Roman Holiday

Album: I am Easy to Find (2019)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • A "Roman Holiday" is deriving of pleasure or self-satisfaction from others' suffering or discomfort. In this song, the Roman Holiday is the relationship between the singer Patti Smith and her lover Robert Mapplethorpe. When Mapplethorpe realized he was gay, they kept their bond in a platonic fashion until his death from AIDS in 1989.

    I'm your hospital, I'm your silver cross
    Tell me what to be, tell me how to talk
    Patti wasn't lonely, Robert wasn't lost
    Put me on a rope, take me for a walk
  • This song had two inspirations:

    1) Patti Smith 1969-1976, Judy Linn's book of Patti Smith photos. National frontman Matt Berninger explained to Pitchfork: "A lot of the imagery in it is of Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe when they were really young, just hanging out in their apartment: dressing up, taking pictures of each other, looking cool. It's such a beautiful portrait of pals, such a romance.

    2) A comment on Patti Smith's Instagram that she sent to somebody who had just lost someone to suicide: "Please think the best of him."

    Berninger said: "I found it incredibly moving. I was just obsessed with her kindness and her wisdom in the face of so many sad things."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

N.W.A vs. the World

N.W.A vs. the WorldSong Writing

How the American gangsta rappers made history by getting banned in the UK.

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees

Jack Blades of Night Ranger and Damn YankeesSongwriter Interviews

Revisit the awesome glory of Night Ranger and Damn Yankees: cheesily-acted videos, catchy guitar licks, long hair, and lyrics that are just plain relatable.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"

Billy Steinberg - "Like A Virgin"They're Playing My Song

The first of Billy's five #1 hits was the song that propelled Madonna to stardom. You'd think that would get you a backstage pass, wouldn't you?

The Police

The PoliceFact or Fiction

Do their first three albums have French titles? Is "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" really meaningless? See if you can tell in this Fact or Fiction.