Roxanne

The song’s speaker addresses Roxanne, urging her to stop earning money through sex work and saying she no longer needs to dress for that life. His words sound protective and affectionate: he says he loves her and does not want to speak down to her. At the same time, his concern becomes forceful, and he insists that he will not share her with anyone. The emotional movement is therefore not simply from sadness to hope; tenderness is mixed with pressure and jealousy.

The “red light” suggests a signal associated with sex work, so putting it on can mean making herself available to customers. Walking the streets “for money” makes the situation more direct, while the dress and makeup suggest the appearance she adopts for work. The speaker’s claim that “those days are over” expresses his hope—or assumption—that she can leave that life behind. His phrase “put away your make up” may mean more than removing cosmetics: he may be asking her to stop presenting herself as a worker.

It is possible to hear the speaker as offering care and a different future, but his commands complicate that reading. Saying he will not share her may reflect commitment, possessiveness, or both. The lyrics do not explain Roxanne’s own feelings or whether she wants to stop working, so the speaker’s confident advice may not match her wishes. The song leaves that tension unresolved.