Your lips are red
My face is red from reading your red lips
My hands are black
My hands are black inside this downtown taxi cab
This city's red
This city's red from riding us into the ground
This city's black
This city's black from all the ashes in downtown
Ashes in downtown, ashes in downtown

My face is drawn
My face is drawn on with this number two pencil
Your face is drawn
Your face is drawn from drawing words right from my lips
Words right from my lips, words right from my lips

Your lips are red
My face is red from reading your red lips
My hands are red
My hands are red from sealing your red lips
Sealing your red lips, sealing your red lips

Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
You remind me
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair
Your skin's so fair
Your skin's so fair, it's not fair

Overall Meaning

of a poem I can't remember
And a song that may never have existed
I'm not sure what day it is
I'm not sure what day it is
You're sitting there, smoking a cigarette
You say "It's really all gonna be okay"
And I can only hope that's true

The lyrics of St. Vincent's "Your Lips Are Red" are open to interpretation, but seem to revolve around a relationship that is intense, passionate, and possibly destructive. The repeated references to red and black suggest a motif of danger, risk, and intensity. The black hands may imply that the singer has done something dark or illicit, while the red lips may suggest a seductive and alluring presence.

The imagery of the city adds to this feeling of risk and danger, as the city seems to have been "ridden into the ground" and is full of "ashes." It's possible that the city represents the relationship itself, which has burned hot and left nothing behind but destruction.

The use of drawing and sketching is also interesting, as it suggests an attempt to capture something fleeting or elusive. The singer is drawing on their face and the other person's face, trying to preserve the memory of their intense connection even as it slips away. In the end, all that remains is uncertainty and hope.

* St. Vincent's real name is Annie Clark and she released "Your Lips Are Red" on her debut album "Marry Me" in 2007.
* The song has been described as a mix of punk, jazz and pop influences.
* Lyrically, the song has been interpreted as a metaphor for addiction and control.
* The music video for the song was directed by Terri Timely and features Clark singing while surrounded by ghost-like figures.
* St. Vincent has said that the song was inspired by the book "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess, particularly the idea of automatic conditioning.
* The album "Marry Me" was named after a line from the song "What Me Worry?"
* "Your Lips Are Red" was included in the video game "Rock Band 2" as a playable track.
* The song has been covered by several other artists, including Amanda Palmer and the band Swear and Shake.
* St. Vincent has performed the song live on several occasions, often with extended intros and outros.
* The chords for "Your Lips Are Red" are G, C, F, and Am.