10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs & Michael Stipe
10,000 Maniacs
10,000 Maniacs
Ms Merchant gave some insight into this song before performing it in 2005 for VH1. She described taking a very romantic holiday to Mallorca (her first time in Spain) when she was 20. The walls were very thin, and a German gentleman played Aida obsessively each morning.
[Verse 1]
The man in 119 takes his tea alone
Mornings we all rise to wireless verdi cries
I'm hearing opera through the door
The souls of men and women, impassioned all
Their voices climb and fall; battle trumpets call
I fill the bath and climb inside, singing
[Refrain]
La-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la
[Verse 2]
He will not touch their pastry
But every day they bring him more
Gold from the breakfast tray, I steal them all away
And then go and eat them on the shore
[Refrain]
La-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la-la-la
[Verse 3]
I draw a jackal-headed woman in the sand
Sing of a lover's fate sealed by jealous hate
Then wash my hand in the sea
With just three days more I'd have just
About learned the entire score to Aida
Holidays must end as you know
All is memory taken home with me
The opera, the stolen tea
The sand drawing, the verging sea
All years ago
[Outro]
La-la-la, la-la-la
La-la-la, la-la-la
Verdi Cries was written by Natalie Merchant.
Verdi Cries was produced by Peter Asher.
10,000 Maniacs released Verdi Cries on Mon Jul 27 1987.