# explain this lyric to me and get a cookie.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [June 10, 2001, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249 "2001-06-10T02:40:25Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AndYrAStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndYrAStar)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/1 "2001-06-10T02:40:25Z")
In “romeo & juliet” by dire straits one of the uhh stanzas goes:
_and all I do is miss you and the way we used to be
all I do is keep the beat the bad company
all I do is kiss you through the bars of Orion
julie I’d do the stars with you any time_
the bars of orion? doing stars? eh? i haven’t read the play so it might be something from it that I dn’t know about.
the rest of the lyrics are at: [http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/DireStraits/RomeoandJuliet.asp](http://www.davemcnally.com/lyrics/DireStraits/RomeoandJuliet.asp)
thankee
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### Author:  [@AndYrAStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndYrAStar)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/2 "2001-06-10T02:41:30Z")
I LOVE ITALICS
WOOO
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### Author:  [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/3 "2001-06-10T02:59:50Z")
> [@](#):
>
> -
>
> all I do is kiss you through the bars of Orion\*
I have to admit that I always heard that line as _all I do is kiss you through the bars of this rhyme_ which makes about as much sense as Orion, I suppose.
I don’t know what it means, though, either way. 😛
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### Author:  [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/4 "2001-06-10T03:21:51Z")
Well, as Orion is a constellation, perhaps that means they kiss secretly at night.
The keep the beat line could mean going through the motions.
Bad company could refer to the family he belongs to, which is considered the enemy of her family.
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### Author:  [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/5 "2001-06-10T03:30:05Z")
**AndYrAStar** , do you have to understand it to enjoy it?
I don’t really get this part, but the keep the beat the bad company part could refer to “Bad Company”, the band.
The bars of Orion - they were star-crossed lovers.
Do the stars - I’d do anything for you, any time.
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### Author:  [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/6 "2001-06-10T05:29:06Z")
I have no idea, but can I have a cookie anyway?
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### Author:  [@AndYrAStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndYrAStar)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/7 "2001-06-10T06:32:37Z")
> [@](#):
>
> **AndYrAStar** , do you have to understand it to enjoy it?
yes. yes I do.
interesting theories. hmm. oh the possibilities…
::offers Kat a cookie from the cookie jar::
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### Author:  [@AndYrAStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndYrAStar)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/8 "2001-06-10T06:33:38Z")
::glares at smilie:
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### Author:  [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/9 "2001-06-10T07:14:22Z")
First things first. [http://www.lyricsfree.com](http://www.lyricsfree.com)
Accept no substitutes.
> [@](#):
>
> **and all i do is miss you and the way we used to be
> all i do is keep the beat and bad company
> all i do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme
> julie i’d do the stars with you any time**
I miss you and the love we had together.
My life is reduced to music and bad company.
{I love this metaphor} I can only express my love through this song, which is both my hope to reach you and a symbol of all that keeps us apart.
Julie, I’d build a dream/seek romance/look for hope/etc. with you anytime.
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### Author:  [@AndYrAStar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndYrAStar)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/10 "2001-06-10T07:24:23Z")
yay! ::gives spiritus a hug and the rest of the cookies::
Oh, um, ::gives Lsura a few crumbs for knowing the ringht words but being off by one::
😃
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### Author:  [@Spiritus\_Mundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiritus_Mundi)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/11 "2001-06-10T08:02:39Z")
Spiritus like cookies.
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### Author:  [@curwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curwin)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/12 "2001-06-10T09:16:54Z")
I wonder which came first…
[http://www.art-alpha.co.uk/1p/15kBB104.htm](http://www.art-alpha.co.uk/1p/15kBB104.htm)
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### Author:  [@LabRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LabRat)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/13 "2001-06-10T10:56:20Z")
I always assumed that the bars in that line referred to a musical staff. Kind of an eloquent way of saying “this song”. BTW isn’t Making Movies one of the best albums you’ve ever heard?
-LabRat
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/14 "2001-06-10T19:59:03Z")
There was some Shakespeare play, can’t remember what, but it wasn’t R&J, that had the line, “O, kiss me through the hole in this vile wall.” Troilus and Cressida, maybe? Forgive me if that isn’t even Shakespeare.
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### Author:  [@Lucki\_Chaarms](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucki_Chaarms)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/15 "2001-06-10T20:05:02Z")
Rilch, I know that’s in _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_, in the little play where he mocks himself. I think that may also be in something else though, and he is parodying his own work.
The little interior play in AMND is clearly a parody Romeo and Juliet though. Pretty funny, too.
Lucky Charms
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/16 "2001-06-10T20:48:27Z")
:::Rilchiam pats self on head:::
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### Author:  [@LabRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LabRat)
#### Post date: [June 11, 2001, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/17 "2001-06-11T02:27:45Z")
Sorry to be the voice of dissent on this one, but the play in Midsummer was Pyramis and Thisbe. It was written by Ovid almost two thousand years ago. If he was mocking R&J, he was way the hell ahead of his time.
-LabRat
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### Author:  [@garyhesson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyhesson)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/18 "2012-10-30T17:36:40Z")
All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme…
Bars are the segmants music is divided into…add a rhyme and you have a song
Also for anyone concerned…Sings the streets a serenade…These words are contained in the liner notes on the original LP…“Money for Nothing”
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### Author:  [@garyhesson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garyhesson)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/19 "2012-10-30T17:41:09Z")
All I do is kiss you through the bars of a rhyme…you know bars=music…rhyme =lyrics…bars of a rhyme =a song
by the way…sings the streets a serenade…Original liner notes “Money for Nothing”
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### Author:  [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/explain-this-lyric-to-me-and-get-a-cookie/68249/20 "2012-10-30T17:45:30Z")
> [@Spiritus\_Mundi](#):
>
> First things first. [http://www.lyricsfree.com](http://www.lyricsfree.com)
>
> Accept no substitutes.
>
> I miss you and the love we had together.
> My life is reduced to music and bad company.
> {I love this metaphor} I can only express my love through this song, which is both my hope to reach you and a symbol of all that keeps us apart.
> Julie, I’d build a dream/seek romance/look for hope/etc. with you anytime.
**Spiritus** nailed it. Give him a cookie.
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