Sonically, it is promised to be a more "ambitious", "mature" and "developed" continuation of the musician's previous bedroom pop and indie rock musical style established in the early EPs Chapter 1 (2018) and Chapter 2 (2019). Lyrically, the singer has described the record as an "emotional recap" of the year 2020 in which she explores her personal mental health experiences as well as "the different sides of love".
In late 2019 and early 2020, Girl in Red began continuously teasing and hinting at the phrase "World in Red". She told Billboard in September 2019 that this would be the title of her debut album which would be released in October 2020, and that 2020 would be her year of "world domination", but this plan was spoiled due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industry. She told NME in April 2020, that " ain't gonna stop World In Red, baby!" In June 2020, the single "Midnight Love" was released as the lead single and first taste from what was then deemed Girl in Red's debut album. "Rue" was released as the second single in August 2020. "Serotonin" was released as the third single soon after the album's announcement on social media in early March 2021. The official album cover was revealed with this announcement to be a painting by Norwegian artist Fredrik Wiig Sørensen. "Serotonin" premiered as Irish DJ Annie Mac's Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1, where Girl in Red herself deemed it "the biggest track ever put out" and "the best track has ever written or produced.
1. "Serotonin"
2. "Did You Come?"
3. "Body and Mind"
4. "Hornylovesickmess"
5. "Midnight Love"
6. "You Stupid Bitch"
7. "Rue"
8. "Apartment 402"
9. "."
10. "I'll Call You Mine"
11. "It Would Feel Like This
All tracks are written by Marie Ulven.
Serotonin
girl in red Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Chemical imbalance got me twisting things
Stabilize with medicine
There's no depth to these feelings
Dig deep, can't hide
From the corners of my mind
I'm terrified of what's inside
I get
Intrusive thoughts like cutting my hands off
Like jumping in front of a bus
Like how do I make this stop
When it feels like my therapist hates me
Please don't let me go crazy
Put me in a field with daisies
Might not work but I'll take a maybe
Oh, been breaking daily
But only me can save me
So I'm capitulating
Crying like a fucking baby
I'm running low on serotonin
Chemical imbalance got me twisting things
Stabilize with medicine
But there's no depth to these feelings
Dig deep, can't hide
From the corners of my mind
I'm terrified of what's inside
I get
Intrusive thoughts
Like burning my hair off
Like hurting somebody I love
Like does it ever really stop?
When there's control I lose it
Incredibly impulsive
So scared I'm gonna end up doing something stupid
But I try to contain it
Oh, it gets so draining
It's like my heart is failing
Every night I'm contemplating
My inner voices saying, "tough"
So I try to brush it off
Yeah, try to brush it off
I'm running low on serotonin
Chemical imbalance got me twisting things
Stabilize with medicine
But there's no depth to these feelings
Dig deep, can't hide
From the corners of my mind
I'm terrified of what's inside
The lyrics to Girl In Red's song Serotonin depict the struggles of dealing with depression and anxiety. The opening line reveals that the singer is experiencing a serotonin deficiency - a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood, appetite, and sleep. This results in a chemical imbalance that causes the singer to twist things and have shallow feelings. The singer relies on medicine to stabilize their mood; however, they feel like there's no depth to their emotions.
The second verse delves into the singer's intrusive thoughts - thoughts that are unwanted, and often disturbing. The singer reveals that they have intrusive thoughts of cutting their own hands off, jumping in front of a bus, and hurting someone they love. These thoughts are terrifying, and the singer fears that they might go crazy. The singer pleads with their therapist not to let them go crazy and imagines being in a field with daisies, hoping for anything that might alleviate their pain. However, the singer realizes that they are the only ones who can save themselves from their painful thoughts.
The chorus repeats itself three times throughout the song, emphasizing the singer's lack of serotonin and the absence of depth to their emotions. The song's overall message is that sometimes it's okay to capitulate and cry like a baby as long as you keep trying every day to get better.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm running low on serotonin
I'm lacking the neurotransmitter serotonin in my body, which is causing symptoms like depression and anxiety.
Chemical imbalance got me twisting things
My brain chemistry is unstable and causing me to have distorted thoughts and beliefs.
Stabilize with medicine
I need to take medication to help stabilize my brain chemistry and alleviate my symptoms.
There's no depth to these feelings
Despite feeling intense emotions, there is a sense of emptiness and superficiality to them.
Dig deep, can't hide
I need to confront my emotions and face them head-on instead of trying to bury them.
From the corners of my mind
My feelings and emotions are constantly on my mind, and I can't escape them even if I try.
I'm terrified of what's inside
I'm scared of confronting the root causes of my mental health struggles and what I might uncover in the process.
Intrusive thoughts like cutting my hands off
I have disturbing and unwanted thoughts that are often violent or self-destructive.
Like jumping in front of a bus
These thoughts can be so overwhelming that I consider hurting or killing myself.
Like how do I make this stop
I don't know how to control or stop these thoughts from intruding on my mind.
When it feels like my therapist hates me
I feel unsupported by my therapist or mental health professional and fear that they don't actually care about helping me get better.
Please don't let me go crazy
I'm afraid of losing control and going insane from my mental health struggles.
Put me in a field with daisies
I wish my mental health struggles were as simple as being in a peaceful environment or enjoying nature.
Might not work but I'll take a maybe
I'm willing to try anything, even if it's unlikely to help, in order to alleviate my mental health symptoms.
Oh, been breaking daily
My mental health struggles are causing me to feel like I'm falling apart or breaking down every day.
But only me can save me
Ultimately, the responsibility falls on me to take care of my mental health and find ways to cope with my struggles.
So I'm capitulating
I'm surrendering to the fact that I can't control everything and need to accept help and support from others.
Crying like a fucking baby
I feel overwhelmed and emotional, and it's difficult to control my tears and reactions.
Incredibly impulsive
I act quickly and without thinking, often making choices that are harmful to myself or others.
But I try to contain it
Despite my impulses, I try to control my reactions and not act on them.
Oh, it gets so draining
Trying to control and contain my impulses and emotions is exhausting and takes a toll on my mental health.
Every night I'm contemplating
My mental health struggles keep me up at night, and I'm constantly ruminating on my thoughts and feelings.
My inner voices saying, 'tough'
My thoughts and beliefs are often negative and critical, pushing me to be harder on myself and not give into self-care or self-compassion.
So I try to brush it off
I attempt to remove myself from my negative thoughts and emotions in order to not let them control my life.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Marie Ulven Ringheim
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind