Lonely Drifter Karen has called places as far apart as Barcelona and Brusse… Read Full Bio ↴Lonely Drifter Karen has called places as far apart as Barcelona and Brussels home, but it has always revolved around Viennese-born singer/songwriter Tanja Frinta. Frinta began Lonely Drifter Karen in Sweden as a solo project in 2005, releasing the single Sinsweetime, but Majorcan keyboardist/arranger Marc Meliá Sobrevias and Italian drummer Giorgio Menossi joined her when she moved to Barcelona. The trio's debut, 2008's Grass Is Singing, took two years to record and revealed Lonely Drifter Karen's fascination with whimsical folk and cabaret. Two years later, Fall of Spring arrived on Crammed Discs, which had also released the band's debut. After Frinta and Sobrevias relocated to Brussels, Menossi amicably left the band, and French guitarist Clément Marion and drummer Maxime Malon, joined the band. Lonely Drifter Karen's third album, Poles, which boasted more electronic and rock touches, arrived in April 2012.

Three Colors Red
Lonely Drifter Karen Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What comes off the table, were connected just a cable
Cold, and it burns, three colors red
And when the chance is here, will I keep you far or near
break the doors, steal the heart, three colors red
Now if you choose to be with me
The modern day will shine to be, like one, three colors red
If I choose to be with you, the moment that I'm letting you unfold, three colors red
Water kept my mind in water

Unclear to dectective border

We were floating to the open
Our cables strained and broken
...in my hands, three colors red
Now if you choose to be with me

The modern day will shine to be, like one, three colors red
If I choose to be with you, the moment that I'm letting you unfold, three colors red.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Lonely Drifter Karen's song Three Colors Red are open to interpretation, but there are some clear themes that emerge. The first verse seems to describe a situation where two people are disconnected from each other but remain tethered, perhaps by societal or technological forces. The line "cold, and it burns, three colors red" suggests that this disconnection is both painful and intense. The second verse introduces the idea of choice - will the singer keep the other person close or far away? This is where the imagery becomes more violent, with a suggestion of breaking doors and stealing hearts. This could be a metaphor for the fear and risk involved in letting someone in.

The chorus offers two possibilities depending on who makes the choice. If the other person chooses to be with the singer, the "modern day will shine to be like one, three colors red." This could be interpreted as a hopeful vision of what a connected future could look like. If the singer chooses to be with the other person, they are "letting [them] unfold" - perhaps suggesting an acceptance of vulnerability and a willingness to let go of control. The final lines of the song are somewhat cryptic, referring to water and a "detective border." It's possible that this is a metaphor for the murkiness of human emotion and the difficulty of truly understanding another person.

Line by Line Meaning

What comes off the table, were connected just a cable
Our relationship was fragile and dependent on external factors, like a cable connecting two objects on a table.

Cold, and it burns, three colors red
Our emotions are intense and conflicting, like a cold burning sensation that manifests as three colors of red.

And when the chance is here, will I keep you far or near
When given the opportunity, I must decide whether to maintain distance or intimacy with you.

break the doors, steal the heart, three colors red
I am willing to take risks to win your love, despite the intense emotions that come with it.

Now if you choose to be with me
Assuming you decide to pursue a relationship with me,

The modern day will shine to be, like one, three colors red
Our love will be intense and bright, like a single, all-encompassing shade of red in the modern era.

If I choose to be with you, the moment that I'm letting you unfold, three colors red
If I decide to pursue a relationship with you, I am allowing myself to be vulnerable and experience the complex range of emotions that comes with it.

Water kept my mind in water
My thoughts and emotions are muddled and unclear.

Unclear to detective border
These emotions are difficult to understand or detect, like a border that is hard to define.

We were floating to the open
We were drifting aimlessly towards an uncertain future.

Our cables strained and broken
Our fragile connection has been strained and is close to breaking.

...in my hands, three colors red
I am holding onto intense emotions, represented by the three colors of red.

Writer(s): tanja frinta, marc meliá sobrevias

Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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