner that he's on the way, it's his way of making sure that the other man isn't there when he gets home and that he cannot ever trust her again(always and forevermore). They almost break-up and he tries to say that he never loved her, but it's not really true(I've never loved you and if I love you...). Somehow, they end up staying together, but the trust is gone and they are destroyed inside. He uses the Roman empire as a metaphor for their relationship as slowly decaying and breaking down for numerous factors(her cheating, his misspoken words, their lack of trust) as the actual Roman empire did over a long period of time. Their relationship is a facade of ashes and will crumble, much like the Colosseum still stands and is doomed to eventually crumble, but for now they are together.
It's interesting that another band, The Decemberists, would also use the Roman empire to describe the dissolution of a relationship in Record Year for Rainfall. Anyway, Rome is a wonderful and beautiful song!
I love this song!
To me, it's about a longterm relationship that was troubled, but to top it off, the other partner cheats with a man that she's idolized(static silhouette of the other guy waving from a tropical sunset) and that the singer casually knows(the reference to sharing the cigarette somewhere). The singer finds out about them and is haunted by his brief encounter with the other man. When he sings about always calling to tell his partner that he's on the way, it's his way of making sure that the other man isn't there when he gets home and that he cannot ever trust her again(always and forevermore). They almost break-up and he tries to say that he never loved her, but it's not really true(I've never loved you and if I love you...). Somehow, they end up staying together, but the trust is gone and they are destroyed inside. He uses the Roman empire as a metaphor for their relationship as slowly decaying and breaking down for numerous factors(her cheating, his misspoken words, their lack of trust) as the actual Roman empire did over a long period of time. Their relationship is a facade of ashes and will crumble, much like the Colosseum still stands and is doomed to eventually crumble, but for now they are together.
It's interesting that another band, The Decemberists, would also use the Roman empire to describe the dissolution of a relationship in Record Year for Rainfall. Anyway, Rome is a wonderful and beautiful song!
Wow, I feel like you're right on. Thank you.
Wow, I feel like you're right on. Thank you.