Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light
Those days are over
You don't have to sell your body to the night
Roxanne, you don't have to wear that dress tonight
Walk the streets for money
You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Roxanne

Ever since I knew you
I wouldn't talk down to you
I have to tell you just how I feel
I won't share you with another boy
I know my mind is made up
So put away your make up
Told you once I won't tell you again
It's a bad way

Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light
Roxanne, you don't have to put on the red light
You don't have to put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
Put on the red light
You don't have to put on the red light
Put on the red light

You don't have to put on the red light
Put on the red light
You don't have to



Lyrics submitted by ADimeADexter, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Track duration: 03:13


Roxanne (The Police cover) song meanings
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37 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:wait is this song originally sung by Sting or the Police? why does it say music by Sting?
    Flag rokouttilur80on October 19, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:my name is Roxanne...
    DX xx <3
    Flag RoxyDoodleon January 30, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:A song about a man who claims to be in love with a prostitute and decides to show his boundless love by making her quit her job and presumably become financially dependant on his income - because of his emotional issues with regards to jealousy and possessiveness and all... (or, maybe he's simply the kind of guy who simply doesn't want his womenfolk working/making more money than him, regardless of occupation.)
    Flag AldinTheMadon April 05, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I like the original better. This version has no more emotion.
    Flag Vinylandvodkaon March 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Haha. My mom's name is Roxanne. She loathes this song, and I think it's hilarious.
    Flag AnnabelleMarieon May 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love the orginial but this is like a faster verison and i kinda like this one too.
    Flag singmeyourlovesongon February 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Wow. This version is atrocious. I love the Police and to me FOB took everything good out of the song and made it more suitable for whiny EMOtional middle schoolers.

    No thank you.
    Flag MAB12494on January 30, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:DUDE.
    THE POLICE = life.

    zomg.
    I was like; @_@
    THEY DID NOT.

    I'm going to find this rendition ASAP
    and then kick FOB's asses.

    (I truly love FOB, but The Police is untouchable.)
    Flag ohsoMODon November 23, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:ooh i just heard this, it's different...but pretty good
    Flag alexwoodon September 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Red light refers to a lot a medieval practice. Back then, a red lamp would hang from above a... harlot house. That would mean they're 'open for business'. And this in turn comes from the tradition of the Rose. A harlot would hang a rose about the... business bed, because roses symbolize secrecy, so that would have been as saying "Your secret is safe".
    The red light, and general colour red, is a classic symbol of women who prostitute themselves.

    Sting is a master lyricist, and this song is a masterpiece in terms of Lyrics and Music. I love the original, and always will because it's the original, it's sung by my favorite band, and Sting's voice is lovely.
    But this version is also very, very good! Much more rock and punk in this one, and even the base is stronger. Patric does sound very good singing it, better than he does in almost every other song...

    Overall: Roxanne ROCKS! lol :P
    Flag AprilMoon1991on September 08, 2007   Link

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