"The inspiration for “party tattoos” comes from a friend of a friend. I was staying around my friends in L.A., funnily enough (I live in London). Her flatmate walks through the door and she’s covered in bruises and I’m like, “What on earth happened? Where were you last night? What’s going on?” And she’s so American, kind of a similar husky voice to mine right now, and she’s like, “It doesn’t matter. You know, they’re just party tattoos.” And I’m like, “Whoa, what a cool concept.”
I loved that line of party tattoos in reference to bruises and it being a fun way of talking about things that have hurt you, but only slightly.
I wanted this song to feel very colorful, very messy. I wrote it after I went out and I got very, very, very drunk. I was very ill for, like, three days afterwards, and I wrote it to forgive myself, to kind of talk to myself before I went out, and then afterwards. It’s a metaphor for life lessons and being youthful, and making mistakes and ending up with this mess. I wanted it to feel like a party, like “Life’s a party. There will be mess, but you learn from it.”"
party tattoos
dodie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Scrubbing smooth young skin saying I don't know
Grab a bag, grab a bottle but leave the "what if?"
You'll see it in the morning after your kicks
All you will need for a rocking good time
Is a bunch of people who don't give a damn
There's a yes, in your head, gotta find where it's at
And we're not bruised, they're just party tattoos
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
Black lipstick will never be a sin
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
My mummy said to always wear a coat
But it's warm and it's heavy and we're trying to float
Don't forget she'll be right when it's three a.m.
So shiver, but shiver with a friend
And we're not bruised they're just party tattoos
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
Black lipstick will never be a sin
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
We're not bruised they're just party tattoos
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
Black lipstick will never be a sin
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Write a postcard to you at eighty-four
Tell them you'd never dream of living behind the door
Life was fun, full of love, full of hopeful smiles
Bet you wish you were here
But I'll see you in a while
And we're not bruised they're just party tattoos
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
Black lipstick will never be a sin
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
We're not bruised they're just party tattoos
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
Black lipstick will never be a sin
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
The lyrics of dodie's "Party Tattoos" celebrate the recklessness of youth while hinting at the eventual regrets that come with age. The first lines describe a party where time is ticking away, and the singer, despite having doubts, starts participating in the revelries. The song suggests that all we need for a good time is a group of like-minded individuals who don't care about the consequences of their actions. The phrase "you'll see it in the morning after your kicks" implies that the persons involved will come to regret their choices later on.
The pre-chorus suggests that the "yes" of the party mood is in the singer's head and that it is essential to find where it's at. While acknowledging that the recklessness of the moment will have consequences, the song suggests that these consequences are worth ignoring. The chorus repeats the mantra that the bruises and colorful mess of the party are just "party tattoos," and black lipstick isn't a sin. The song admits that the singer and the other partygoers will come to regret the actions of the night later in life when they'll have "wrinkled up skin" but nonetheless insists on embracing the moment.
Towards the end of the song, the singer addresses their future self in a postcard and suggests that despite the eventual regrets, they'll never dream of living behind the door and will cherish their youthful memories forever. The lyrics to "Party Tattoos" capture the fleeting nature of youth and the importance of living boldly while we still can, even if we come to regret it later.
Line by Line Meaning
Take a look at the clock only so long to go
Time is running out, so take a moment to appreciate the present
Scrubbing smooth young skin saying I don't know
Trying to cleanse oneself of doubts and insecurities, but acknowledging uncertainty
Grab a bag, grab a bottle but leave the "what if?"
Let go of doubts and anxieties, and just embrace the moment
You'll see it in the morning after your kicks
There may be consequences to our actions, but we'll deal with them later
All you will need for a rocking good time
Having fun is easy and doesn't require much
Is a bunch of people who don't give a damn
Surrounding ourselves with carefree individuals is key to having a good time
There's a yes, in your head, gotta find where it's at
Somewhere deep down, we know we're up for a good time, we just have to let go of our reservations
You'll lose it in the morning but ignore that
Our enthusiasm may not last forever, but that's okay, let's focus on the present
And we're not bruised, they're just party tattoos
The marks we make may seem like injuries, but in reality, they're just symbols of a fun night
And that colourful mess is just colourful regret
The stains and spills from a wild night may seem like mistakes, but they're part of the fun memories
Black lipstick will never be a sin
Exploring our fun, creative sides will never be something to regret
We'll regret it when we're old with wrinkled up skin
Although we may regret some of our wilder moments as we age, they'll still be cherished memories
My mummy said to always wear a coat
Our loved ones may offer us advice and protection, but sometimes, we need to take risks
But it's warm and it's heavy and we're trying to float
The weight of our worries may be holding us down, but we're just trying to enjoy the moment
Don't forget she'll be right when it's three a.m.
Even when we're caught up in the excitement of the moment, we can trust that our loved ones will be there for us
So shiver, but shiver with a friend
We may feel a bit scared or vulnerable, but we can find comfort in the company of others
Write a postcard to you at eighty-four
Take a moment to reflect on the memories we're creating now, and imagine looking back on them with fondness in the future
Tell them you'd never dream of living behind the door
There's a whole world out there to explore, and we don't want to miss out by staying inside our comfort zones
Life was fun, full of love, full of hopeful smiles
Our lives are meant to be enjoyed, full of love and positivity
Bet you wish you were here
We'll look back on these memories and wish we could relive them again
But I'll see you in a while
Even though time will pass, these memories will stay with us and we can always look back on them
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Dorothy Clark
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind