Colors have always been meticulously studied by psychologists, including various effects of colors on people. These studies are widely taken advantage of by designers and marketing experts (for obvious reasons). But colors also have individual meanings in the English language and musicians use colors and what they represented (to them) to write catchy songs, most of which have stood the test of time.
Below are different songs featuring colors as the subject. The dates, genres, artists, meanings and paces of the songs vary.
Lady in Red by Chris de Burgh
Soft rocker Chris de Burgh (whose actual name is Christopher John Davison) released the album Into the Night in 1986. Into the Night was the artist’s 8th studio album. It saw number 1 in Ireland, number 2 in Germany and UK; and number 25 in the US charts.
Lady in Red is both the album’s and the artist’s biggest hit. Despite the aggressive or sexy meaning the color red is generally associated with, Lady in Red is a soft, romantic song. It describes the singer’s love for the lady wearing the red dress (and looking absolutely gorgeous).
The song was written by Chris de Burgh (born in Argentina with a British Nationality). Burgh continued to release many other successful albums but Lady in Red remains Chris’s most remembered song:
I’ve never seen you looking so gorgeous as you did tonight
I’ve never seen you shine so bright you were amazing
I’ve never seen so many people want to be there by your side
And when you turned to me and smiled it took my breath away
And I have never had such a feeling such a feeling
Of complete and utter love, as I do tonightThe lady in red is dancing with me
Cheek to cheek
There’s nobody here
It’s just you and me
It’s where I wanna be
But I hardly know this beauty by my side
I’ll never forget the way you look tonightI never will forget the way you look tonight
The lady in red
My lady in red
I love you
I Saw Red by Warrant
I Saw Red is the third track on the most popular Warrant album Cherry Pie. A little like Lady in Red, I Saw Red is on the softer rock side (although a little less soft than de Burgh’s song). However Warrant’s red song is not exactly romantic as it describes the storyteller walking in on his girlfriend when she was with another guy. The red in this song represents heartbreak, anger, disappointment and loss of love.
The song was typically written by singer Jani Lane
Sample Lyrics:
Cause I saw red when I opened up the door
I saw red, my heart just spilled onto the floor
And I didn’t need to see his face
Oh, I saw yours
I saw red and then I closed the door
And I don’t think I’m gonna love you anymore
Pink by Aerosmith
Of all the colors used in rock songs, Pink just might be the most upbeat and positive song of all. The video mainly consists of Aerosmith members and some other people, wearing some weird clothes and make-up. Pink is used in almost all the lines of the song and it represents a lot of things including passion, obsession, favorite color and lipstick color. But keep in mind that even when singer Steven Tyler is talking about pink as a color, he is always prepping the listener for a sexual undertone.
Pink was featured on the album Nine Lives (1997). The song, co-written by Steven Tyler, was a success at rock charts. Nine Lives is a more modern rock album, as opposed to the band’s former glam and hard rock styles.
Sample Lyrics:
Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink gets me high as a kite
And I think everything is going to be all right
No matter what we do tonight
I want to be your lover
I wanna wrap you in rubber
As pink as the sheets that we lay on
Pink is my favorite crayon, yeah
Pink it was love at first sight
Pink when I turn out the light
Pink it’s like red but not quite
