Jess Klein (born in 1974 in Rochester, New York) is an American singer-song… Read Full Bio ↴Jess Klein (born in 1974 in Rochester, New York) is an American singer-songwriter. After independently releasing her first two albums, winning the Telluride Troubador Songwriting Contest, and garnering several Boston Music Award nominations, she was signed to Rykodisc in 2000. Her first release for Ryko was "Draw Them Near" and her second release was "Strawberry" Lover (2005).

The songs on her 2011 album "Behind A Veil" are a direct result of a personally challenging year; losing her father to a five year battle with ALS, splitting with a lover, and the self-empowering decision to move forward with no management or record label.

Klein explains: “You never really know what the big picture is to a situation - sometimes the meaning is veiled. It can seem really bad, but then later you can look back at the same moment and feel so grateful it went that way; I love that about life. Sometimes things are just really hard and really painful, but also beautiful.”

Klein continues to tour the U.S, U.K. and Europe regularly.

Romeo
Jess Klein Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

The air was colder
Eyes were heavy
The day a child who loved died
Your heart was choking on its sorrow
Your 13 year old innocent delight
And me I've spent my life in waiting
On one whose heart knew more than mine
And now the stars are in my window

And on my breath the moon light

Oh Romeo I can't explain this weight upon my chest
That you'd live to tell the story to a girl whose left for less
I have never cried for thinking Verona was not mine
Why am I pacing through her dusty streets?
I pray there is not tragedy this time

Oh how they'll love to claim its magic
How that somehow frees their hands
And they say they'd love to change the world
And meanwhile they watch it from the stands
But you and I are all alone here now
It's not what either of us planned
I'd be the last to think I'd learn to love
Your beauty took so long to understand

Oh Romeo I can't explain this weight upon my chest
That you'd live to tell the story to a girl whose left for less
I have never cried for thinking Verona was not mine
Why am I pacing through her dusty streets?
I pray there is not tragedy this time

Oh Romeo I can't explain this weight upon my chest
That you'd live to tell the story to a girl whose left for less
I have never cried for thinking Verona was not mine

Why am I pacing through her dusty streets?
I pray there is not tragedy this time

Overall Meaning

The song "Romeo" by Jess Klein seems to be a reflection on love, loss, and the complexity of relationships. The lyrics paint a picture of a heavy-hearted individual who is grappling with the pain of losing someone they love. The sense of loss is apparent even in the opening lines as the air is described as being "colder" and the eyes as "heavy". It appears the loss of the one who was loved is affecting not only the singer but also the world around them.

The song then starts talking about the singer's Romeo, with whom they had an intense relationship. There is a sense of admiration, love, and longing for Romeo, who had more knowledge about love and life than the singer, who had to wait for him to make decisions. The lyrics express a sense of isolation as both of them are alone and trying to cope with their own thoughts and emotions. There is also a sense of uncertainty, expressed through the line, "I pray there is not tragedy this time", indicating that in the past there may have been sorrow, which the singer and Romeo had already gone through.

The song then concludes on a tumultuous note, with the singer still in the throes of their thoughts and emotions. The singer cannot seem to explain the feeling of heaviness on their chest, a weight which they are yet to shed even after Romeo's presence in their life. The song is an ode to love, but also to the human spirit's ability to endure pain and sorrow.

Line by Line Meaning

The air was colder
The weather was chilly

Eyes were heavy
Feeling tired and weighed down

The day a child who loved died
A day when a loved child passed away

Your heart was choking on its sorrow
Overwhelmed with sadness

Your 13 year old innocent delight
Memories of being young and carefree

And me I've spent my life in waiting
Always waiting for something to happen

On one whose heart knew more than mine
Waiting for someone who had more life experience

And now the stars are in my window
Feeling content with life

And on my breath the moon light
Breathing in the cool night air

Oh Romeo I can't explain this weight upon my chest
Feeling burdened by emotions

That you'd live to tell the story to a girl whose left for less
Hoping to share experiences with someone who understands