The subject of obsessive relationships, the destructive power of that intense feeling of lust and longing, and the irrational hold that sometimes takes over us is hardly a new source of subject matter for the rock and roll songwriter. But I bet this is the first time anyone has taken the most famous obsessive relationship, that of Napoleon Bonaparte and Joséphine de Beauharnais, as their subject matter. It certainly puts a different spin on things.
The song is a punchy rock number, full of big riffs and driving beats. It grinds and grooves in equal measure and ticks all the right boxes for modern alt-rock, occasionally slipping into more screamo/metal realms as it heads for the finish line, but the lyrics are the real charm here.
It isn’t often that you get a relatable history lesson via a rock song. In the past, most artists in the rock oeuvre have been happy either talking about themselves in the most self-aggrandizing ways or writing silly narratives about fantasy quests or space exploration, so it is nice to find an informative and enlightening song, one where, having given it a couple of spins, you walk away knowing more.
Following Bonaparte’s rise to power and his obsession with the young Joséphine, this is a veritable history lesson that reminds us that matters of the heart have never really been any different since the dawn of time and even Emperors are subject to the inexplicable power of love.
Rock and roll used to be entertainment, but it can be educational, too. Who knew? (apart from Transmission Lost.)
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