Romeo and Jane

Album: Romeo Unchained (1986)
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Songfacts®:

  • When we asked Tonio K where he got the idea for this highly improbable love story between Shakespeare's Romeo and Tarzan's wife, Jane, he replied that he had no idea. Tonio added: "I don't know where those things come from. I just realized for the first time it's actually kind of a logical extension or a phase II of my song 'Impressed' that Charlie [Sexton] recorded on his first record. Just all these oddball couples. I just flipped it. It's funny, I don't know."

    Tonio K went on to say he never knows where these ideas come from. "Sometimes you're sitting down fooling around on a guitar and you hit on a chord progression," he said, "and a sketch of a melody for some reason. And all of a sudden you'll sing one line to yourself and then you're off and running. Or you'll just put the melody down and wait until you have an idea."

    "Impressed" includes Shakespeare's characters Romeo and Juliet in a long list of what the singer considers bad examples of how love should work.
  • The Romeo character has featured in a good number of songs. Charting songs titled "Romeo" were recorded by Dino (#6, 1990), Dolly Parton & Friends (#50, 1993), Janie Grant (#75, 1961), and Mr. Big (#87, 1977). Steve Forbert also went to #11 with "Romeo's Tune" in 1980.

    Jane and her jungle-raised husband Tarzan has cropped up in several as well including:
    "Tarzan & Jane" by Toy-Box
    "Superman's Song" by Crash Test Dummies ("But he could hardly string together. Four words, I Tarzan you Jane.")
    "You'll Be In My Heart" by Phil Collins (appears in a scene in the Disney movie Tarzan where a young Tarzan is comforted by his adoptive gorilla mother.)
    "Candyman" by Christina Aguilera. ("Tarzan and Jane were swingin' on a vine.")

Comments: 1

  • Julie&george from La, CaHey Tonio, you said back in the day those songs were written about that good looking blonde you were dating (thought you were engaged to?) Jackie Lovejoy. At least that's what you told us. Thought " You Don't Belong Here" was written about her too? My cousin says your x is still around LA, as he sees her on occasion. Sorry the love thing didn't work out but that record and those songs were great!
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