Cherry Lips released as a single2001

LYRICS CHERRY LIPS

She gave you everything she had

But she was young and dumb

She'd just turned twenty-one

She didn't care to hang around

So when the shit came down

Why she was nowhere to be found

This life can turn a good girl bad

She was the sweetest thing

That you had ever seen

You're such a delicate boy

In the hysterical realm

Of an emotional landslide

In physical terms

With your cherry lips and golden curls

You could make grown men gasp

When you'd go walking past them

In your hot pants and high heels

They could not believe

That such a body was for real

It seemed like rainbows would appear

Whenever you came near the clouds would disappear

Because you looked just like a girl

Your baby blues would flash

And suddenly a spell was cast

You hold a candle in your heart

You shine the light on hidden parts

You make the whole world wanna dance

You bought yourself a second chance

Go baby go go

We're right behind you

Go baby go go

Yeah we're looking at you

Go baby go go

Aw we're right behind you

Go baby

Go baby

Yeah we're looking at you

Go

"You're such a delicate boy..."

aloadofgarbage 12.02.08

Shirley Manson wrote Cherry Lips after meeting JT Leroy and reading his novel 'Sarah'. Later Laura Albert was exposed as being JT Leroy. Laura says:

"Shirley Manson read about JT in The Face magazine early on, and we saw her play in LA, and we all had a big pajama party. Shirley was as welcoming to Speedie as she was to JT, which was rare. She wrote a song called “Cherry Lips” based on the character of Cherry Vanilla, from Sarah."

Shirley also metions both JT Leroy and Speedie in the song Bleed Like Me from the album of the same name.

(for the rest of the 2006 interview with Laura Albert go to link Being JT Leroy above left)

Cherry Lips is clearly about gender-bending but also about not being afraid to be who you really are, because only then will you be the lovely person inside.

Delicate Girl May 20th 2008

A few of my friends are boys that make you feel joy just as in the lyrics of Cherry Lips. I adore them, but they can also be such bitches. Viva la femme.

links

song meanings...?

here are some theories for the meaning of Garbage and Shirley Manson 's lyrics. If you wish to add your own ideas you can comment at the foot of this page or in the forum. I will add your contribution to the appropriate page within a few days.

lyrics:

theories for meaning: