Her real exposure though came at the age of sixteen when she auditioned for Australian Idol. She quickly received high praise with one judge claiming that she was "the best thing musically that has ever came out of this country." While on the show, Lisa performed such songs as Collide, Diamonds on the Inside, Fall At Your Feet and Heart of Glass. Despite receiving positive reviews, Lisa felt vulnerable without her guitar providing solace.
Nevertheless, she was finally reunited with the instrument as she performed a rare track from Coldplay entitled See You Soon. Despite the pressure to perform it well, due to her growing reputation as an authentic guitar-playing songwriter ("reminiscent of an early Joni Mitchell"), she mesmerized millions with her enticing rendition. After two more performances, including an original entitled Too Far Gone, Lisa was ready to go her own way and that she did.
Soon after leaving the show, she was offered a couple of recording contracts but rejected the offers, claiming that such an album would be too manufactured. Instead, admirably, Lisa decided to continue developing her craft as both a performer and songwriter. She quickly built a grass-roots following after touring with Old Man River, as well as performing both at National Youth Week and on MySpace (four performances) to a viewership of over ten thousand. Her page has now received over three hundred thousand views. It was around this time that Lisa felt she was ready to sign with both Scorpio Music and Warner Music, and recently with Sony Publishing, all with the support of Dan Hume from Evermore.
On August 4th 2007, her first EP entitled Said One to the Other was released, which included the tracks Slow and Incomplete Lullaby. The EP debuted at number 27 on the ARIA charts and number 1 on the Australian iTunes chart. Of late, after putting school on hold temporarily, Lisa has been touring with the likes of Sparkadia, The Hampdens and Evermore, with an upcoming tour supporting Ben Lee. She has also expressed interest in producing another EP in the future.
Lisa is currently on a tour of the eastern states of Australia. Much to the chagrin of fans from her home town of Albury-Wodonga, Lisa has decided to leave her home town off the tour in favour of larger cities.
Red Wine Lips
Lisa Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I didn’t dream up this
Out on suburban curbs
I’m always restless first
But when the truth is told;
We’re all dreamers you know
I’ve always wanted more
And I know that it’s a fine line
But I know that I’ve got time
Oh, how could a steeple made of ceiling wax
Ever need fall down?
Remember we had it all
Every belle and ball
But just all ever
I wanted more
And well I sure got that
Yeah I killed that cat
But I hope one fine day
I’ll stop looking back
And I know that it’s a fine line
Oh I know it’s a high wire
Oh, how could a steeple made of innocence
Oh golden arch
Burning heart
Oh, steeple made of ceiling wax
Ever need fall down?
You see these red wine lips?
I didn’t dream up this
Out on suburban curbs
I’m always restless first
But when the truth is told;
We’re all dreamers you know
I’ve always wanted more
Than I could ever hold
And I know that it’s a fine line
Oh I know it’s a high wire
Oh, how could a steeple made of innocence
Oh golden arch
Burning heart
Oh, steeple made of ceiling wax
Ever need fall down?
In Lisa Mitchell's song Red Wine Lips, the lyrics delve into the idea of longing for more and striving for something beyond the current circumstances. The opening lines, "you see these red wine lips? I didn't dream up this, out on suburban curbs I'm always restless first" suggest a restlessness and a yearning for something more in life, which is also reinforced later in the song when Mitchell sings, "we're all dreamers you know, I've always wanted more than I could ever hold."
The repeated references to a "steeple made of ceiling wax" and an "golden arch burning heart" seem to represent something that is fragile and easily destroyed. This imagery is juxtaposed with the idea of wanting more and striving for something beyond what is currently held, perhaps suggesting that the pursuit of such goals can lead to sacrifice and ultimately destruction ("yeah I killed that cat"). However, there is still a sense of hope and resilience, as Mitchell sings about the "fine line" and the "high wire" that she knows she must tread carefully.
Overall, the lyrics of Red Wine Lips capture a universal theme of longing for more and the internal struggle that comes with pursuing those desires. It is a beautifully crafted song that speaks to the complexities of human nature and the nuances of our hopes and aspirations.
Line by Line Meaning
You see these red wine lips?
Do you notice my lips stained with red wine? It's not something I made up, it's just a result of my own actions.
I didn’t dream up this
I didn't pretend or imagine my current state, it's my reality.
Out on suburban curbs
I often find myself wandering on the streets located outside of big cities, trying to find my way.
I’m always restless first
Before I can settle into any one thing, I feel an intense need to explore and experience the world around me.
But when the truth is told;
However, to tell the truth, we're all just dreamers at heart.
We’re all dreamers you know
Everyone has their own hopes and aspirations for life.
I’ve always wanted more
Personally, I've always desired more out of life - more than I know I can handle or even physically achieve.
than I could ever hold
This desire for more can be overwhelming and hard to contain, like trying to carry too much at once.
And I know that it’s a fine line
I realize that the things I desire and the amount I want can be dangerous and difficult to balance.
But I know that I’ve got time
Despite this recklessness, I still believe that there's some time left for me to figure it out.
Oh, how could a steeple made of ceiling wax
It doesn't make sense - how could something as fragile as a steeple made of wax hold any weight or substance?
Ever need fall down?
Why would it ever collapse or fail? It's too weak to even try to do something important.
Remember we had it all
Looking back, we had everything we thought we needed.
Every belle and ball
Luxuries and material possessions were all around us and available to enjoy.
But just all ever
However, even with all of that, I couldn't find satisfaction in just those things.
I wanted more
As mentioned before, I simply wanted more than what was available to me at the time.
And well I sure got that
I eventually got what I wanted - and it wasn't what I thought it would be.
Yeah I killed that cat
I made a mistake and did something irreversible that I'll never be able to take back.
But I hope one fine day
Despite this, I still hold onto the hope that one day things will improve.
I’ll stop looking back
I know I can't change what happened in the past, so I need to stop dwelling on it and move forward.
Oh I know it’s a high wire
Even though I made a mistake, I understand that I need to continue walking the tightrope and finding balance in life.
Oh golden arch
The beautiful and grand things in life that are often idolized and seen as symbols of achievement.
Burning heart
A strong passion and drive that often fuels us to pursue those grand goals and aspirations.
Oh, steeple made of ceiling wax
Again, why would something as fragile as wax and as insignificant as a steeple be worth pursuing or striving for?
Ever need fall down?
It was never strong enough to begin with, so why would it ever have mattered?
Contributed by Jonathan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Leah Bauer
I absolutely am obsessed with Lisa Mitchell! Too bad I live in the US so I can't get all of her music on iTunes :) This song is so playful:) I love it and also her songs "Clean White Love" and "Sidekick".
Sumaya Yusuf
when i sing this song, i feel like a little child fairy or something. it's so sweet and gentle, it's lovely.
Sato IV
you see these red wine lips. i didn't dream of this. i love the lyrics.
babybug
how can u NOT like this song? seriously!
Miles R
FUCK YEAH, BEST CHILL-OUT SONG!
qwer8907
lovely song sounds like melanie the singer from the sixties i hope lisa mitchell will be a big success as she is truthly a orginal
Edmond Lau
Sounds remarkably like Feist
Paul Bastin
Video sh....... Lyrics superb
evanchristianson
getmusic com au/lisamitchell I had the same problem, silly American iTunes, doesn't want us getting our music. But you can get it all here (replace spaces with dots) or on Amazon :)
Meg Moses
well a little like someone else