… Read Full Bio ↴Colour Revolt is an American indie rock band from Jackson, Mississippi.
Colour Revolt's members first played together while they were high school students at Jackson Academy in Jackson, MS under the name Foxxe, then changing to Fletcher and releasing a full length entitled "Friends Don't Speak". They then moved on to become college students at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi. They take their current name from Edwin Abbott's mathematical novel, Flatland.
The group had intended to record their first EP in Mississippi in August of 2005, but Hurricane Katrina interrupted the recording session, and so they recorded it in the house of local label Esperanza Plantation's owner. The self-titled EP came out in December of 2005; following this the group toured with Brand New and signed to Interscope Records, who re-released the EP on their subsidiary Tiny Evil in October 2006.
The group has also performed at SXSW and toured with Dinosaur Jr., Black Lips, Okkervil River, Menomena, Paper Rival, Explosions in the Sky, Malajube, Anathallo, and Manchester Orchestra.
They then signed with Fat Possum Records; their full-length debut, produced by Clay Jones, was released on April 1, 2008. In 2008, Boston newspaper The Phoenix named them the Best New Band from Mississippi.
Jesse Coppenbarger - vocals, guitar, keyboard
Sean Kirkpatrick. - vocals, guitar, keyboards
Former
Len Clark - drums, vocals
Drew Mellon - bass
Patrick Addison - bass
Jimmy Cajoleas - guitar
Naked and Red
Colour Revolt Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Licking everything he finds
God knows all about you and me
Lucky i got something to hide
Well all along in the evergreens
Baby's got a soul to steal
I know you and you know me
There goes adam with the devil's head
His body's all naked and red
Well we're all naked now in our heads
But i know who made my bed
Still i feel sorry for the devil's ead
His mother never taught him no good
I'm still swinging from the liquor tree
And eden is a hell of a place
Eden is a hell of a place
Talk, talk, talk, talk your devils down
Sun, sun, sun, sun is coming out
And burn, burn, burn all your witches out
And work, work, work till the day is out
The lyrics of "Naked and Red" by Colour Revolt are quite complex and symbolically rich, evoking biblical imagery and exploring themes of sin, temptation, and the human condition. The first verse sets the stage by invoking the image of God himself swinging from a liquor tree, licking everything he finds. This sounds almost blasphemous, suggesting that even God himself can succumb to earthly pleasures and vices. The repetition of "God knows all about you and me" is ominous, hinting at the idea of divine judgment and the all-knowing nature of the deity. The singer then reveals that they have something to hide, implying a sense of guilt or shame.
The second verse introduces another character, "Baby," who has a soul to steal. It's unclear who Baby is or what this means, but it could suggest that the singer is someone who preys on others or exploits their weaknesses. The repeated phrase "I know you and you know me / Maybe we can make a deal" adds to this sense of sinister intent, as if the singer is trying to strike some kind of bargain with Baby. The third and final verse brings in Adam with the devil's head and the idea of nudity as a symbol of vulnerability and exposure. The singer implies that they have some kind of power over Adam, but they also express sympathy for him, as if recognizing the destructive influence of sin on all human beings.
Throughout the song, there are also references to witches, devils, and burning, which further reinforce the religious and mythological undertones. Taken as a whole, "Naked and Red" is a haunting and enigmatic meditation on the human condition, reminding us of our flaws and our potential for evil.
Line by Line Meaning
God is swinging from the liquor tree
The idea is that people often turn to substance abuse (in this case, 'the liquor tree') in order to cope, and perhaps even find meaning in their lives.
Licking everything he finds
The mention of 'licking everything he finds' suggests a kind of hedonistic, pleasure-seeking behavior.
God knows all about you and me
The idea that God, in some way, is aware of our actions and innermost secrets.
Lucky i got something to hide
Everyone has secrets or shameful aspects of themselves, and it's good sometimes to be able to keep them private.
Well all along in the evergreens
The artist is describing a peaceful, natural setting (the 'evergreens') where they have been for some time now.
Baby's got a soul to steal
This line is a bit ambiguous, but likely means something along the lines of 'there is something alluring about this person that I want for myself.'
I know you and you know me
The singer is suggesting that there is a certain level of intimacy and mutual understanding between the two people in question.
Maybe we can make a deal
Perhaps the artist is proposing some kind of bargain or the exchange of something of value between them.
There goes adam with the devil's head
This likely refers to the story of Adam and Eve and the snake in the garden of Eden.
His body's all naked and red
In the story of Adam and Eve, they become ashamed of their nudity upon eating the forbidden fruit of knowledge.
Well we're all naked now in our heads
The singer is suggesting that we all have shameful or embarrassing thoughts, secrets, desires, etc. that we would rather keep hidden.
But i know who made my bed
In spite of any inner turmoil or shame the artist may feel, they know that they are still in control of their own life.
Still i feel sorry for the devil's head
Even though the devil is typically portrayed as an antagonist in religion/mythology, the singer still feels pity or empathy for it.
His mother never taught him no good
This line likely refers to the idea that even the most 'evil' or 'villainous' people are still products of their upbringing and environment.
I'm still swinging from the liquor tree
The singer is still struggling with addiction and/or perhaps using substances as a coping mechanism.
And eden is a hell of a place
This line suggests that even the most idyllic or 'perfect' environments can still be full of pain, turmoil, and hardship.
Talk, talk, talk, talk your devils down
The artist is encouraging listeners to confront and overcome their inner demons or personal struggles/mistakes.
Sun, sun, sun, sun is coming out
There is hope for the future, and things will get better.
And burn, burn, burn all your witches out
This line likely refers to the idea of 'removing the bad elements' from our lives or purging ourselves of negative influences/behaviors.
And work, work, work till the day is out
Keep pushing through the struggles, and don't give up until the day is over.
Contributed by Elizabeth J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
EmFromTheChi
Damnit. They were so badass, i wish theyd do a reunion tour. I luckily got to see them on the cradle tour in chicago.
L0gray
Jesse and Sean are one of the best duo's in rock
IDayTripperI
I still love where the guys are now and The Cradle is a fantastic album and they're still spectacular live...but dammit I miss Jimmy just going nucking futs all over the place.
Josh Brooks
jesse's vocals at 2:55 are so awesome
MurKingLee
more people need to know about this band
Aubrey England
this was sick!... wow.. i cant believe ive never heard this before
Countermeasures
Jesus Effing Christ, what an underrated album
Rennar
I have no idea what this song is about, but it's awesome!
Nate Laird
saw them with Thursday and TBS @ rams hard in b'more this past weekend. thought they did a good job.
Jonah Harper
It's just a known thing. This album didn't sell as many units as intended, and Tiny Evil kicked them off of the label. They wrote "Our Names" about it, and about how all the members except Sean and Jesse left afterwards. Oh, and to boot, all of their equipment was stolen around that time too.