Warner Music Nashville / Atlantic Records artist Devin Dawson is not your t… Read Full Bio ↴Warner Music Nashville / Atlantic Records artist Devin Dawson is not your typical country artist. His look is dark and bold. His sound is sleek and raw. He has a knack for writing razor sharp stories that cut straight to the heart, full of detail and clever turns of phrase. And his songs speak the language of a new generation. Dawson is an edgy study in contrast, poised as the next bolt of lightning to hit country’s family tree.

His approach to music is not different on purpose, it’s different with purpose. Twenty-eight years old and from Orangevale, California, Dawson grew up just outside the gates of Folsom Prison. He heard the sirens at night, and sang along to Johnny Cash, Alan Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Creedence Clearwater Revival. Arriving in Nashville in 2012, he put his unique skills to use authoring songs for other artists. When it came time to put together his own debut album, he teamed with equally daring producer Jay Joyce (Eric Church, Little Big Town, Brothers Osborne). Having co-written every track, the result is a mix of organic roots and high-voltage country, full of romance and delivered with a distinctive saw-toothed vocal. As he gets ready to join Maren Morris’ Hero Tour this year, Dawson is already establishing a reputation in Nashville as one of the most exciting modern singer-songwriters the format has ever seen.

War Paint
Devin Dawson Lyrics

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She ain't crazy like he said she was
There's no mistaking how it's all adding up
Lipstick on his collar, smoke from that revolver
He can try and call her crazy, oh but she ain't crazy
But she's going to make him pay
You can see it on her face

Black mascara, Moulin Rouge

Blood red lipstick, high heeled shoes
It's her turn to do him wrong
That ain't makeup she got on
It's war paint, war paint
Go on girl and make that man feel your pain, your pain

No she, she ain't leaving
'Cause that won't hurt enough
Yeah she'll get even if it's the last thing that she does
She'll go undercover, find another lover
Hope that he'll discover what she's done
No she ain't leaving 'cause she's already gone
The battle lines are drawn

Black mascara, Moulin Rouge
Blood red lipstick, high heeled shoes
It's her turn to do him wrong
That ain't makeup she got on
It's war paint, war paint
He's gonna see that two can play that game, that game
That ain't makeup she's got on
It's war paint, yeah

Black mascara, Moulin Rouge
Blood red lipstick, high heeled shoes
Two wrongs ain't right but she don't care, no
All is fair tonight
She's wearing war paint
Go on girl and make that man feel your pain, your pain
He's gonna see that two can play that game, that game
'Cause that ain't makeup she got on

It's war paint

Overall Meaning

In Devin Dawson's song "War Paint," the lyrics tell the story of a woman who has been wronged by a man and is determined to make him pay for his actions. The first verse challenges the man's portrayal of the woman as crazy, asserting that she is not. Evidence of his infidelity, such as lipstick on his collar and the implication of a smoking revolver, proves that she has valid reasons to be upset. The lyrics express her determination to seek revenge and her refusal to be labeled as crazy.

The chorus emphasizes the woman's transformation and her decision to use her appearance as a weapon. The reference to black mascara, Moulin Rouge, blood-red lipstick, and high-heeled shoes symbolizes her putting on her "war paint." This is not ordinary makeup, but rather a statement of her readiness to confront and hurt the man who has wronged her. The lyrics suggest that this is her turn to do him wrong, and she intends to make him feel her pain and suffer the consequences of his actions.

The second verse further emphasizes the woman's determination not to simply leave, as it would not be enough to hurt the man in the same way he has hurt her. Instead, she plans to get even and take revenge, even if it means finding another lover and hiding her actions until he discovers what she's done. The lyrics make it clear that she has already mentally and emotionally checked out of the relationship, and the battle lines between them have been drawn.

The repetition of the chorus reinforces the theme of the woman using her appearance and actions as a means of fighting back. The lyrics illustrate that this is not just makeup she's wearing, but "war paint." It symbolizes her defiance, her readiness for battle, and her resolve to make the man feel the pain he caused her. The lyrics suggest that she wants him to realize that two can play the game he started and that she is prepared to do whatever it takes to assert her power and seek justice.

Overall, "War Paint" portrays a woman who refuses to be labeled as crazy and instead chooses to express her pain and anger through a form of transformation. Through her "war paint," she asserts her power, seeks revenge, and stands up against a man who has wronged her. The lyrics convey a message of empowerment and resilience in the face of betrayal.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chris Dubois, Clint Lagerberg, Devin Dawson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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