Red Elephant

Born Ruffians

When am I supposed to say so long?
When am I supposed to say so long?

When I fall in love 'fore dusk is dawn
When you take my hand across the lawn
With the eyes so sweet they're like a fawn
Red elephant is wet & long...

How am I supposed to wash you off?
Rungs of bad poems I've hacked & coughed

But I have to spare a breath for you
Which I'll take, before we make anew
Our hearts will take a stroll for two
Our feet will take the avenue
& Walk in unison, so cute
Red elephant is turning blue

Why am I here when you're over there?
Let's meet at the fountains
In Dundas Square
Who am I supposed to be with you?
I'll wait 'til you say & pretend I knew

Because if it's true that walls can talk
How mine would brag of tears I've sobbed
When thinking of the way we walked
Along the paths of sideway chalk
Forever under ticking clock
Where you & I are free to flock

What can I write when I know it's wrong?
Slapping my knee to my own damn song
Where can we go when the sinking stops?
To the pit of my chest
As it drops and drops...

Put your head upon my chest, it breathes
& My fingers through your hair they weave
& Your shoulders are the perfect sea
In which I get lost invariably
Oh the elephant is up to sea
If it meets the peach fish underneath
& When I am you and you are me
We are stirred as spoons in lover's tea


Lyrics submitted by fortune500b

Red Elephant song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment
    I'm almost 100% sure red elephant is being used as an analogy for his penis. In the beginning of the relationship he's very attracted to her, but they're taking it slow. So, his "red elephant" is wet and long. Then, as their relationship deepens, and they still haven't had sex, the red elephant is turning blue (aka "blue balls"). By the end, I believe he's describing them having sex. In a sweet sort of childish way. I still find this song incredibly charming despite the innuendo.
    dumbledore222on November 26, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Dundas Square is a public square in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
    philliposophyon March 12, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    this song to me seems to go back and forth between being in love and having lost it and the gamut of emotions that are felt. is it just me or could red elephant be a metonym for something sexual?
    greenzobon May 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i think its about young love/sex
    life_aint_chesson June 16, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    "Peachfish" means vagina. The term was invented by Tom Robbins in my favorite book, Still Life With Woodpecker. I love them so much more for that allusion; I didn't even know I had the capacity to do that.
    madvertisementon November 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    this song is beautiful. sometimes you just don't know what it all means.
    doumakon April 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    the last line of this song makes it for me. so good I think this song is also about young love. And when you're young, you aren't sure if it is going to last forever, but you sure hope so. At least that is what it means to me.
    evergettheurgeon April 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    great song. love the lyrics. except "red elephant is turning blue" is actually "But I have to spare a breath for you" :)
    laurride288on May 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    haha just kidding i can't read. ignore my correction
    laurride288on May 13, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    very cute love song, i love the last line "we are stirred as spoons in lover's tea" ...still considering the red elephant being a penis hmmm not sure
    elec_trickon April 01, 2011   Link

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