Krikorian is a singer/songwriter, whose songs have been recorded by Charlie Sexton, Bette Midler, Peter Case, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Vanessa Williams, Bonnie Raitt and others. He is most commonly regarded as a Christian artist, and has released several albums of Christian songs starting with Romeo Unchained (1986); prior to that, he was decidedly a secular artist.
Krikorian and Alan Shapazian (rhythm guitar) formed a band called The Raik's Progress which recorded one single for Liberty Records, released in 1967. In 1973, he appeared as a member of the former Buddy Holly backing band the Crickets on their album "Remnants".
By 1978, Krikorian went solo, adopting the name of Tonio K, possibly a reference to the Thomas Mann novel Tonio Kröger, with Life In The Foodchain.
Krikorian is featured as lead vocalist on the song "Don't Fade Away." from the Crickets & Their Buddies album, released in the summer of 2004.
Romeo And Jane
Tonio K. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Soon the National Enquirer will run the front pages
I saw Shakespeare and cheetah
Crying in their margaritas
Bad news
Romeo loves Jane
The jungle will never be the same
Romeo loves Jane
Now in a world full of hurt how can anybody blame them
And in the heat of wild love how can anybody tame them
They have fallen east of Eden now
Good love gone bad
Bad love gone wild
Wild love gone mad
Mad love out of control
The opening line of the song, "I've heard of unfaithful lovers but this is outrageous," sets the stage for the lyrics to come. Tonio K. is commenting on a scandalous love affair between Romeo and Jane, who are both traditionally monogamous characters in literary works - Romeo from Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and Jane from Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Tarzan" series. Tonio K. paints a picture of the uproar this news will cause, with even the fictional characters of Shakespeare and Cheetah (Jane's companion in the Tarzan books) upset by the news.
As the chorus kicks in, Tonio K. reflects on the impact Romeo's infidelity will have on Juliet, who is left heartbroken once again, and on the jungle, which will never be the same. Tonio K. then poses a question in the second verse, asking how anyone can blame Romeo and Jane for their actions when the world is so full of hurt. He continues by acknowledging the power of wild love, suggesting that it is impossible to tame. Finally, Tonio K. evokes the story of Adam and Eve in the line "They have fallen east of Eden," suggesting that Romeo and Jane have succumbed to an irresistible temptation. The final lines of the song provide a summary of the stages of the relationship, with good love gone bad, bad love gone wild, wild love gone mad, and mad love out of control.
Line by Line Meaning
I've heard of unfaithful lovers but this is outrageous
I have heard of disloyal partners before, but what is happening now is beyond belief.
Soon the National Enquirer will run the front pages
The media is going to exploit this story and put it on the front pages of their newspapers soon.
I saw Shakespeare and cheetah crying in their margaritas
Even Shakespeare and a wild animal like a cheetah are surprised and saddened by the events that have transpired.
Bad news
This is not good news.
Romeo loves Jane
The main cause of the uproar is Romeo's love for Jane.
The jungle will never be the same
The way things are right now in the wild, nothing will ever be the same again.
And Juliet's crying again
Juliet is upset by the situation once more.
Now in a world full of hurt how can anybody blame them
Considering the amount of pain and suffering in the world, who can really judge Romeo and Jane for the choices they have made?
And in the heat of wild love how can anybody tame them
In the intense passion of love, who could even attempt to control their actions and choices?
They have fallen east of Eden now
Similar to the biblical story of Adam and Eve being cast out of the Garden of Eden, Romeo and Jane have fallen from grace and are now facing the consequences.
Good love gone bad
What was once a healthy relationship has now turned sour and full of problems.
Bad love gone wild
Unfortunately, their love has become reckless and destructive.
Wild love gone mad
Their intense passion for each other has now turned into an overwhelming and uncontrollable situation.
Mad love out of control
Their love has become unstable and dangerous, and they are struggling to keep a grip on things.
Contributed by Abigail V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.