Julia

 

Themes

Julia shows war and suffering. The bombings happen after Julia had planned and started a revolt which ended in her dying. As a consequence the oppressor chooses to bomb the village to punish those who were close to her. Father Graham represents the grief of the town who all miss Julia and understand why she tried to fight.

The name Julia is the feminine version of Julius which derives from the God Jupiter. The God Jupiter stood for protection and laws. In the song this is Julia stands for the laws and protection broken by the attack.

Father Graham is conscientious and careful and reflects about life. Thomson implies confidence and optimism. This has been obliterated. The old church yard represents that those bombs have already fallen on graves. This shows a certain inevitability about the bombings. The marching band represents the close bond within the community.

The Officer and the bombs represent the oppressive regime which is objectified because the officer is not given a name.

Belfast is known for its tensions between protestants and Catholics in the last century. It shows that Misses Thomson and her son had previously fled the war, but it caught up with them.

Lyrics 

Oh when the bombs fell on the old church yard and father Graham died

I knew him from my marching band

This was the bombing that killed my neighbours

Misses Thomson and her son. They were from Belfast … from Belfast

 

And we don’t know where that came from

But we all know who it was meant for

 

For Julia, Oh Julia, Julia

 

Julie had an awful fight with an officer in the night and in the night

Misses Thomson died with her son by her side, he was frightened, he was terrified, he was only five … only five

Father Graham prayed for Julia a few hours before. He was a nice man decent and kind … decent and kind

 

We don’t know where that came from

But we all know who it was meant for

 

For Julia, Oh Julia, Julia

Julia, Oh Julia, Julia

 

We ran away from a loud blast

It all happened so very fast

So very fast

So very fast

 

Oh Julia, Oh Julia, Julia

Julia, Oh Julia, Julia