Seth Swirsky has written hit songs for dozens of artists, ranging from Rufus Wainwright (“Instant Pleasure”) to Al Green to Tina Turner, Taylor Dayne (“Tell it to My Heart”) among many others. (He’s also written three bestselling books about baseball and made a documentary playing in film festivals currently called “Beatles Stories”).
As a solo artist, his first album – Instant Pleasure – won for Best Pop Album at the 2005 L.A. Music Awards. His follow-up, Watercolor Day, won Best Pop Song (the title track) at the 2010 Hollywood Music and Media Awards.
Ruekberg’s indie credentials are rock solid: He spent the ’90s as writer and singer for Minneapolis-based pop heroes Rex Daisy, who recorded a CD for Geffen Records with producer Paul Fox. He also wrote the soundtrack for the indie cult film classic “Dummy”, which starred Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, and Vera Farmiga. Mike’s music has also been heard in other movies and on TV, as well as in football stadiums and blaring from audio greeting cards!
The two met in 2005 and hit it off immediately; both of them admiring each other’s songs, and sharing a taste for vintage pop.
So, they got together and started writing and recording songs. They found that Swirsky’s tuneful optimism balanced nicely with Ruekberg’s pessimistic but passionate style. Their first album “She’s About to Cross My Mind”, in 2007, was the result of those sessions.
After winning many “year-end” polls for Album of the Year with “She’s About to Cross My Mind” and being dubbed by the influential music Magazine SHINDIG! as the new “Power Pop Princes”, they are back with their second album of original material called “As Far As Yesterday Goes”, released on June 1, 2011.
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Cruel Girl
The Red Button Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Bring me down with everything you do girl
Break my faithful little heart in two girl, cruel girl
I know that I should go I should walk away
But when I think of how things were only yesterday,
It makes me stay.
You were so sweet when we first met
You're a cruel girl
I'll do anything you want to do girl
I'll believe that every lie is true girl
I could never settle for a new girl, cruel girl
What keeps me standing here staying by your side
When the way you treat me girl only hurts my pride
I can't lie.
I can't forget the words you said
You used to hold me now you hurt me instead.
Everytime I walk away I end up running back to you,
it's true.
Other girls would treat me better
Why you gotta be so cruel. So cruel.
You were so sweet when we first met
But then your pretty face went straight to your head
Oh you're a cruel girl
No one else can hurt me like you do girl
But you know I'll always be your fool girl
I could never settle for a new girl cruel girl
You're so cruel, you're so cruel
Just don't ever tell me that we're through
Oh, you're so cruel.
The Red Button’s song “Cruel Girl” explores the pain of staying with someone who treats you badly. The song is about being in a relationship with someone who was once sweet and loving, but has turned into a cruel and heartless person. The lyrics describe the singer’s struggle to leave the cruel girl, even though she continuously hurts him. The song emphasizes the singer’s confusion and dependence on the cruel girl, and how hard it is for him to imagine leaving her. The lyrics repeatedly refer to the singer’s inability to forget the words the cruel girl said, as they continue to haunt him and prevent him from moving on.
The chorus of the song insists that the singer will always be a fool for the cruel girl, no matter how badly she treats him. This illustrates the dangerous nature of relationships where someone is dependent on their partner, even when they are being mistreated. The singer’s devotion to the cruel girl is emphasized throughout the song, and the lyrics suggest that even though he knows he should leave, he can’t bring himself to do it. The song is not only a commentary on toxic relationships, but it’s also a powerful reminder of how difficult it is to break free from them.
Line by Line Meaning
Cruel Girl why you gotta treat me like a fool girl
Why do you have to treat me so foolishly, cruel girl?
Bring me down with everything you do girl
Everything you do seems to bring me down, girl.
Break my faithful little heart in two girl, cruel girl
You broke my faithful and loving heart into pieces, cruel girl.
I know that I should go I should walk away
I'm aware that I should leave and walk away.
But when I think of how things were only yesterday, It makes me stay.
I end up staying when I think about how things were in the past.
You were so sweet when we first met
You were really sweet and kind when we met.
Now you're so bad to me I just can't forget
Now you're ill-mannered towards me, and I can't just forget that.
You're a cruel girl
You're such a cruel girl.
I'll do anything you want to do girl
I'll do anything you want me to do , girl.
I'll believe that every lie is true girl
I'll even believe every lie you tell me, girl.
I could never settle for a new girl, cruel girl
I feel like I could never find someone new, cruel girl.
What keeps me standing here staying by your side
I wonder what keeps me standing by your side, even when you treat me badly.
When the way you treat me girl only hurts my pride
Your treatment towards me only injures my pride, girl.
I can't forget the words you said
I can't forget the words you spoke.
You used to hold me now you hurt me instead.
You used to embrace me but now you harm me.
Everytime I walk away I end up running back to you, it's true.
Every time I attempt to walk away, I always end up coming back to you.
Other girls would treat me better
I feel like other girls would treat me better.
Why you gotta be so cruel. So cruel.
Why do you have to be so mean, so unkind?
But then your pretty face went straight to your head
Your looks got into your head and changed your personality.
No one else can hurt me like you do girl
You're the only one who can hurt me like this, girl.
But you know I'll always be your fool girl
You know I'll still be your fool, girl.
Just don't ever tell me that we're through
Just don't tell me that we're through.
Oh, you're so cruel.
Oh, you're incredibly cruel.
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.