When Romeo is unsatisfied by not seeing more of Juliet during the party, he leaves his friends and climbs over the Capulet’s fence to see her again. He states, “Can I go forward when my heart is here? Turn back, dull earth, and find thy centre out”(2.1.1). The song Suffocate by J. Holliday would be perfect for the famous balcony scene where Romeo and Juliet confess their love for each other. Romeo could not be without Juliet for even a moment after he first saw her and stated, “Oh wilt though leave me so unsatisfied”(2.2.124) in reply to Juliet saying goodnight. Throughout there time alone at Juliet’s balcony, Romeo is constantly begging to stay with her; likewise, in the song Holliday sings, “Man you should see how she got me spending all this time with her. And I couldn’t leave her if I wanted to.” When Romeo eventually reveals to Juliet that he had heard everything that she had said since he had been watching her, J. Holliday perfectly describes this scene by singing, “I wonder if you feel me watching you cause I cant go a night without your love.” After Juliet is trying to make Romeo leave so that he can get sleep, in an attempt to convince her to let him stay, Romeo says, “And I’ll still stay, to have thee still forget, Remembering how I love thy company”(2.2.173) Similarly, Holliday says, “Don’t ever leave me girl, I need you inside my world. I can’t go a day without you. And nobody else will ever do.” In conclusion I believe that Holliday sings exactly what Romeo is thinking and makes his thoughts into music. For this reason, the lyrics along with the slow romantic tone of the song fit perfectly with this famous scene of true romance between Romeo and Juliet.
Lyrics
Now even though I try to play it off
I'm thinkin' 'bout you all day long
And I can't wait for shorty to come through
From your lips and back up to your eyes
My hands on your hips when we grind
I'm fantasizin' 'bout what I'm gon' do to you
Got me fiendin' for her love, can't lie
Man, you should see how she got me
Spendin' all this time with her
And I couldn't leave her if I wanted to
Her love turns men into fools
Tell me what a man is to do
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Whenever we up in this bed
And my fingers all in your hair
I wonder if you feel me watchin' you
'Cause I can't go a night without your lovin'
Got me lookin' at this phone
Every time it rings, I hope it's you, girl
Got me bracin' for your love
And I've fallen for you, I can't lie
I just wanna be with you
And yes, she got me there, I said it
Somebody call the paramedics
Tell 'em to hurry up and come through
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Don't ever leave me, girl
I need you inside my world
I can't go a day without you
And see, nobody else will ever do
I'll never feel like I feel with you
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe, ooh, no, no
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Now even though I try to play it off
I'm thinkin' 'bout you all day long
And I can't wait for shorty to come through
From your lips and back up to your eyes
My hands on your hips when we grind
I'm fantasizin' 'bout what I'm gon' do to you
Got me fiendin' for her love, can't lie
Man, you should see how she got me
Spendin' all this time with her
And I couldn't leave her if I wanted to
Her love turns men into fools
Tell me what a man is to do
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Whenever we up in this bed
And my fingers all in your hair
I wonder if you feel me watchin' you
'Cause I can't go a night without your lovin'
Got me lookin' at this phone
Every time it rings, I hope it's you, girl
Got me bracin' for your love
And I've fallen for you, I can't lie
I just wanna be with you
And yes, she got me there, I said it
Somebody call the paramedics
Tell 'em to hurry up and come through
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Don't ever leave me, girl
I need you inside my world
I can't go a day without you
And see, nobody else will ever do
I'll never feel like I feel with you
'Cause I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
I can't breathe when you talk to me
I can't breathe when you're touchin' me
I suffocate when you're away from me
So much love you take from me
I'm goin' outta my mind
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe, ooh, no, no
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe
Ooh, no, no, I can't breathe