I Saw Red

Album: Cherry Pie (1990)
Charted: 10
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Songfacts®:

  • In this song, Warrant lead singer Jani Lane sings about being devoted to a girl, only to have his heart broken when he walks in on her with another guy.

    Lane had some high-profile relationships, including with the singer Bekka Bramlett (daughter of Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett) and the model/actress Bobbie Brown, and rumors floated that the song describes a true story where he walked in on one of them with his best friend. Lane stated, however, that this never happened to him personally, but he knew people who had been through something similar and understood how it felt through conversations with them. Lane did a lot of storytelling in his writing, and many of his songs were not personal.
  • A track from Warrant's second album, "I Saw Red" is the only song on the set that isn't an upbeat tune.
  • This song achieved the same US chart position as the album's title track, but the latter was Warrant's best-remembered song. For Jani Lane, it was frustrating when songs like "I Saw Red," which he felt showcased his songwriting talents, were overshadowed by "Cherry Pie," which he didn't want to define the band.

Comments: 21

  • Dan From Slc from UtI saw Warrant in the mid-90's and after a full set, he said to the crowd, "I suppose you want me to sing "that" song?" and the crowd went crazy. He responded with, "By the way, I still hate that f***ing bitch". So it was clearly written about a personal experience.
  • David from PotownThere has been some debate over the meaning of ‘I Saw Red’ in the song of the same name. While the song itself offers a dichotomy of love and betrayal, I think two interpretations of the metaphor can be made after listening to this song. When reviewing the song in-depth, one meaning of the metaphor appears more likely than the other, not necessarily correct by the definition of the songwriter himself. In any event, my contention is that ‘I Saw Red’ refers to the act of witnessing love for another on the face of a lover through gesture or expression, instead of symbolizing simple blind rage or anger.
  • Eddie from Detroit I heard he walked in on his girlfriend with another guy and she was on her period, which was red. Their eyes met and she blushed, also red. The s--t's layered.
  • Joey F from NycI heard I saw red was a song about Red Skelton sleeping in his bed and Jani didnt want to wake him up. At the time he didnt have a girlfriend, but his mom was there and she was pissed that he had friends over because they messed up the kitchen.
  • Julia from BrazilI read about Jani's mental breakdown somewhere and it said the guy was Richie Sambora. I think the girl was Bekka Bramlett because it seems (through looking at pics) that their relationship happened during his early days with Warrant.
  • Amber from Gulf Shores The song was inspired by a true story of betrayal. It was written after Lane had walked in on his girlfriend in bed with his best friend, resulting in his nervous breakdown and the delayed release of the band's first record Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich. (got this off Wikipedia)
  • Mikem from Port Washington, WiOOOH......I always thought that he opened the door and that the walls were painted the wrong color, now I get it...This one has some serious hidden messages.
  • Tommy Foxx from Peekskill, NyI love the contrast between the verses and chorus. The verses are full of hope, while in the chorus his hopes are crushed. Brilliant song writing. I had the pleasure of meeting Jani Lane back in the late 80's. Good guy. RIP!
  • Nina from Bronx, Ny@Pennell, Kansas City...
    Bourgeois Tagg's "I Don't Mind At All" was released before "I Saw Red", so if anything, Warrant seems to have produced a song that sounds like Bourgeois Tagg's. "I Saw Red" is still one of my favourite songs though.
  • Pennell from Kansas City, MoListen to Bourgeois Tagg's I Don't Mind At All, you can clearly see it's an obvious attempt at this song......seriously, download it and listen, especially every verse that starts out.
  • Mike from Rapid, Sdshe blushed from embarrassment of getting caught
  • Mike from Rapid, SdI didnt even need to she his face, I saw yours, I saw red, and I shut the door. she blussed. and didnt need to see anymore.
  • Naomi from Malibu, CaI love this song since the first day i heard it, it got me really sad to hear that a girl cheated on Jani lane(i would not have cheated on him he was so damn hott)but if that girl had never cheated on him he would have never wrote such a beautiful song like this
  • Sarah from Lakeland, Falkland IslandsDo not know if it's true or not but my elder brother (who is very rocknoledgable) told me the guy was Bret Michaels and the woman was Pamela Anderson.She goes through rock gods like a fat kid through cake. Janie darlin', you soulda seen it coming.
  • Sasha from Winston, MsWhen he says, "I saw red" it means that he was so angry, he was seeing red. It's a figure of speech.
  • Bob from Kansas City, MoI think red is the anger he feels.
  • Fredrik from Stockholm, SwedenI think red is his blood cause he sings "my heart just spilled out on the floor"
  • Dl from Hightstown, NjI saw Warrant sing this live in the late '90...the lead singer said that he wrote this song based on a girl in his life and he "still hates the bitch"
  • Edgar from GuatemalaGreat Song, I love the acoustic version.
    I wonder... who´s Red?
  • Amandass from Buckley, WaThis song was HUGE in 1990 in Texas, me and my 12 year old friends loved these guys HAHA
  • Jen from Birmingham, AlThere are two versions of this video, one with the band and one acoustic. The acoustic one is that way, because Jani Lane wanted to record the video in a cemetary, and the rest of the band wouldn't set foot in it.
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