Red Red Wine
Kingston Trio & Bob Marley Lyrics


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Vance/Pokriss

Ruby red. Ruby red.

Chorus:
Ruby red were her lips. Diamond pure was her heart. Emerald green (emerald green) were her eyes.
A priceless gem of perfection, but I lost her 'neath the sapphire sky. Ruby red, ruby red, ruby red.
I'd cross the wide Pacific and swim the China sea to have those lips of ruby red back here again with me.
Ruby red, ruby red, to have those lips of ruby red back here, again, with me.

(Chorus)

I thought I could forget, so I sailed away, but I lived to regret until this very day.
Ruby red, ruby red, to have those lips of ruby red back here, again, with me.

(Chorus)





Ruby red. Ruby red.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the Kingston Trio and Bob Marley's song "Red Red Wine" tells the story of a man who has lost the love of his life, a woman with ruby red lips, emerald green eyes, and a diamond pure heart. He sings of her perfection, calling her a priceless gem, but unfortunately, he lost her beneath the sapphire sky. He regrets sailing away and wishes to have her lips of ruby red back with him again. The chorus repeats this idea of her perfect features and his desire to be reunited with her.


The song speaks to the universal theme of love and loss. The lyrics use gemstones to symbolize the woman's beauty and perfection. The man's longing for her and his regret at losing her create a sense of nostalgia that many people can relate to. The alliteration of the "r" sound in "ruby red" creates a musical quality to the lyrics, making them memorable and catchy.


Line by Line Meaning

Ruby red. Ruby red.
The repetition of "ruby red" emphasizes the significance and beauty of the color, possibly in reference to the red wine that is the focus of the song.


Ruby red were her lips.
The singer is describing the vivid and alluring color of his lost love's lips.


Diamond pure was her heart.
The singer is proclaiming the pure and precious nature of his lost love's heart.


Emerald green (emerald green) were her eyes.
The artist is admiring the beauty of his lost love's green eyes, which are compared to the precious gemstone emerald.


A priceless gem of perfection, but I lost her 'neath the sapphire sky.
The artist regrets losing his perfect, priceless love under the blue sky, which is compared to the gemstone sapphire.


I'd cross the wide Pacific and swim the China sea to have those lips of ruby red back here again with me.
The singer would do anything to have his lost love back with him, even if it meant crossing oceans and enduring hardship.


I thought I could forget, so I sailed away, but I lived to regret until this very day.
The singer attempted to forget his lost love by leaving, but he has regretted it ever since and still longs for her.


Ruby red, ruby red, to have those lips of ruby red back here, again, with me.
The repetition of "ruby red" reinforces the artist's desire to have his lost love's lips back with him again.


Ruby red. Ruby red.
The repetition of "ruby red" once again emphasizes the beauty and significance of the color.




Lyrics © EMILY MUSIC CORP
Written by: POCKRISS VANCE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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