If Love Is A Red Dress
Pulp Fiction/Maria McKee Lyrics

The opening two lines of the lyrics to "If Love is a Red Dress" by Maria McKee convey a sense of melancholy and loss, as the singer laments that their heart is empty and their lover's eyes are dull. It is the beginning of the end of their relationship, and they reflect on how things used to be when they were hungry for each other's company. Now that they've been together for a while, they are "full," and this familiarity has led to a sense of entrapment that feels like "chains." Despite this, the singer is aware that they are bound together by something stronger than themselves, and that for all their difficulties, they wouldn't give up the love they have shared.

The refrain of this song, "If love is shelter, I'm gonna walk in the rain," highlights the contradictions and difficulties of love. Love is supposed to be a protective and nurturing force, but it can also be exposing and painful. The singer would rather take the risk of being vulnerable and soaked in the rain than stay sheltered inside their relationship.

The second verse of the song introduces a new element to the story, as the singer's lover has become "real" to them, and in doing so, has lost some of the magic and romance of earlier times. The lover is now "colder than steel" and "like a stranger," which implies that they have changed in some fundamental way that the singer can't quite put their finger on. The morning after has come, and the events of the previous night have left the singer feeling bruised and raw. They don't want to talk about what happened, and if love is a red dress, they'd rather be hung in rags than have to confront the reality of their situation.

The third verse of "If Love is a Red Dress" is the most accusatory, as the singer confronts their lover with the fact that someone was cheating. They believe that they played fairly, but their lover held something back and acted dishonestly. Now, the singer is disappointed and angry, and the idea of playing a game with them again is unappealing. They would rather take their chances with the jack, a card with a lower value than the ace but perhaps more honest and reliable.