Narcissus In a Red Dress
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Now sits an empty base
Cold and shiny
Hard and tiny
Difficult to wash away
Oh, monsters get creative every day
And nothing can prepare you for the day they run away
So you’ve sealed your fate
One minute, she's your best friend
Then you watch her take your place
I guess that taught them all the same
You clever little charlatans
Ambition gleams in overdrive
And I can't take it
What goes up must come on down
Get your feet back on the ground
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, Miss
Blinded by your own reflection
Let the lights direct you now
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, I know
I know
Behave and like the Virgin Queen
You're just as damaged underneath
You know
No matter how good your impersonation of me ever grows
Deep down you know your insides never change
But people love it, vapid and shamesless, simply lacking taste
They fall for the spell of Lady Macbeth
Her calculated grace
But I can see the hunger of compulsion in your face
High school skinny fades away
And you're just left with Polaroids
Capturing your fifteen minutes
Ain't it great?
What goes up must come on down
Get your feet back on the ground
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, miss
Blinded by your own reflection
Let the lights direct you now
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, I know
I know
Vanity on parade
Vacant, frantic, and strange
Fraught with heartache and desperation
Guess I loved you in vain
Consider this song your wake
Lost your head to the elevation
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't bring you back again
What goes up must come on down
Get your feet back on the ground
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, miss
Blinded by your own reflection
Let the lights protect you now
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, Miss
What goes up must come on down
Get your feet back on the ground
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, miss
Blinded by your own reflection
Let the lights protect you now
Narcissus in a red dress
You're like all the rest, I know
I know
The lyrics of the song "Narcissus In a Red Dress" by Like The open up with the image of an empty base where a little girl once stood. The singer then talks about the monsters that get creative every day and how nothing can prepare a person for the day they run away. These lines serve as a metaphor for the loss of innocence and the harsh realities of growing up in the world. The second stanza talks about how a girl takes a person's place from being their best friend to becoming their competition. The girl successfully impersonates the singer, but deep down, the singer knows that the girl's insides never change. The lyrics suggest that people fall for the "spell" of Lady Macbeth's calculated grace, but it ultimately leads to heartache and desperation.
The chorus has the singer talking about getting one's feet back on the ground and how Narcissus in a red dress is just like all the rest. The phrase "Narcissus in a red dress" is a reference to the Greek mythology of Narcissus, who falls in love with his own reflection in the water. The red dress here represents the girl's vanity and the singer's frustration towards her. In the third stanza, the singer talks about how the person loses their head to the elevation and how all the king's horses and men cannot bring them back. The lyrics suggest that the girl's obsession with herself and her image has left her vulnerable and alone.
The lyrics of "Narcissus In a Red Dress" give a voice to the singer's frustration towards a person who has become their competition. The song comments on the dangerous allure of vanity and how it can lead to heartache and desperation. The lyrics are raw and emotive, and the references to Greek mythology add depth and layers to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
Where a little girl once stood
A former, innocent version of oneself has been replaced by something different
Now sits an empty base
The physical form remains, but the person inside is hollow and lacking
Cold and shiny
Presenting an unapproachable, unfeeling exterior
Hard and tiny
Small, inflexible, and difficult to change
Difficult to wash away
The lingering effects of past behavior can be hard to remove
Oh, monsters get creative every day
People can be cruel and surprising in their actions
And nothing can prepare you for the day they run away
It's impossible to anticipate when someone will abandon or betray you
Your fine tutelage is no longer needed
The person you've been teaching or mentoring has moved on without you
So you’ve sealed your fate
You have set in motion the events that will lead to your downfall
One minute, she's your best friend
The person you trust and care about can suddenly turn on you
Then you watch her take your place
Your former friend has now become your rival
I guess that taught them all the same
Your experiences have taught you a lesson that others will also learn
You clever little charlatans
Those who deceive and manipulate are quick-witted and calculating
Ambition gleams in overdrive
Extreme drive and desire for success can cloud one's judgment
And I can't take it
The pressure and intensity of the situation is too much to bear
What goes up must come on down
Success is often fleeting and temporary
Get your feet back on the ground
Remain grounded and humble, regardless of success
Narcissus in a red dress
A person obsessed with their own image and appearance
You're like all the rest, Miss
You're not unique in your self-absorption
Blinded by your own reflection
Focusing too much on oneself can prevent seeing others' perspectives
Let the lights direct you now
Allow external forces to guide you rather than making your own decisions
Vanity on parade
Displaying one's own looks and accomplishments for others to see
Vacant, frantic, and strange
Appearing empty, anxious, and unfamiliar
Fraught with heartache and desperation
Tainted with pain and despair
Guess I loved you in vain
My love for you was futile and unrequited
Consider this song your wake
This song is a tribute or farewell to you
Lost your head to the elevation
Became too consumed with the high of success
All the king's horses and all the king's men
No amount of help or support can fix what is broken
Couldn't bring you back again
The damage has been done and can't be undone
Let the lights protect you now
Succumbing to fame and fortune can have damaging consequences
You're like all the rest, I know
You're not unique in your struggles and flaws
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ALEX GREENWALD, ELIZABETH BERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind