Romeo Is Bleeding

Tom Waits

About Romeo Is Bleeding

"Romeo Is Bleeding" is a song written and performed by Tom Waits, and released on his 1978 album, Blue Valentine. The lyrics make frequent use of Spanish, including phrases such as "Hey Pachuco!", "Dáme esa pistola, hombre!" (Give me that pistol, man!), "Hijo de la chingada madre!" (You son of a fucking whore!), and "Vamos a dormir, hombre" (Let's go to sleep, man). Waits also makes a reference to gangster movie-star James Cagney, also mentioned in "Invitation to the Blues" from the album Small Change. Jay S. Jacobs, in his book Wild years: the music and myth of Tom Waits, describes "Romeo is Bleeding" as depicting "a guy who sticks a shiv into the local sheriff [and] is fatally shot in the chest — a familiar Waits image, with echoes of West Side Story". Waits had more overtly referenced West Side Story earlier on the Blue Valentine album, with "Somewhere" as the opening track. According to Waits, the song is based on a real incident in Los Angeles, and concerns "a Mexican gang leader who was shot and died in a movie house in downtown L. A."Music critic Adrian Denning wrote that "one song that would, could and SHOULD rank amongst [Waits'] finest moments is the fabulous Jazz swing and late night seedy feel of 'Romeo is Bleeding.'" While lukewarm towards Blue Valentine in general, Denning remarked that the song "corrects matters somewhat," citing the song's "great vocals and... bass groove." Robert Christgau wrote that "Romeo is Bleeding" was "easily my favorite among his Chandleroid sagas of tragedy outside the law," but added that it is "more effective on the jacket than when he [Waits] underlines its emotional resonance in song." Patrick Humphries, in his book The many lives of Tom Waits, was unimpressed, labelling the song a "rewrite" of Waits' 1976 song, "Small Change." The song later lent its name to the Peter Medak film Romeo Is Bleeding, which starred Gary Oldman. 


Year:
1978
4:50
128 
#2

 Become A Better Singer In Only 30 Days, With Easy Video Lessons!

Romeo is bleeding but not so as you'd notice
He's over on 18th street as usual
Looking so hatd against the hood of his car
Ans putting out a cigarette in his hand
And for all the pachucos at the pumps
At romeros paint and body
They all seein' how far they can spit
Well it was just another night
But now they're huddled in the brake lights of a '58 Belair
And listenin' how romeo killed a sheriff with his knife

And they all jump when they hear the sirens
But romeo just laughs and says
All the racket in the world ain't never gonna
Save that coppers ass
He'll never see another summertime for gunnin' down my
Brother
And leavin' him like a dog beneath a car without his knife

And Romeo says hey man gimme a cigarette
And they all reach for their pack
And Frankie lights it for him and pats him on the back
And throws a bottle at a milk truck
And as it breaks he graps his nuts
And they all know they could've just like romeo
If they only had the guts

But romeo is bleeding but nobody can tell
And he sings along with the radio
With a bullet in his chest
And he combs back his fenders
And they all agree its clear
That everything is cool now that romeos here
But romeo is bleeding
And he winches now and then and he leans against
The car door and feels the blood in his shoes
And someones crying in the phone booth
At the five points by the store
Romeo starts his engine
And wipes the blood of the door
And he brodys through the signal
With the radio full blast
Leavin' the boys there hikin' up their chinos
And they all try to stand like romeo
Beneath the moon cut like a sicle
And they're talkin' now in Spanish about their hero

But Romeo is bleeding as he gives the man his ticket
And he climbs to the balcony at the movies
And he'll die without a wimper
Like every hero's dream
Just an angel with a bullet
And Cagney in the screen

 Watch: New Singing Lesson Videos Can Make Anyone A Great Singer


Tom Waits

Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car." With this trademark growl, his incorporation of pre-rock music styles such as blues, jazz, and vaudeville, and experimental tendencies verging on industrial music, Waits has built up a distinctive musical persona. He has worked as a composer for movies and musical plays and has acted in supporting roles in films including Paradise Alley and Bram Stoker's Dracula; he also starred in the 1986 film Down by Law. He was nominated for an Academy Awa… more »

10 fans

Written by: TOM WAITS

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, JALMA MUSIC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


8 facts about this song

Artist Facts
Tom Waits is a renowned American singer-songwriter known for his raspy voice and unique fusion of musical styles, blending rock, jazz, and blues. - He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Album Information
"Romeo is Bleeding" is featured on Tom Waits' 1978 album, "Blue Valentine." - The album marked a transition to a more jazz-oriented style for Waits, moving away from his early folk-based sound.
Song Inspiration
The lyrics tell a tragic story of a gangster named Romeo who is gunned down in the streets. - The song's title and narrative are inspired by noir literature and film, which often feature similar doomed characters.
Genre Classification
"Romeo is Bleeding" is often categorized as a blues song, featuring a slow tempo and melancholic mood typical of this genre. - Its lyrics also showcase the narrative style common in blues music, telling a complete story in verse-chorus form.
Use in Media
This song is also the title of a 1993 film starring Gary Oldman, although the movie does not include the song and is not directly related to it. - It has also appeared in various television show soundtracks, including an episode of the animated series "Bojack Horseman."
Acclamation
Despite its dark and tragic themes, "Romeo is Bleeding" is considered one of Tom Waits' most beloved songs by fans. - Many critics have often praised its gritty lyricism and Waits' raw, emotional vocal performance.
Uniqueness
Like many of Waits' songs, "Romeo is Bleeding" features unconventional instrumentation including marimba and pump organ, contributing to its distinctive sound.
Live Performances
"Romeo is Bleeding" has been played live numerous times throughout Waits' career, becoming a standard in his live set. - The song elicits a strong crowd reaction, suggesting it remains a fan favorite despite its release over four decades ago.

Discuss the Romeo Is Bleeding Lyrics with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add these lyrics to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Romeo Is Bleeding Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 28 Mar. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/850948/Tom+Waits/Romeo+Is+Bleeding>.

    Missing lyrics by Tom Waits?

    Know any other songs by Tom Waits? Don't keep it to yourself!

    Watch the song video

    Romeo Is Bleeding

    215.9K
    1,149     25

    Browse Lyrics.com

    Quiz

    Are you a music master?

    »
    "There's something about you, I stare in your _____ And everything I'm looking for I seem to find"
    A eyes
    B boots
    C face
    D tears

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Chrome

    Get instant explanation for any lyrics that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Free, no signup required:

    Add to Firefox

    Get instant explanation for any acronym or abbreviation that hits you anywhere on the web!

    Don't miss Tom Waits's

    Upcoming Events

    »
    Tom Waits tracks

    On Radio Right Now

    Loading...

    Powered by OnRad.io


    Think you know music? Test your MusicIQ here!

    Movies soundtrack

    Romeo Is Bleeding

    »
    • Romeo is Bleeding