Elope with me, Miss Private, and we'll sail around the world
I will be your Ferdinand and you my wayward girl
How many nights of talking in hotel rooms can you take?
How many nights of limping round on pagan holidays?
Oh elope with me in private and we'll set something ablaze
A trail for the devil to erase

San Francisco's calling us, the Giants and Mets will play
Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?
We hung about the stadium, we've got no place to stay
We hung about the Tenderloin and tenderly you tell
About the saddest book you ever read, it always makes you cry
The statue's crying too and well he may

I love you
I've a drowning grip on your adoring face
I love you, my responsibility has found a place
Beside you and strong warnings in the guise of gentle words
Come wave upon me from the family wider net absurd
"You'll take care of her, I know it, you will do a better job"
Maybe, but not what she deserves

Elope with me, Miss Private, and we'll drink ourselves awake
We'll taste the coffee houses and award certificates
A privy seal to keep the feel of 1960 style
We'll comment on the decor and we'll help the passer by
And at dusk when work is over we'll continue the debate
In a borrowed bedroom virginal and spare

The catcher hits for .318 and catches every day
The pitcher puts religion first and rests on holidays
He goes into cathedrals and lies prostrate on the floor
He knows the drink affects his speed, he's praying for a doorway
Back into the life he wants and the confession of the bench
Life outside the diamond is a wrench

I wish that you were here with me to pass the dull weekend
I know it wouldn't come to love, my heroine pretend
A lady stepping from the song we love until this day
You'd settle for an epitaph like "Walk Away, Renee"
The sun upon the roof in winter will draw you out like a flower
Meet you at the statue in an hour
Meet you at the statue in an hour

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Lyrics submitted by ReActor, edited by ConReid, alice144, seanjgaw, Mellow_Harsher, stormville

Piazza, New York Catcher Lyrics as written by Christopher Geddes Bob Kildea

Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group

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Piazza, New York Catcher song meanings

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102 Comments

+4
General Comment
"outside the daimond" refers to life outside of baseball. Yes "the diamond" actually makes up maybe 1/4 the playing field, but often that term is used as a euphamism for the enire field of play. Like "the gridiron" in American football, or whatever corresponding term in everyone else's football. It's the baseball manager who is often referred to as being "on the bench." I'd imagine this verse refers to a retired player who's life is empty after leaving baseball (since leaving "the diamond"), so he longs to come back as a manager (return to the bench).

Also, I agree that the pitcher, while maybe inspired by Sandy Koufax, is just a random character. I also think in the song's PRIMARY meaning (not discounting that it might have a layered meaning or have other little thoughts invoked), baseball just provides the setting. Whether or not Mike Piazza is gay is just something two carefree lovers discuss to pass the time on a cool summer evening. Later on, in their hotel room, they "continue the debate" over Piazza's sexuality...just for something to do during their honeymoon.

My interpretation is that baseball is something of a red herring - a distraction. I find the most meaning in the line "you'll take care of her, I know it...not what she deserves." Stuart knows he can't provide for this girl, as the family he wishes to take her away from; but she deserves someone who can make her happy as well. The baseball game is an enjoyable distraction. Discussing Piazza's sexuality is a distraction. It's an avoidance of the reality of life. The pitcher in the song has made baseball his life. When he leaves baseball he doesn't know how to live and can't manage, so he longs to return to baseball. Sure, elope to San Francisco, but what about after the honeymoon?

How brilliant! Just as Stuart's lovers are distracted from the realities of life by baseball, the listener is distracted from the realities of the lyric's meaning by a barage of references to baseball. But that's just my take.

"outside the daimond" refers to life outside of baseball. Yes "the diamond" actually makes up maybe 1/4 the playing field, but often that term is used as a euphamism for the enire field of play. Like "the gridiron" in American football, or whatever corresponding term in everyone else's football. It's the baseball manager who is often referred to as being "on the bench." I'd imagine this verse refers to a retired player who's life is empty after leaving baseball (since leaving "the diamond"), so he longs to come back as a manager (return to the bench). Also, I agree that the pitcher, while maybe inspired by Sandy Koufax, is just a random character. I also think in the song's PRIMARY meaning (not discounting that it might have a layered meaning or have other little thoughts invoked), baseball just provides the setting. Whether or not Mike Piazza is gay is just something two carefree lovers discuss to pass the time on a cool summer evening. Later on, in their hotel room, they "continue the debate" over Piazza's sexuality...just for something to do during their honeymoon. My interpretation is that baseball is something of a red herring - a distraction. I find the most meaning in the line "you'll take care of her, I know it...not what she deserves." Stuart knows he can't provide for this girl, as the family he wishes to take her away from; but she deserves someone who can make her happy as well. The baseball game is an enjoyable distraction. Discussing Piazza's sexuality is a distraction. It's an avoidance of the reality of life. The pitcher in the song has made baseball his life. When he leaves baseball he doesn't know how to live and can't manage, so he longs to return to baseball. Sure, elope to San Francisco, but what about after the honeymoon? How brilliant! Just as Stuart's lovers are distracted from the realities of life by baseball, the listener is distracted from the realities of the lyric's meaning by a barage of references to baseball. But that's just my take.

Reason:

ZinbobDanon May 02, 2006 Link
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@ZinbobDan

This is by far the best interpretation of the song to me. I feel the same way about all the baseball references. I think they are just "filler" to distract the listener from the real meaning.

afipunk84on June 08, 2010

i feel like he mentions "Piazza, New York catcher, are you straight or are you gay?" to focus on the fact that nobody's actually paying attention to the game; but rather, the media and the people are all focusing their primary attention on something as silly as one's sexual orientation/preferences; meanwhile, "Ferdinand" and his wayward girl are ducking under such attention to other's sexual lives as they hide their own adventures from the rest of the world. plus, no manager about it. it's just the wear-and-tear of the pitcher and catcher - especially the catcher - having to deal with endless turmoil, and it only gets worse outside of his baseball safe haven. baseball is the least of the pitcher's priorities (think of a starting pitcher; they only pitch once every five days, and they're practically worshipped) but the catcher faces toiling adversity, daily, and without any comforting sense of temporary retirement.

Mudderhackyon December 05, 2011

Baseball has always been called "America's Pastime" - literally, it's known as the way American's "pass the time". This comment made me realize for the first time that this song is also invoking the film "The Graduate" - a classic romantic drama set in the SF Bay Area. **Spoiler Alert for the one person who hasn't seen The Graduate*** The movie ends with with the two young lovers sitting side by side on the back of a bus in silence - rather than 'Fade to Black and Happy Ending' as most films would, the camera lingers for a long time on them as they sit there pondering "Damn, now what?": youtube.com/watch Also reminded me of that Oscar Wilde quote: “It's an odd thing, but anyone who disappears is said to be seen in San Francisco. It must be a delightful city and possess all the attractions of the next world.”

Beckstaon June 24, 2012

I couldn't have said it better! Two lovers discussing a baseball game to avoid the heavier topic of their inevitable future breakup. Mike Piazza was probably the greatest hitting catcher of all-time. Lots of people thought he is/was gay, so this song cracks me up.

LanceMon July 09, 2012

I couldn't have said it better! Two lovers discussing a baseball game to avoid the heavier topic of their inevitable future breakup. Mike Piazza was probably the greatest hitting catcher of all-time. Lots of people thought he is/was gay, so this song cracks me up.

LanceMon July 09, 2012

Not so much a red herring, as a way to give the song context. Their relationship blossomed over baseball and the location of the statue, and after consideration and family and life's events, they return to it. On one hand, the pitcher's worrisome detail is just resetting the song for the next act, but it's also a metaphor for how their relationship goes, the differences between them. One the workday catcher, the pitcher consumed with worry. Aside from the gay code of pitcher-catcher, which is an American cultural thing too subtle for Scottish writers, there is a special baseball relationship between the pitcher and catcher. And the verse sort of reminds us that there is a passage of time going on. It's not until winter, a non-baseball season, that the resolution is at hand... back at the statue. 

Undert0adon January 31, 2016