Songwriters are always aspiring to greatness. Perhaps that’s why many have tried to incorporate the stories and themes of William Shakespeare, the guy who might just be the greatest lyricist in the English language, into their work.
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Shakespeare’s most romantic play, Romeo And Juliet, certainly has inspired its share of songwriters. Check out these four songs as prime examples.
“Romeo And Juliet” by Dire Straits
Those shimmering guitar notes at the beginning of Dire Straits’ “Romeo And Juliet” that give off a bit of an Elizabethan vibe, don’t they? It’s almost as if Mark Knopfler were playing a lute. Once you get into the song, however, you’ll find that Knopfler is using Shakespeare’s famous young lovers as a standard to which he compares his own tortured romance. The Romeo of this tale still sings to Juliet from below her window, only to be reprimanded for his boldness. In this case, the protagonist reveals how far his own experience has fallen below the romantic ideals of Shakespeare. “Now you just say, ‘Oh Romeo / Yeah, you know I used to have a scene with him,’” he complains.
“Exit Music (For A Film)” by Radiohead
While making what would become the masterpiece album OK Computer, Radiohead received word from director Baz Luhrmann that he wanted them to record a song for Romeo + Juliet, his reimagining of the Shakespeare classic. Naturally, Radiohead took things to a darker place than one might expect. In fact, the song ends up fitting in well with the other dystopian moments on that famous album. Thom Yorke of Radiohead focuses on the generational clash that underlies Shakespeare’s narrative. “And you can laugh a spineless laugh,” Yorke sneers at those who would doubt the young lovers on the eve of their escape. “We hope your rules and wisdom choke you.” We doubt old Willy, who could get pretty dark himself, would go there.
“O Valencia!” by The Decemberists
Colin Meloy of The Decemberists carved out a niche in the world of indie rock by drawing from literary influences. Often, he’d dive into obscure folk tales as the basis for songs by the group. But “O Valencia” clearly takes its cue from Shakespearean romantic high drama, even if it changes some of the names and particulars around. The narrator and titular character come from rival families, a la the Montagues and the Capulets. He even plans a stone’s throw to her window so they can make the big getaway. The differences include the more modern setting. And, in the end, only the girl is killed, leaving the narrator to plot a complete revenge. “And I swear to the stars,” Meloy vows. “I’ll burn this whole city down.”
“Love Story” by Taylor Swift
You can point to numerous songs as crucial to the ascent to superstardom that Taylor Swift was able to make. “Love Story” would have to rank right up there. It helped her make the huge leap from a country audience to the pop music world. Even though she was still a teenager when she wrote it, Swift’s songcraft is ridiculously assured on the track. She takes the basic outline of Romeo And Juliet and uses it as a jumping-off metaphor for any young romance that the elders involved don’t want to see happen. Only Swift turns it on its ear by giving us a somewhat happy ending. Romeo comes around in time and makes a marriage proposal. And the two youngsters never have to face the tragedy that Shakespeare imagined.
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