The song is about New York Mets catcher M… Read Full Bio ↴Used in the movie Juno (2007).
The song is about New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who was rumored to be gay throughout his playing career. In 2002, he held a press conference to declare his heterosexuality. Piazza later wrote his autobiography, "If I was gay, I’d be gay all the way."
Stuart Murdoch became a Mets fan in the late 90s. He said: "I was almost instantly drawn to Piazza. That’s the thing about him; he was a talisman wherever he went. He was the kind of player people tended to follow, and we thought he was a good guy."
The song contains references to other Hall of Fame baseball players like Willie Mays and Sandy Koufax.
Piazza New York Catcher
Belle and Sebastian Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How many nights of limping round on pagan holidays?
Oh elope with me in private and we'll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase
San Francisco's calling us, the Giants and Mets will play
We hung about the stadium, we've got no place to stay
We hung about the Tenderloin and tenderly you tell
About the saddest book you ever read, it always makes you cry
The statue's crying too and well he may
I love you
I've a drowning grip on your adoring face
I love you, my responsibility has found a place
Beside you and strong warnings in the guise of gentle words
Come wave upon me from the family wider net absurd
"You'll take care of her, I know it, you will do a better job"
Maybe, but not what she deserves
Elope with me, Miss Private, and we'll drink ourselves awake
We'll taste the coffee houses and award certificates
A privy seal to keep the feel of 1960 style
We'll comment on the decor and we'll help the passer by
And at dusk when work is over we'll continue the debate
In a borrowed bedroom virginal and spare
The catcher hits for .318 and catches every day
The pitcher puts religion first and rests on holidays
He goes into cathedrals and lies prostrate on the floor
He knows the drink affects his speed, he's praying for a doorway
Back into the life he wants and the confession of the bench
Life outside the diamond is a wrench
I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I know it wouldn't come to love, my heroine pretend
A lady stepping from the song we love until this day
You'd settle for an epitaph like "Walk Away, Renee"
The sun upon the roof in winter will draw you out like a flower
Meet you at the statue in an hour
Meet you at the statue in an hour
The song "Piazza New York Catcher" by Belle and Sebastian tells a story about two people running away together, eloping to sail around the world. The lyrics describe the adventures the couple will have and the emotions they will experience as they travel. The song's chorus is a question about the catcher on the New York Mets baseball team, asking whether he is straight or gay. The verse also includes references to San Francisco, the Giants and Mets teams playing, and hanging around the stadium and Tenderloin (a neighborhood in San Francisco).
Throughout the song, the singer expresses his love for the woman, taking on the role of a protective and responsible figure. He encourages her to elope with him, to break the rules and set something on fire, all while assuring her that he will take care of her. The lyrics also touch on themes of religion, addiction, and the struggles of life outside of sports.
Overall, "Piazza New York Catcher" is a catchy and upbeat song that tells a unique story of love, travel, and adventure, while also incorporating references to baseball, San Francisco, and other aspects of American culture.
Line by Line Meaning
Elope with me, Miss Private, and we'll sail around the world
Let's run away together in secret and travel the world
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
I will be your protector while you take risks
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How long can we keep talking in hotels without taking action?
How many nights of limping round on pagan holidays?
How long will we wander aimlessly on holidays that don't matter to us?
Oh elope with me in private and we'll set something ablaze
Let's run away in secret and do something big and rebellious
A trail for the devil to erase
Something to leave an indelible mark on history
San Francisco's calling us, the Giants and Mets will play
San Francisco beckons us to witness some epic baseball games
Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?
I wonder about your sexual orientation, Mr. New York Catcher
We hung about the stadium, we've got no place to stay
We loitered around the stadium since we have nowhere to go
We hung about the Tenderloin and tenderly you tell
We walked around the neighborhood and you spoke softly to me
About the saddest book you ever read, it always makes you cry
You told me about the saddest book you've ever read that always makes you cry
The statue's crying too and well he may
The statue seems to be crying too, which is understandable
I love you
I love you
I've a drowning grip on your adoring face
I am holding your face tightly, never wanting to let go
I love you, my responsibility has found a place
I love you and I've finally found my purpose in life
Beside you and strong warnings in the guise of gentle words
I will be by your side and warn you in a gentle way
Come wave upon me from the family wider net absurd
Please don't judge me for being part of a crazy family
"You'll take care of her, I know it, you will do a better job"
"You'll take care of her, I believe in you and think you'll do better than anyone else"
Maybe, but not what she deserves
Maybe I will take care of her, but I still feel like I'm not good enough for her
Elope with me, Miss Private, and we'll drink ourselves awake
Let's run away together and drink until sunrise
We'll taste the coffee houses and award certificates
We'll sample all the coffee shops and appreciate certification
A privy seal to keep the feel of 1960 style
We'll have our own secret way of keeping the vibe of the 1960s
We'll comment on the decor and we'll help the passer by
We'll critique the decor and assist those walking by us
And at dusk when work is over we'll continue the debate
When the sun sets and the workday is done, we'll still talk and argue
In a borrowed bedroom virginal and spare
We'll sleep in a furnished but empty room
The catcher hits for .318 and catches every day
The New York Catcher bats with an average of .318 and catches every game
The pitcher puts religion first and rests on holidays
The pitcher prioritizes religion and rests on holy days
He goes into cathedrals and lies prostrate on the floor
He goes to churches and lies face down on the floor in prayer
He knows the drink affects his speed, he's praying for a doorway
He knows that drinking affects his game and he is praying for a way out of his addiction
Back into the life he wants and the confession of the bench
He wants to change his life to the way he wants it to be and seeks confession while resting on the bench
Life outside the diamond is a wrench
Life outside the game of baseball can be tough
I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I wish you were here with me to make this boring weekend more exciting
I know it wouldn't come to love, my heroine pretend
I know it won't turn into real love, but I'll pretend it's so for now
A lady stepping from the song we love until this day
A woman stepping out of a song that we still love today
You'd settle for an epitaph like "Walk Away, Renee"
You would be satisfied with a memorial that says "Walk Away, Renee"
The sun upon the roof in winter will draw you out like a flower
The winter sun shining on the roof will attract you like a flower
Meet you at the statue in an hour
Let's meet at the statue in one hour
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Bob Kildea, Christopher Geddes, Michael Cooke, Richard Colburn, Sarah Martin, Stephen Jackson, Stuart Murdoch
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind