Dire Straits Go Shakespearean

Firstly, I would like to tell everyone that, unfortunately I will not be going ahead with my battle of the bands idea which I discussed in my post's "Thinking Aloud" and "The Cosby Show Goes Shakespearean".  Due to the lack of time left in the semester, I have been forced to cancel it.  While the battle of the bands might not be happening anymore, the idea is still up for grabs. So, if anyone has any future classes that require a creative idea, feel free to use it!

As for this post, it will be my last post on Shakespearean references in pop music (the previous posts can be found here, here and here). 

Once again, I have found another reference to Romeo and Juliet in pop music.  In the song "Romeo and Juliet," by Dire Striats, the singer sings a love song about two lovers who have drifted apart.  As the song starts, Romeo is standing on a street corner looking up at Juliet.  The song says the following:

A love-struck Romeo sings the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made.
Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me babe, how about it?"

Juliet says, "Hey, it's Romeo, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"
He's underneath the window, she's singing, "Hey la, my boyfriend's back.
You shouldn't come around here singing up to people like that...
Anyway, what you gonna do about it?"

The song tells us the story that is not identical to the story of Romeo and Juliet, but is definitely inspired by Shakespeare's play.  As the song progresses we learn of how the two have grown apart and have begun to miss each other.

I like Dire Straits' referencing of Shakespeare in this song, because it shows how Shakespeare's ideas and themes can be adapted to modern settings.  This shows us that Shakespeare is still relevant today, despite the fact that his work is hundreds of years old.

Here is the video to the song: 

Lastly, I found another reference to Shakespeare in an Elton John song entitled "The King Must Die."  Here he speaks heavily of jesters and Shakespeare. I think this might be of interest to Whitney C. 

Sorry for the shortness of this post... I am currently working on a 9 page paper!