Red Light
Usher ft lil John and Ludacris Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's crazy
I can't believe that you
Would be the one to do
Do me like you do
Get back here baby

Girl you let me
Have my way and I was thinking I could get it again
Baby we could be friends if you're lonely
And you show me
Just how quick your tires could spin
You were off in the wind
Tell me were did you go

When you left (oh)
I'm thinking which way did she go
I should have known that you would lead me on girl
I'm in the wind on cruise control
I gotta be dreaming 'cause I never felt like this before

It was supposed to be
Just a one night
In and out and I'm out the door
But she's got me sitting here
At the red light
Driving 'round looking out for her (for her)

It was supposed to be
Just a one night (one night)
In and out and I'm out the door
So why am I sittin' here at the red light (sittin' here)
At the red light (looking crazy)
Driving 'round looking out for her (looking out for her)

Now it's raining
And I'm looking over at the passenger side
Thinking back in my mind how you set me off
She was stopping and dropping me
Switching from fast to slow
But that ain't have nothing on how you got
When I got you home

When you left (oh)
I'm thinking which way did she go
The way you touched yourself had me up the wall
I'm in the wind on cruise control
I'm searching for you 'cause I can't seem to let you go

It was supposed to be
Just a one night (one night)
In and out and I'm out the door
But she's got me sitting here
At the red light (looking crazy)
Driving 'round looking out for her (for her)

It was supposed to be (supposed to be)
Just a one night (one night)
In and out and I'm out the door (the door)
So why am I sittin' here at the red light
At the red light (looking crazy)
Driving 'round looking out for her (looking out for her)

You know
I really only thought
That this would be a one night stand
What you doing to me
Come on
What you doing to me

Maybe (maybe)
She's running home to someone else (what you doing to me, what you doing me))
Or maybe (or maybe)
She lost my number in her cell
(Oh babe)
(What you doing to me)
Or maybe (or maybe)
She's never done like this before (what you doing to me, what you doing to me)
'Cause I can't see (can't see)
Her not coming back for more (what you doing to me, don't stop it)
More

It was supposed to be
Just a one night (just a one night)
In and out and I'm out the door (and I'm out the door)
But she's got me sitting here
At the red light
Driving 'round looking out for her (got me going crazy)

It was supposed to be (supposed to be)
Just a one night (one night)
In and out and I'm out the door (in and out the door)
So why am I sittin' here at the red light
At the red light (red light)
Driving 'round looking out for her (ooh crazy)

It was supposed to be
Just a one night (one night)
In and out and I'm out the door (the door)
But she's got me sitting here
At the red light (red light)
Driving round looking out for her

It was supposed to be
Just a one night
In and out and I'm out the door
So why am I sittin' here at the red light




At the red light
Driving 'round looking out for her (looking out for her)

Overall Meaning

The song "Red Light" by Usher featuring Lil Jon and Ludacris is about the aftermath of a one night stand. The lyrics describe the confusion and frustration of the singer, as he cannot comprehend why he is still thinking about the girl he slept with. Despite his initial intentions of it being just a one-time thing, he finds himself driving around aimlessly, looking for her. The chorus repeats the line "It was supposed to be just a one night" suggesting that the singer is struggling to come to terms with the fact that he has caught feelings for someone he was only supposed to sleep with once.


The verses are filled with vivid descriptions of the encounter, with Usher comparing the girl's sensual movements to driving fast and slow. The chorus then returns, with the same line becoming increasingly desperate and anguished. The final verse sees Usher questioning whether the girl is with someone else, as he cannot comprehend why she hasn't reached out to him.


Overall, the song explores the idea of confusing physical attraction with emotional attachment, with the singer feeling helpless and out of control as his feelings get the better of him.


Line by Line Meaning

It's crazy
The situation that the singer is in is hard to believe


I can't believe that you
The singer is shocked at the behavior of the person they are addressing


Would be the one to do
The singer did not expect this behavior from the person they are addressing


Do me like you do
The person the artist is addressing has treated them in a way that is causing them emotional distress


Get back here baby
The artist wants the person they are addressing to come back to them


Girl you let me
The singer is addressing a girl who allowed them to do certain things


Have my way and I was thinking I could get it again
The singer believed their interactions with this girl would be a repeated occurrence


Baby we could be friends if you're lonely
The artist is suggesting that they could continue to interact platonically if the girl is feeling alone


And you show me
The artist wants the girl they are addressing to demonstrate something to them


Just how quick your tires could spin
The artist wants the girl to show them how quickly she can drive away


You were off in the wind
The girl disappeared quickly without giving an explanation


Tell me were did you go
The artist wants to know where the girl went in such a hurry


When you left (oh)
The singer is reflecting on the sudden departure of the girl they are addressing


I'm thinking which way did she go
The singer is reflecting on their confusion and lack of knowledge about where the girl went


I should have known that you would lead me on girl
The singer is realizing that the girl they were involved with may have misled them


I'm in the wind on cruise control
The artist is driving aimlessly and feeling lost


I gotta be dreaming 'cause I never felt like this before
The artist is feeling overwhelmed with emotions and feels like they are in a surreal situation


It was supposed to be
The singer is reflecting on what they thought would happen between them and the girl they are addressing


Just a one night
The singer thought their encounter with the girl would be a one-time event


In and out and I'm out the door
The artist expected to leave quickly after their encounter with the girl


But she's got me sitting here
The girl has made the artist feel stuck in their emotions and unable to move on


At the red light
The artist is stuck at a red light while searching for the girl


Driving 'round looking out for her (for her)
The singer is driving around in search of the girl they cannot forget about


Now it's raining
The weather in the story has shifted to rain, adding to the artist's sense of sadness and loss


And I'm looking over at the passenger side
The singer is looking to a side of their car that is usually occupied by the girl they are searching for


Thinking back in my mind how you set me off
The singer is reflecting on how the girl affected them emotionally


She was stopping and dropping me
The girl would tease the singer, starting and stopping their involvement with each other


Switching from fast to slow
The girl would go from acting interested to disinterested quickly


But that ain't have nothing on how you got
The girl's behavior was insignificant compared to the impact she had on the artist


When I got you home
The singer is reflecting on their time with the girl once they were alone together


The way you touched yourself had me up the wall
The girl's behavior was sexually suggestive and aroused the singer


I'm searching for you 'cause I can't seem to let you go
The artist is still trying to find the girl who they cannot forget about


You know
The artist is addressing someone and trying to explain their situation to them


I really only thought
The artist is admitting that their expectations were different from what actually occurred


That this would be a one night stand
The singer believed their interaction with the girl would only last one night


What you doing to me
The artist is questioning the effect the girl has on them emotionally


Come on
The singer is urging the person they are addressing to understand their predicament


Maybe (maybe)
The singer is presenting different possibilities for why the girl has not returned


She's running home to someone else (what you doing to me, what you doing me))
The singer is suggesting that the girl may have gone to someone else after their encounter


Or maybe (or maybe)
The artist is presenting another possibility of why the girl has not returned


She lost my number in her cell
The artist is suggesting that the girl may have lost their contact information


(Oh babe)
The singer is expressing feelings of longing and sadness


(What you doing to me)
The singer is reflecting on the impact the girl has had on them emotionally


She's never done like this before (what you doing to me, what you doing to me)
The artist is suggesting that this is new behavior for the girl they are addressing


'Cause I can't see (can't see)
The artist is admitting that they do not have an explanation for why the girl has not returned


Her not coming back for more (what you doing to me, don't stop it)
The artist is expressing their desire for the girl to return and continue their involvement with each other




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Craig Love, Patrick Smith, La Marquis Jefferson, Jonathan Smith, Sean Garrett, Keri Hilson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

Nella F

Still love this song in 2020 just wish the remix was on Apple Music

bleudiamonds

it ain't on Tidal either :(

PAPO

Or Spotify in 2023 😢

michael osby

This song still Rocks

Jerome Productions

yep!

Knovie

Luda killed it.

Bleeve33

I believe it was on Usher's re-release of "Confessions." I love "Red Light." Probably my favorite song by him in terms of vocals and production by Lil' John.

Jerome Productions

fr!

RealRiteZaya

Should’ve been on the album

Diane Wyand

Still blazing this joint in 2020.real shit still relivent in 2020.lol

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