Barcelona
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy Lyrics
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To Barcelona
So I have to tell you what I now know
About Barcelona
'Cause I met a woman there and went to her room
In Barcelona
By that thoughtless act I did map my own doom
'Cause you see, my wife and I we had gone there together
To Barcelona
And if I wanted to kill love I couldn't have done better
Oh oh Barcelona
Back in our hotel, she cursed and she screamed
Barcelona
So I threw her out the window to quiet her screams
Oh oh Barcelona
But she lived to divorce me and later in life
Barcelona
Now she found a good husband, but I found no wife
Oh oh Barcelona
Now I live alone and I reminisce often
About Barcelona
Until finally God's mercy calls me in my coffin
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
(And in my coffin was laid a lot of women
Making the body an instrument of curse
And as the world rotted, dissolved into dirt
So well it ended my ability to hurt
She walked on me, her children played on me
But eventually I was gone and happy)
Bonnie "Prince" Billy's song "Barcelona" tells the story of a man who cheats on his wife while they were on a trip to Barcelona. The singer starts by acknowledging that most people have never been to Barcelona and proceeds to tell the story of his affair in the city. He met a woman there, went to her room and unknowingly mapped his own doom. This act of infidelity leads to his wife cursing and screaming at him in their hotel room, prompting him to throw her out the window in a desperate attempt to silence her. Unfortunately, she survives and divorces him. He is left alone, reminiscing about Barcelona until he finally meets his end.
The story is a cautionary tale about the consequences of infidelity, jealousy, and impulsive actions. The singer's actions wreak havoc on his life and relationships, leading him to a life of loneliness and regret. It's interesting to note the imagery used in the song, which creates a vivid picture of the events. The mention of God's mercy calling him in his coffin also brings to mind the idea of redemption, even though it came too late for the singer.
Overall, "Barcelona" is a haunting and vividly told story that lingers long after the song ends.
Line by Line Meaning
Most of you never been and never will go
To Barcelona
Not everyone gets the opportunity to explore Barcelona
So I have to tell you what I now know
About Barcelona
I will share my experience of visiting Barcelona through this song
'Cause I met a woman there and went to her room
In Barcelona
By that thoughtless act I did map my own doom
Oh oh Barcelona
I engaged in an act of infidelity which led to my own misfortune
'Cause you see, my wife and I we had gone there together
To Barcelona
And if I wanted to kill love I couldn't have done better
Oh oh Barcelona
I went to Barcelona with my wife, but my affair proved to be a worse betrayal of love than any other
Back in our hotel, she cursed and she screamed
Barcelona
So I threw her out the window to quiet her screams
Oh oh Barcelona
My wife found out and shouted at me, pushing me to a point where I threw her out of the window in anger
But she lived to divorce me and later in life
Barcelona
Now she found a good husband, but I found no wife
Oh oh Barcelona
My wife survived and divorced me, eventually finding happiness with someone else, whereas I remained lonely and single
Now I live alone and I reminisce often
About Barcelona
Until finally God's mercy calls me in my coffin
Oh oh Barcelona
I am now alone and often nostalgic about my experience in Barcelona, waiting for death to relieve me from my pain
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Oh oh Barcelona
Repeatedly lamenting the pain caused by my actions in Barcelona
(And in my coffin was laid a lot of women
Making the body an instrument of curse
And as the world rotted, dissolved into dirt
So well it ended my ability to hurt
She walked on me, her children played on me
But eventually I was gone and happy)
In the end, my physical remains lay with many other women, making my body a symbol of my curse. But with the passage of time, I became free from the painful memories of my actions in Barcelona.
Contributed by Claire C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
pcurino
Amazing song, really chilling.
Jo Telling
AAAAAAAARRRRGGHH!!!! The finest example of defenestration in pop music.
Christie M
wholy f...thanks fr posting...i've been after this song fr ages
William Wroblewski
He's a master of hiding cringe-worthy moments in beautiful songs. This one's is the rhyming of "screamed" with "screams". See also, "you you" in "I See A Darkness." Great songs both. But it's as if he intentionally includes a mistake in every song, just to see if you're paying attention.
Ph
William Wroblewski There's a kernel of truth in what you're saying, but geez, what must you think of "times" / "eyes" in the first verse of Sweet Jane