Romeo and Juliet in Music

     Romeo and Juliet are often overtly referenced in music, as an instantly recognizable pair of lovers parted by injustice, but there are more subtle references as well. This specific case is a retelling of that classic tale, which seems to take its inspiration from West Side Story, a famous adaption, as much as the original play.

Without further ado, O Valencia! by the Decemberists (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vdWBFybOco)

You belong to the gang
And you say you can't break away
But I'm here with my hands on my heart

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

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

Oh Valencia
With your blood still warm on the ground
Valencia
And I swear to the stars
I'll burn this whole city down

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

Oh 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

The most obvious reference in this song (on a side note, the singer's voice is not quite wonderful, but the music is good) is the star-crossed element. "Our families can't agree/I'm your brother's sworn enemy," and so on. This, also, is the reason I first made the connection.

The line "when first we met eyes/I swore to no compromise" also seems to reference the love-at-first-sight aspect, and the slightly mad aspect of it.

In a slightly more minor way, Valencia and Juliet are both fairly archaic, Italian, long-ish names.

Also, the character of Valencia's brother is quite similar to Tybalt Capulet. He is the enemy of the narrator, similar to Tybalt's enemnity with Romeo, and as Valencia's brother's actions end in his sister's death, Tybalt's violence ends in the death of Mercutio as well as Juliet's happiness.