Songfacts®:

• Over big strings and a funky bassline, Steve Lacy braces himself for heartbreak in "Dark Red." He worries his girlfriend is about to leave him and he pleads with her to stay. "Don't you give me up, please don't give up, on me," he begs, as she is the only person he desires.
• Lacy doesn't give any clue in the lyrics as to why he feels his relationship is heading for split city, but the title (which doesn't appear in the lyrics) drops a hint. Does the "dark red" refer to the shade of lipstick his girlfriend has taken to wearing? If so, such a daring and vampish color signifies confidence and a desire to move on.
• On the bridge, Lacy explores the flipside when he wonders whether he's overthinking and there's no cause for concern.
• "Dark Red" is a track from Steve Lacy's Demo, the Internet musician's first solo EP. He created most of the record on his iPhone.
• Five-and-a-half years after its release, the song went viral on TikTok and charted worldwide.