I think it's about a lot of things that seemed to be relevant to the time, but he sums them up by creating characters, and refers them to a well known story line - Romeo and Juliet.
On a basic level, the writer is Romeo, Julio is Juliet, Rosie the Queen of Corona is Rosaline, and the Radical Priest is Friar Laurence. We know he is caught doing something bad, and we know he is "on his way" but he doesn't know where he's going - sounds a bit like exile. Romeo is exiled for murder, but I think that is irrelevant to this song. Paul has used this story to refer to other things that were relevant to him.
Firstly, Julio is a boy's name. That suggests that he is talking about the illegality of homosexuality, and how society would not allow the chracter to be with his lover. The cheery nature of the music makes of mockery of this - possibly shows Paul's disgust at homophobia. Goodbye to Rosie? Well, Romeo forgets about Rosaline when he sees Juliet - the character leaves women, when he realises that he is gay. Corona is, from what I hear, an area in NYC, which draws familiarity with the modern city/world, where a woman was an appropriate partner for a man, not another man.
@hgrindrod I had not considered this since it's been 25 years or so since I read R&J, though due to Paul Simon's comments that it was about something sexual I figured it was about experimenting with another boy. No boy's parents would really care if their son was messing around with another girl enough to get the law involved.
@hgrindrod I had not considered this since it's been 25 years or so since I read R&J, though due to Paul Simon's comments that it was about something sexual I figured it was about experimenting with another boy. No boy's parents would really care if their son was messing around with another girl enough to get the law involved.
But what you describe is a thing that PS was known to do in his cryptic songs, like how 'Call Me Al' obliquely recalls Dante's Divine Comedy, and I think you're right.
But what you describe is a thing that PS was known to do in his cryptic songs, like how 'Call Me Al' obliquely recalls Dante's Divine Comedy, and I think you're right.
I never liked it when English teachers read symbolism into places where it was unnecessary, but it helps me appreciate these songs more. I love how carefree this song is, how he's not anxious about not knowing where he's going, taking his time. It's a frequent earworm.
I think it's about a lot of things that seemed to be relevant to the time, but he sums them up by creating characters, and refers them to a well known story line - Romeo and Juliet.
On a basic level, the writer is Romeo, Julio is Juliet, Rosie the Queen of Corona is Rosaline, and the Radical Priest is Friar Laurence. We know he is caught doing something bad, and we know he is "on his way" but he doesn't know where he's going - sounds a bit like exile. Romeo is exiled for murder, but I think that is irrelevant to this song. Paul has used this story to refer to other things that were relevant to him.
Firstly, Julio is a boy's name. That suggests that he is talking about the illegality of homosexuality, and how society would not allow the chracter to be with his lover. The cheery nature of the music makes of mockery of this - possibly shows Paul's disgust at homophobia. Goodbye to Rosie? Well, Romeo forgets about Rosaline when he sees Juliet - the character leaves women, when he realises that he is gay. Corona is, from what I hear, an area in NYC, which draws familiarity with the modern city/world, where a woman was an appropriate partner for a man, not another man.
@hgrindrod I had not considered this since it's been 25 years or so since I read R&J, though due to Paul Simon's comments that it was about something sexual I figured it was about experimenting with another boy. No boy's parents would really care if their son was messing around with another girl enough to get the law involved.
@hgrindrod I had not considered this since it's been 25 years or so since I read R&J, though due to Paul Simon's comments that it was about something sexual I figured it was about experimenting with another boy. No boy's parents would really care if their son was messing around with another girl enough to get the law involved.
But what you describe is a thing that PS was known to do in his cryptic songs, like how 'Call Me Al' obliquely recalls Dante's Divine Comedy, and I think you're right.
But what you describe is a thing that PS was known to do in his cryptic songs, like how 'Call Me Al' obliquely recalls Dante's Divine Comedy, and I think you're right.
I never liked it when English teachers read symbolism into places where it was unnecessary, but it helps me appreciate these songs more. I love how carefree this song is, how he's not anxious about not knowing where he's going, taking his time. It's a frequent earworm.