There are many songs with colors in the title. That said, songs about red tend to focus on powerful feelings and emotions more so than any other color. Here are the best songs with red in the title.
1. “Wrapped in Red” by Kelly Clarkson
Song year: 2013
Returning to a more upbeat focus in the lyrics, “Wrapped in Red” is a holiday song that mixes elements of soul, country, pop, and jazz. Color plays an important role throughout the song, with different colors representing emotion, wealth, feelings, and more as she reaches for the relationship she wants to have.
Red has an extra meaning when you associate it with Christmas. It’s the traditional color for Santa’s outfit, but people also associate it with presents and ribbons. You can read the title for this song in many ways, from being bundled up in her emotions to literally giving her feelings to the listener. It’s creative lyric writing and much smarter than it may seem at first listen.
2. “Red Dress” by MAGIC!
Song year: 2016
An upbeat pop song, “Red Dress,” emphasizes that the most important part of any outfit is the person wearing it. There’s a lot of truth to the idea, especially if you focus on the meaning of each part of an outfit.
3. “Little Red Corvette” by Prince
Song year: 1999
Prince is one of the most well-known artists on this list, and that’s saying something, given the sheer popularity of some artists. “Little Red Corvette”’s smooth pop style covers some surprisingly direct lyrics. Being blunt about a topic is easy enough, but Prince excels at adding just enough innuendo to avoid being wholly obscene.
4. “Red Red Wine” by UB40
Song year: 1983
Most songs with red in the title focus on the emotional aspect of things, but UB40 adds to it with an emphasis on wine. As people who enjoy wine know, red wine is an existing product, so the lyrics are a clever association between a drink, a color, and the emotions of the song itself. The song easily deserves its popularity for its smooth delivery and smart writing.
5. “Little Red Riding Hood” by Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs
Song year: 1966
Far more classic than some other tunes, this older tune draws on a classic childhood story that most people in the country can probably describe in general terms, even if they don’t remember every single detail. Using a shared cultural understanding often works well in songs, and that’s probably why some radio stations still play this song today.
6. “Red Solo Cup” by Toby Keith
Song year: 2011
Toby Keith is easily one of the most recognized country music stars, and “Red Solo Cup” earned him the Country Music Association’s award for Music Video of the Year. The titular cup represents several things throughout the song, but the real emphasis is the culture surrounding it and its practical uses.
7. “The Lady in Red” by Chris de Burgh
Song year: 1986
Pop and rock are two genres that often go hand-in-hand, but not many songs add in folk elements as handily as Chris de Burgh did in this song from Into The Light. Like many songs about red things, it’s ultimately about love and passion, but especially for realizing there can be more to someone you care about than you’ve ever noticed before.
8. “Red Lipstick” by Trey Songz
Song year: 2010
R&B isn’t the most popular genre for songs with red in the name, but perhaps that goes to show the versatility of the subject. Throughout his verses, Trey Songz discusses a range of themes, including temperatures, time, and colored lipstick as part of a relationship.
9. “Little Red Wagon” by Miranda Lambert
Song year: 2014
Have you noticed that most songs with red in the title are written by men, especially when they’re about love? Miranda Lambert breaks that mold with this country song about what people love and her feelings about it. It’s also a fiercely independent song. Although ostensibly about a car, you can also read the lyrics as the red represents love or relationships.
10. “99 Red Balloons” by Nena
Song year: 1983
Released in 1983, “99 Red Balloons” is an upbeat tune that mixes pop and rock with new wave sections for a bouncy hit. It also takes some German influences in the style, and you can tell it apart from more American-themed designs if you’re familiar with the differences in the genres.
However, this isn’t a song about love. Instead, the balloons confuse radar systems, and the military ultimately springs to action, hinting at society destroying itself from innocent actions. It’s worth remembering that this song came out quite a few years before the end of the Cold War and was perhaps a warning not to jump too quickly toward a bleak future.
11. “Red Rag Top” by Tim McGraw
Song year: 2002
Tim McGraw is another well-known country singer, and “Red Rag Top” managed to climb to near the top of Billboard’s country music charts. It might have been higher if some radio stations hadn’t banned it out of concern for listeners’ reactions to the lyrics, which run from passion to abortion to abandoning love.
12. “Red, White, and You” by Steven Tyler
Song year: 2016
A clear pun on patriotism, Steven Tyler’s 2016 country song mixes themes of color throughout the songs, including the opposite association that blue has for sadness. Mentions of the Fourth of July link back to the central idea in the title, as do the fireworks, while creative pauses help build anticipation before the next section explodes.
13. “Redneck Girl” by Bellamy Brothers
Song year: 1982
Red is the color of desire, and that’s on full display here with a country song about finding a certain kind of girl. In this tune, the ultimate goal is a certain kind of girl, one who likes music while being loyal to one person. It’s a frank, honest admission about what someone is looking for in a relationship, and it ties in with the overall theme of its album, Strong Weakness.
14. “I Saw Red” by Warrant
Song year: 1990
A bold power ballad, “I Saw Red,” starts the way so many songs with this color in the title do, emphasizing love and relationships. However, it takes a sharp turn in the second chorus, drawing on a different kind of passion entirely when Warrant finds his love cheating on him with someone else.
15. “Red” by Calliope Mori
Song year: 2021
Racking up about fifteen million views in under two years, Calliope Mori’s “Red” is a song that matches the theme of this list more directly than any other. The interrupted music pacing at the start is instantly attention-grabbing, calling you to focus on the song instead of putting it on in the background.
This song is also emblematic of an unusual approach to the music world. Originally debuting as a Vtuber (a variety entertainer using motion-tracking to control animated digital avatars), Calliope shot to the top of the worldwide download lists upon releasing her first single and eventually signed with Universal Music.
The song itself focuses on Calliope’s personal experiences, ambition, and willingness to work hard for her dreams, and in hindsight, that’s certainly borne fruit.
16. “Like Red on a Rose” by Alan Jackson
Song year: 2006
Country is one of the genres most likely to use the color red in a title, and Alan Jackson’s short tune focuses on how quickly love can start and how it can feel for those captured by it. After working on a little more color symbolism, Alan turns the lyrics to other parts of the emotion, emphasizing a pure and almost childlike affection for others.
However, the main theme of this song is a natural sense of belonging, such as bright colors on flowers.
17. “Seein’ Red” by Dustin Lynch
Song year: 2017
Most people associate the phrase “seeing red” with jealousy, rage, or negativity. So Dustin Lynch’s 2017 country song can come as a surprise if you don’t know what to expect. Rather than going the route the title implies, he focuses on the passion of the color with two people out on their own and the nearly-overwhelming feelings that can create.
18. “The Red” by Chevelle
Song year: 2002
Stepping away from the love-theming, Chevelle’s rock/metal song from Wonder What’s Next focuses on anger and how easy it can be to lose control. Throughout the brief lyrics, he notes that the threat from someone in a rage is very real, and the person feeling it may not be able to control it.
19. “Big Red Car” by The Wiggles
Song year: 1995
Songs with red in the title are usually about an emotion, mostly positive but occasionally negative instead. Australian children’s band The Wiggles goes an entirely different route with this musical number about their kid-friendly show vehicle.
Like many children’s songs, “Big Red Car” has some sneaky educational value. In this case, it focuses on the importance of buckling up after you get into the car, which is a lesson any child riding in one should know. The earlier they learn that, the better, so this is easily the best kid’s song on this list.
(Incidentally, writing songs for children is often trickier than writing ones for older audiences. If you’re interested in some of the principles behind that, check out our guide to making good songs for kids.)
20. “Blue, Red, and Grey” by The Who
Song year: 1975
Written as an acoustic ballad that mixes elements of rock, pop, and indie styling, this song discusses a range of colors, their meanings, and some of the emotions that come with them. Blue represents a typical day, red is for sunrise and sunset, and gray is for cloudier times.
21. “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron” by The Royal Guardsmen
Song year: 1966
A novelty pop song mixing elements of folk and blues into a rock base, “Snoopy vs. The Red Baron” details a fictional encounter between the dog Snoopy (from Peanuts, the comic strip best-known for Charlie Brown) and the real-life Manfred von Richthofen, a German air pilot credited with an astounding 80 victories.
For context, it took five victories for most people to count a pilot as an ace. The so-called Red Baron had the highest number of victories in World War I, although the number of planes by World War II would see other pilots eventually surpass his count.
The song itself is a jaunty tune, telling of the Red Baron’s final defeat at Snoopy’s hands.
22. “A Big Red Kite” by Lobo
Song Year: 1972
“A Big Red Kite” is a reflective song about a simple man sitting out in a field and flying a kite as the world passes around him. He’s rejecting material things, acting on what he doesn’t believe in, and admitting that he should be doing things differently. It’s less passionate than most songs with red in the title, but no less heartfelt.
23. “Black Roses Red” by Alana Grace
Song Year: 2005
A straightforward and heartfelt song, “Black Roses Red,” focuses on the desire to let love turn depression and loneliness into something brighter and more passionate. Considering the power of red in songs, this tune is one of the best representations of the underlying concepts of color and what they mean when singers use them.
24. “Brick Is Red” by Pixies
Song Year: 1988
“Brick Is Red” isn’t as clear about meanings as some other songs, but this short tune tells the story of a fish pulled out of the water and eyes glazing over. On a more metaphorical level, it’s also about death and an unwillingness to give up, but the beauty that can exist after something happens.
25. “Brinstar Red Soil Swampy Area” from Super Metroid
Song Year: 1994
How about a break from all the lyrics? “Brinstar Red Soil Swampy Area” is the directly-named background music of a section from the 1994 smash-hit Super Metroid video game, with a pulsing background beat that helps emphasize the danger of the area.
26. “Dreaming In Red” by The Calling
Song Year: 2004
“Dreaming In Red,” tells the complex story of a dream, including things the character will never understand. It brings in several comments about popular things that can happen in dreams, from a sense of falling to drifting away.
27. “Red Guitar” by Kris Allen
Song Year: 2009
Although ostensibly about the instrument in the title, Kris Allen’s “Red Guitar” is more about the woman playing it. The guitar itself is old and broken but played nonetheless, and you can apply all sorts of interpretations to that.
28. “Red Hill Mining Town” by U2
Song Year: 1987
Coming from one of the most popular bands of the 80s, “Red Hill Mining Town” is specifically about a 1984 strike in England, discussing themes of unemployment and loss. It takes special care to note that the coal workers aren’t just employees but people, and the loss of their livelihoods can have severe effects on them.
29. “Red Light Spells Danger” by Billy Ocean
Song Year: 1976
Billy Ocean’s 1976 pop hit discusses love, as many songs with red in the title do. However, the danger in question has genuine feelings after spending a long time being self-indulgent and having flings without truly caring for others.
30. “Red Mosquito” by Pearl Jam
Song Year: 1996
While you might think the lyrics are a metaphor for drugs and addiction, “Red Mosquito” is a surprisingly literal song inspired by a stay in a hotel room, trapped with an insect, when one of the band’s members was sick with food poisoning. Believe it or not, sometimes a song is what it claims to be.
31. “Red River Rock” by Johnny & the Hurricanes
Song Year: 1959
Rock songs usually feature vocals, but this jaunty tune from the late 50s is a full instrumental. “Red River Rock” follows the band’s main style in adding saxophone and organ elements to the rock base, creating a much more distinctive sound than most songs you may know from the genre.
32. “Red-Suited Super Man” by Rod Stewart
Song Year: 2012
While the title might make you think of a certain iconic superhero, “Red-Suited Super Man” is actually a Christmas song about the hope for having peace and love through the world. Red remains a popular metaphor for love, but adding in the Santa focus adds a double layer of meaning to this upbeat holiday tune.
33. “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” by Gene Autry
Song Year: 1947
Speaking of Christmas songs, who can forget the iconic song telling the tale of a young magical reindeer ostracized for his differences before the community realized his glowing body was beneficial for their work? Okay, that’s just the joke take on the song, but it is one of the most iconic holiday songs of all time.
34. “Red-Headed Woman” by Bruce Springsteen
Song Year: 1993
Mixing rock and the blues, which is an unusual combination by any evaluation, especially for a track as explicit at this one. The song is specifically about his wife, Patti Scialfa, and Springsteen wouldn’t top the directness of his lyrics for more than two decades.
35. “Red Heart” by Akai Haato
Song Year: 2021
The first single from Japanese Vtuber Akai Haato (literally “Red Heart,” hence the song name), and sung in English instead of Japanese like you might expect, this is an upbeat j-pop song about her journey and love towards her fans. Don’t let the syrupy-sweet lyrics fool you, though, because the artist is also known for mind-bending antics when she’s not singing.
36. “Little Red Rooster” by The Rolling Stones
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j-nT_joqmeM
Song year: 1964
The Rolling Stones are easily among the most well-known rock bands of all time, but “Little Red Rooster” departs from their usual style to mix in the Blues. What’s less well-known is that “Little Red Rooster” is a cover of an arrangement from Willie Dixon, which was then recorded by Howlin’ Wolf for an initial release.
“Little Red Rooster” has had many arrangements and edits since then, most excellent in their own right. However, The Rolling Stones made the version that hit the top of the British charts, and it’s the only Blues song to ever reach that milestone. By public perception, if nothing else, makes their version perhaps the greatest version of this song.
37. “Red Right Hand” By Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Song year: 1994
A tune by an Australian band, this rock tune draws on classic literature, specifically in the form of Paradise Lost by John Milton, with the red right hand representing an unknown and dangerous threat. The song progresses with a journey alongside a stranger who’s far more than he appears to be.
Songs With Red In The Title, Final Thoughts
Songs with red in the title across the entire range of genres. While most focus on love, red can occasionally hint at something more sinister… or something kid-friendly! Red represents an incredible range, but it’s never weak, and most songs with this color will feature powerful, touching lyrics and instrumental work regardless of their style. While you’re here, why not check out these songs with color in the title.