Tom Waits - Romeo Is Bleeding Lyrics (2025)

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Tom Waits The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com 8 facts about this song

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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.more »

Year:: 2009
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The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

Romeo is bleeding, not so as you'd noticeHe's over on 18th street as usualLookin' so hard against the hood of his carPuttin' out a cigarette in his handFor all the pachucos at the pumpsAt Romero's Paint and BodyThey're all seein' how far they can spitWell, it was just another nightAnd now they're huddled in theBrake lights of a 58 BelairAnd listenin' to how Romeo killedThe Sheriff with his knifeAnd they all jump when they hear the sirensRomeo just laughs"All the racket in the world ain't never gonnaSave that Coppers' assHe ain't never gonna see another summertimeFor gunnin' down my brotherLeavin' him like a dogBeneath a car without his knife"Romeo says," Hey man, gimme a cigarette"And they all reach for their packFrankie lights it for him and pats him on the backAn' throws a bottle at a milk truckAnd as it breaks, he grabs his nutsAn' they all know, they could be just like RomeoIf they only had the gutsRomeo is bleeding, nobody can tellAn' he sings along with the radioWith a bullet in his chestAn' he combs back his fendersThey all agree it's clearThat everything is cool, and if Romeo was hereRomeo is bleeding an' he winces now an' thenAn' he leans against the car doorFeels the blood in his shoesSomeone's cryin' at the fire pointIn the phone booth by the storeRomeo starts his enginesWipes the blood off the doorAnd he brodys through the signalWith the radio full blastLeavin' the boys there, hikin' up their chinosAnd now they're all tryin' to stand like RomeoWith the moon, cut like a sickleAnd they're talkin' now in Spanish, all about their heroRomeo is bleeding as he gives the man his ticketAnd he climbs the balcony at the moviesAnd he'll die without a whimperLike every hero's dreamLike an angel with a bulletAnd Cagney on a screenRomeo is bleedingRomeo is bleedingHey man, Romeo is bleedingHey man, Romeo is bleedingHey man, Romeo is bleeding

The easy, fast & fun way to learn how to sing: 30DaySinger.com

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 »

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Blues, Rock

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Blues Rock

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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.

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