Wednesday November 25, 2020 “O Valencia” The Decemberists

Perhaps the most faithful musical version of Romeo & Juliet this week although it doesn’t mention either Romeo or Juliet.

The Decemberists' name comes from the 1825 Decemberist revolt, an uprising in Imperial Russia, an odd choice I guess.  The band was founded by principal songwriter and lead singer Colin Meloy upon moving from Montana to Portland, OR and also includes Nate Query (bass, banjo), multi-instrumentalists Jenny Conlee and Chris Funk and drummer John Moen.

In this star-crossed lovers tale 'Romeo' is the survivor and unlike Shakespeare the lover promises revenge. In Romeo and Juliet, the deaths of the main characters seem to mend the broken relationship between their two families but this lover promises to burn this town to the ground.

The song may even be written in iambic pentameter but I don''t remember what that is, could be though:

Well, the shot, it hit hard

And your frame went limp in my arms

And an oath of love was your dying cry

There's a video that accompanies the song but it was just too bizarre and unrelated so it got skipped.

Stay safe and well...and Shakespeare probably would have been OK with this one too.

You belong to the gang

And you say you can't break away

But I'm here with my hands on my heart

And our families can't agree

I'm your brother's sworn enemy

But I'll shout out my love to the stars 

So wait for the stone on your window, your window

Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go, oh, oh

When first we laid eyes

I swore to no compromise

'Til I felt my caress on your skin

Well, how soon we were betrayed

Your sister gave us away

And your father came all unhinged 

So wait for the stone on your window, your window

Wait by the car and we'll go, we'll go 

My O Valencia

With your blood still warm on the ground

Valencia

And I swear to the stars

I'll burn this whole city down, oh, oh 

All I heard was a shout

Of your brother calling me out

And you ran like a fool to my side

Well, the shot, it hit hard

And your frame went limp in my arms

And an oath of love was your dying cry 

So wait for the stone on your window, your window

Wait by the car and we'll, go we'll go 

But O Valencia

With your blood still warm on the ground

Valencia

And I'll burn this whole city down 

Valencia

With your blood gettin' cold on the ground

Valencia

And I swear to the stars

I'll burn this whole city down, oh, oh