Forbert signed a recording contract with Nemperor in 1978, and they released his debut album, Alive on Arrival, that same year. His song "Romeo's Tune", although "dedicated to the memory of Florence Ballard" on the sleeve of Forbert's second album Jackrabbit Slim (released in 1979), is not about Supremes singer Ballard who died in 1976. "Forbert admits that Ballard became a timely connection for "Romeo's Tune", written about a girl from Meridian. "That seemed like such bad news to me and such sad news. She wasn't really taken care of by the music business, which is not a new story". At around this time critics hailed Forbert as "The new Bob Dylan" because of a similar vocal timbre and thoughtful songwriting. The front cover of Jackrabbit Slim encourages such comparisons with its simplicity: a black and white photo of Steve Forbert playing a well-worn Martin acoustic guitar with a capo on it, his shirt tinted green. The record was recorded in Nashville and produced by John Simon who had worked with The Band.
After many successful years, Forbert sought out new inspiration and found it when he relocated to Nashville in 1985. Forbert's tribute to Jimmie Rodgers, Any Old Time, was nominated for a 2004 Grammy in the best traditional folk category. In 2006, he was inducted into the Mississippi Music Hall of Fame.
Recent albums include Strange Names & New Sensations (2007), The Place And The Time (2009), and Over With You (2012).
www.steveforbert.com
Romeo's Tune
Steve Forbert Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall
It's lost in talk, I waste my time
And it's all been said before
While further down behind the masquerade the tears are there
I don't ask for all that much I just want someone to care
That's right now
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Come on out beneath the shining sun
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Sneak on out beneath the stars and run
Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah, oh yeah
It's king and queen and we must go down now beyond the chandelier
Where I won't have to speak my mind and you won't have to hear
Shreds of news and afterthoughts and complicated scenes
We'll huddle down behind the light and fade like magazines
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Hey hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh now, meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Let me see you smiling back at me
Hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Hold me tight and love and loving's free
Whoa yeah
The lyrics of Steve Forbert's "Romeo's Tune" is a plea for connection, a request to be met in the middle of the day or night. The singer is longing for affirmation and closeness, to hear someone say that everything is okay or alright. The mention of southern kisses and moon perfume evoke a sense of longing for the simple pleasures of affection and intimacy. The following line, "Gods and years will rise and fall," suggests that the desperate yearning for connection in the moment is a universal experience, a timeless need that has been expressed by countless others before.
The next verse emphasizes the frustration of talk that goes nowhere and the desire for someone to simply care. The line "beyond the chandelier" conveys a sense of escapism, a desire to retreat from the complications and entropy of daily life. The singer hopes to find a moment of respite where they don't have to speak their mind and can fade away like the pages of a magazine. The final verse returns to the earlier plea for connection, a desire to see someone smiling back and hold them tight.
Line by Line Meaning
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let's spend some time in the middle of the day together
Let me hear you say everything's okay
I want you to tell me that everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Give me your best love and affection
Meet me in the middle of the night
Meet me in secret in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Assure me that everything is alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
I want to experience the beauty of your fragrance
Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall
Time will keep marching on
And there's always something more
There are endless things to discover and explore
It's lost in talk, I waste my time
I get lost in conversation and end up wasting my time
And it's all been said before
There's nothing new to say
While further down behind the masquerade the tears are there
Underneath the surface, there is sadness
I don't ask for all that much I just want someone to care
I don't want much, just someone to show they care
That's right now
That's what I need at this moment
Come on out beneath the shining sun
Let's enjoy the warmth of the sun together
Sneak on out beneath the stars and run
Let's sneak out and run under the stars
It's king and queen and we must go down now beyond the chandelier
We need to escape and move beyond the fancy decorations
Where I won't have to speak my mind and you won't have to hear
Let's find a place where we can just be together without having to say or hear anything
Shreds of news and afterthoughts and complicated scenes
The outside world is filled with complicated issues and thoughts
We'll huddle down behind the light and fade like magazines
Let's retreat and disappear from the world, like turning the page of a magazine
Let me see you smiling back at me
I want to see your smile looking back at me
Hold me tight and love and loving's free
Hold me close and let's enjoy the freedom of love
Whoa yeah
Expressing excitement and agreement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: STEVE FORBERT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Stephen La Cour
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh, Gods and years will rise and fall
And there's always something more
It's lost in talk, I waste my time
And it's all been said before
While further down behind the masquerade the tears are there
I don't ask for all that much I just want someone to care
That's right now
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Come on out beneath the shining sun
Meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Sneak on out beneath the stars and run
Oh yeah, oh yeah yeah, oh yeah
It's king and queen and we must go down now beyond the chandelier
Where I won't have to speak my mind and you won't have to hear
Shreds of news and afterthoughts and complicated scenes
We'll huddle down behind the light and fade like magazines
Meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Bring me southern kisses from your room
Hey hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Let me smell the moon in your perfume
Oh now, meet me in the middle of the day
Let me hear you say everything's okay
Let me see you smiling back at me
Hey, meet me in the middle of the night
Let me hear you say everything's alright
Hold me tight and love and loving's free
Whoa yeah
Roger Hines
I taught Steve when he was in the 7th grade in Meridian, Mississippi. He was one of 30 precious, smart kids. I was so pleased to see him perform in Decatur GA near Atlanta about three years ago. As soon as he saw me approach his table after the concert, he began quoting a poem I had had his class memorize. He said every word of it. What a treat for a teacher.
M_ Christine
I just hope he will come to perform in Georgia again soon,hopefully Decatur. I just heard this song for the first time in 40 years and rediscovered him yesterday.now I would love to see him sing!
M_ Christine
Where in Decatur did he perform?
Mike C
Nice!! What was he like as the mentor's student?
Archie Cunningham
Nice story. You’re teaching inspired him and we got a timeless song
Coffee and sweet roll
Roger Hines Nice
leahartlee29
My mom loved this song! I remember her dancing to it when she was young and so beautiful. One day I was driving, so sad and missing her because I lost her last July. I turned on the radio, and it was the beginning to this song, that I hadn't heard in many, many, years. I felt like it was mom, reaching out and saying, "honey, I'm still here!" She was the best mom, I miss her so much. She joined dad who died just over a year before her.
Tom Frank
You will see her again.
new rose
Sorry for your loss,from sunderland north east england...lost my ma in 1972 god bless ya🙏
Paula Price
What a beautiful "hello" from your mom.