Songfacts®:

• A red flag refers to something that indicates potential danger, trouble, or incompatibility. It dates back to the early 17th century when armies used red flags to signal impending battle.
  
  Here, Brittany Howard sings about ignoring the "red flags" in past relationships, a metaphor for the subtle yet crucial signs of incompatibility or unhealthy patterns.
• This song explores Brittany Howard's tendency to ignore warning signs in past relationships and the emotional toll of this behavior.
  
  "In my past relationships, I've had a tendency to see red flags as part of some parade just for me - something for me to run right through without paying any attention," said Howard. "To me 'Red Flags' sounds very dystopian, which makes sense for a song that feels like end-of-times as far as me emotionally maturing. It's like a big tower fell and now I have to create something new."
• Howard wrote the song herself and co-produced it with her longtime collaborator Shawn Everett (The War On Drugs, The Killers). The jazz drummer Nate Smith provides percussion.
• Brittany Howard recorded "Red Flags" for her second solo studio album, What Now, and released it as a single on November 17, 2023. The album builds upon the confessional style of her debut, Jaime, delving into the aftermath of a breakup. (Howard and her wife, musician Jesse Lafser, separated between the two albums).
• Other artists who have sung songs about red flags include:
  
  2011 Madina Lake "Blood Red Flags" (about heading straight into a situation you know is bad for you).
  
  2012 Taylor Swift "I Knew You Were Trouble" (about going into a relationship knowing it was the wrong thing to do, highlighting the importance of trusting your gut).
  
  2016 Gwen Stefani "Red Flag" (about the warning signs in her marriage to Gwen Stefani that she didn't recognize)
  
  2021 Olivia Rodrigo "Favorite Crime" (explores the glaring red flags her ex left Rodrigo after he betrayed her)
  
  2023 Mimi Webb "Red Flags" (delves into the emotional toll of ignoring red flags, highlighting the importance of self-awareness and healthy boundaries)