Romeo And Juliet
Mark Knopfler Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

So your lovestruck Romeo has got his serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade, says something like
"You and me babe, how about it?"

Juliet says "hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing "hey la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that
Anyway whatcha gonna do about it?"

Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet and you exploded in my heart
And I forget, I forget the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

We come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
Both dirty, yeah, both mean yes and the dream was just the same
And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?

When you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, yeah you promised me thick and thin
Now you just say "Romeo yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"

Juliet when we'd make love you used to cry
You said I love you like the stars above, oh I'll love you till the day I die
You know, there's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong?

Yeah, Juliet

I can't do the talk like they talkin' on the TV
And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything but I'll do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you

And all I do is miss you, the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat and the rock 'n' roll company
And all I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme
Julie, I'd do the stars with you any time

Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said "I love you like the stars above, oh I'll love you till the day I die"
And there's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?

He walks on, yeah, got a serenade
Laying everybody low with a lovesong that he made
And he finds a streetlight and steps out of the shade, he says something like
"You and me babe, how about it?"





Yeah, so you and me babe, how about it?

Overall Meaning

The song Romeo and Juliet by Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris is a modern retelling of the classic Shakespearean tragedy. The song opens with Romeo, the lovestruck protagonist, serenading Juliet underneath her window. Despite their instant connection, Juliet is hesitant due to the societal pressures around their relationship. She questions why he would come around singing at her late at night and what he plans to do about it. However, Romeo remains persistent, declaring his love for her and asking her to be with him.


As the song progresses, we realize that despite their love for each other, their circumstances prevent them from being together. They come from different backgrounds and social classes, represented by the "streets of shame" they live on. Despite dreaming the same dream, they cannot seem to find a way to make it work. Juliet feels like the dice were loaded from the start and that Romeo will eventually leave her for something better. She also reminisces about their past intimacy, where Romeo would say that he loved her like the stars above and how there is a place for them.


The song ends with Romeo once again trying to persuade Juliet to be with him, asking how about it. However, we see that their love may not be enough to overcome their differences, and they may never be together. The song explores the themes of love, societal pressures, and the inevitability of fate.


Line by Line Meaning

So your lovestruck Romeo has got his serenade
The singer introduces Romeo, who is deeply in love and singing a love song.


Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Romeo's love song captures the hearts of all who hear it, and he is quite proud of its effect on people.


Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade, says something like 'You and me babe, how about it?'
Romeo takes advantage of a streetlight to sing to Juliet, his love. He teases Juliet with the possibility of their love.


Juliet says 'hey it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack'
Juliet is surprised and overwhelmed by Romeo's sudden and unexpected appearance.


He's underneath the window, she's singing 'hey la, my boyfriend's back'
Romeo is hiding under Juliet's window while she sings about her boyfriend's return.


You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that
Juliet is trying to convince Romeo that his serenading is not welcome or appropriate.


Anyway, whatcha gonna do about it?
Juliet challenges Romeo to win her heart and figure out how they can be together despite the challenges they face.


Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
The artist implies that their love was doomed from the beginning because the odds were stacked against them.


And I bet and you exploded in my heart
Romeo and Juliet's love is passionate and intense, but ultimately unhealthy and destructive.


And I forget, I forget the movie song
The artist has forgotten some of the details of their love story, specifically a reference to a movie that was meaningful to them.


When you gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?
The singer is asking when Juliet will come to accept that their love was not meant to be and that the timing was wrong.


We come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
The artist describes Romeo and Juliet coming from different backgrounds but being united in their troubles and hardships.


Both dirty, yeah, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same
Despite their differences, Romeo and Juliet share the same dream of finding true love amidst the harsh realities of their worlds.


And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real
The singer is suggesting that Juliet's dream of finding true love with Romeo has been fulfilled or has come true.


How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?
The singer feels that Juliet is treating their relationship as if it were just another transaction or business deal, rather than true love.


When you can fall for chains of silver, you can fall for chains of gold
The artist suggests that Juliet has been willing to settle for superficial and material things in her life, rather than true love.


You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
The artist is pointing out that Juliet has been willing to trust in people and promises that may not have been genuine or sincere.


You promised me everything, yeah you promised me thick and thin
The singer reminds Juliet that Romeo made promises of unconditional love and support, but those promises were not kept.


Now you just say 'Romeo yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him'
The singer is hurt that Juliet has moved on and is now just referring to Romeo as someone she used to know, without acknowledging the depth of their love.


Juliet when we'd make love you used to cry
The artist is recalling a time when their love was pure and passionate, and Juliet would cry tears of happiness during their intimate moments.


You said I love you like the stars above, oh I'll love you till the day I die
The artist remembers the words of love that Romeo and Juliet shared, which were full of promise but ultimately not kept.


You know, there's a place for us, you know the movie song
The artist references a popular song and movie that Romeo and Juliet may have enjoyed or that was meaningful to their love story.


I can't do the talk like they talkin' on the TV
The singer acknowledges that they may not be able to express themselves as eloquently or confidently as they see people doing on TV or in other media.


And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
The artist feels that they are not able to express their love in the same way that is often portrayed in popular culture or media.


I can't do everything but I'll do anything for you
Despite their possible shortcomings or limitations, the singer is committed to doing anything to prove their love for Juliet.


I can't do anything except be in love with you
The singer is expressing that the one thing they can do perfectly is love Juliet, and that is all that really matters.


And all I do is miss you, the way we used to be
The singer is consumed by the memories of their love and how good things used to be between them.


All I do is keep the beat and the rock 'n' roll company
The artist is keeping busy with music and other distractions, but their heart is still focused on Juliet and their love.


And all I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme
The artist is using metaphors and poetic imagery to convey their longing and love for Juliet.


Julie, I'd do the stars with you any time
The singer is telling Juliet that they would do anything, even reach for the stars, to be with her again.


He walks on, yeah, got a serenade
The singer is recapping how Romeo is still wandering around singing his love song.


Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Romeo's love song is so powerful that it leaves others feeling equally lovesick.


And he finds a streetlight and steps out of the shade, he says something like 'You and me babe, how about it?'
Romeo continues to try and win over Juliet and other potential lovers with his charming ways and romantic lyrics.


Yeah, so you and me babe, how about it?
Romeo is still asking Juliet to consider running away with him and giving their love a chance.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Mark Knopfler

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@anthonywillson7349

Great tune to sing, along with here’s the lyrics;
A lovestruck Romeo sang the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me, babe, how about it?"
Juliet says, "Hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack"
He's underneath the window, she's singing, "Hey, la, my boyfriend's back
You shouldn't come around here singing up at people like that
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?"
"Juliet, the dice was loaded from the start
And I bet, and you exploded into my heart
And I forget, I forget the movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?"
Come up on different streets, they both were streets of shame
Both dirty, both mean, yes, and the dream was just the same
And I dreamed your dream for you and now your dream is real
How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?
When you can fall for chains of silver you can fall for chains of gold
You can fall for pretty strangers and the promises they hold
You promised me everything, you promised me thick and thin, yeah
Now you just say "oh, Romeo, yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him"
"Juliet, when we made love, you used to cry
You said 'I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die'
There's a place for us, you know the movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?"
I can't do the talk like they talk on the TV
And I can't do a love song like the way it's meant to be
I can't do everything but I'd do anything for you
I can't do anything except be in love with you
And all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
All I do is keep the beat and bad company
All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme
Julie, I'd do the stars with you any time
"Juliet, when we made love you used to cry
You said 'I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die'
There's a place for us you know the movie song
When you gonna realize it was just that the time was wrong, Juliet?"
And a lovestruck Romeo, he sang the streets of serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a convenient streetlight, steps out of the shade
He says something like, "You and me, babe, how about it?
You and me, babe, how about it?"



All comments from YouTube:

@imanuel6879

Anyone else listening to this masterpiece in 2024

@Gylfi465

Yes.

@imanuel6879

@@Gylfi465 😍😍

@judgegixxer

Yes, enjoyed it but wondering what happened to Emmy Lou Harris?

@itaintalfot

Only found it last year

@1sonicraz

Oh yeah. Been listening to this masterpiece for years!

5 More Replies...

@user-im6ei1kl7t

I was 76 years old when I was diagnosed with stage 4 Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. A dear friend recommended that my wife and I listen to Mark Knopfler’s music. I had never heard about Mark Knopfler before and so I’ve started listening to him and it was amazing how how he kept me out of my head and put me straight into my heart through the process of simply listening to his words and music. It helped me take care myself I spite of cancer and after 6 months I was cancer free. I’m still listening to Mark Knopfler and I will listen to him for the rest of my life.

@Gordan75

❤❤❤

@LadyDragonfly200

I am so, so glad to know you are now cancer free! I am praising God for your miraculous recovery! I just turned 65 ... today ... and I have just now found Mark Knopfler and I am really enjoying him! I will keep listening to him and I'm sure your story will add fuel to this new flame! God bless you!
@user-im6ei1kl7t

@Patricia-go3wg

I am headed to my final colonoscopy I suspect because my genetic colon cancer has grown Sand spread..it hurts..I am filled with hope, but deep down I know that zI will not win this battle..this was a Good Life and this enchanting music makes me glad hearted. I am 70 and alone, but not fearful..

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