RED
Alfie Arcuri Lyrics


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And I'm alright
Standing in the streetlights here
Is this meant for me
My time on the outside is over
We don't know how you're spending
All of your days
Knowing that love isn't here
You see the pictures
But you don't know their names
'Cause love isn't here

And I can't do this by myself
All of these problems, they're all in your head
And I can't be somebody else
You took something perfect
And painted it red

No sympathy
When shouting out is all you know
Behind your lies
I can see the secrets you don't show
We don't know how you're spending
All of your days
Knowing that love isn't here
You see the pictures
But you don't know their names oh
'Cause love isn't here

And I can't do this by myself
All of these problems, they're all in your head
And I can't be somebody else
You took something perfect
And painted it red
When - you took something perfect
And painted it red

You take the best things from me
Then everything gets empty
That's not a world that I need
Oh, you take the best things from me
Then everything gets empty
That's not a world that I need
Oh

And I can't do this by myself
All of these problems, they're all in your head
And I can't be somebody else
You took something perfect
And painted it red
When - you took something perfect
And painted it red
When - you took something perfect
And painted it red




You took something perfect
And painted it red

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Alfie Arcuri's song "Red" explore the aftermath of a relationship where love has been lost, leaving the singer feeling empty and alone. The song speaks of the pain of having something that was once perfect, now tainted and destroyed by heartbreak. The opening lines of the song convey a sense of self-assurance, as the singer claims to be alright while standing in the streetlights. However, from the second verse, we learn that despite putting up a brave face, the singer is struggling to cope with the aftermath of the broken relationship. The lyrics imply a feeling of being abandoned and neglected as others continue with their lives, and the singer is left to deal with the emptiness and loss they're experiencing.


The chorus reveals the pain of feeling unable to fix the damage caused to the relationship. The line, "You took something perfect and painted it red," creates a vivid metaphor of the once-perfect relationship being ruined. The singer is left feeling helpless and unable to fix the situation, as if love isn't here anymore. The last verse of the song seems to highlight a shift in tone, as the singer recognizes they cannot do this alone and need help. It's unclear if the help they seek is in rebuilding the relationship or finding a way to cope with the loss.


Line by Line Meaning

And I'm alright
The singer is feeling okay in their current state.


Standing in the streetlights here
The singer is currently standing in a well-lit area.


Is this meant for me
The singer is questioning whether or not something is intended for them.


My time on the outside is over
The artist is no longer an outsider and is now included in something.


We don't know how you're spending
It is unclear how someone is spending their time.


All of your days
This person's entire days are spent in an unknown fashion.


Knowing that love isn't here
This person is aware that they are not surrounded by love.


You see the pictures
This person is looking at photographs.


But you don't know their names
The person looking at the photographs does not know the individuals in the pictures.


'Cause love isn't here
The lack of love is preventing the ability to recognize those in the photographs.


And I can't do this by myself
The singer needs help and cannot accomplish something alone.


All of these problems, they're all in your head
The issues causing problems are all imagined and not actually present.


And I can't be somebody else
The singer cannot change who they are.


You took something perfect
Someone has ruined something that was previously flawless.


And painted it red
Someone has made this perfect thing worse, possibly due to their own emotions.


No sympathy
The artist does not have any empathy for a particular situation.


When shouting out is all you know
The person being addressed only knows how to communicate through yelling.


Behind your lies
Deception is being used by the person being addressed.


I can see the secrets you don't show
The singer knows that the person being addressed has hidden secrets.


You see the pictures
The same line as before - the artist is looking at photographs.


But you don't know their names oh
The artist still doesn't know the individuals featured in the photographs.


'Cause love isn't here
The same line as before - the lack of love is still preventing the ability to recognize anyone.


You take the best things from me
Someone is taking the singer's most valuable possessions or aspects of their life away from them.


Then everything gets empty
Once these valuable things have been removed, the artist feels as though they have nothing left.


That's not a world that I need
The singer is not okay with living in a world where they have nothing left.


Oh, you take the best things from me
The same line as before - someone is removing what is most precious to the singer.


When - you took something perfect
The same line as before - someone has ruined something that was previously flawless.


And painted it red
The same line as before - someone has made this perfect thing worse, possibly due to their own emotions.


When - you took something perfect
The same line as before - someone has ruined something that was previously flawless.


And painted it red
The same line as before - someone has made this perfect thing worse, possibly due to their own emotions.


You took something perfect
The same line as before - someone has ruined something that was previously flawless.


And painted it red
The same line as before - someone has made this perfect thing worse, possibly due to their own emotions.




Contributed by Hudson R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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