“Your final kiss is to leave a scar”– The Rasmus sing about a dangerous hookup in “Jezebel” lyrics

After an impressive finish at Eurovision 2021, Finland has returned with another rock offering for 2022, this time from one of their most internationally-known acts, The Rasmus. Having convincingly won Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2022, the experienced band will now take “Jezebel” to Turin. 

Scroll down to read the lyrics of “Jezebel”

Finland in Eurovision 2022: The Rasmus “Jezebel”

With almost thirty years of career, The Rasmus have cemented themselves as Finnish music stalwarts, having sold over five million records around the world. Their current line up consists of vocalist Lauri Ylönen, bassist Eero Heinonen (both who have been present ever since the band’s inception in 1994), drummer Aki Hakala and guitarist Emilia Suhonen, who joined the band this year.

Constantly featuring on the top of the Finnish charts and winning all kinds of awards, they managed to hit international success with the 2003 hit “In the Shadows”, peaking at #3 in the British charts, #1 in Germany, and placing in the top ten of several more countries. This pushed them to tour over hundreds of venues and cities across Europe.

What do the “Jezebel” lyrics mean?

Jezebel was a queen of Israel featured in the Bible, who was commonly associated with false prophets and controlling or sexually proactive women. Not directly singing about the biblical Jezebel, The Rasmus use the name as a simile to refer to the female figure who is the topic of the song.

This woman heads out with the intention of having her way with someone else, and this time it’s singer Lauri who gets tangled up: “If you’re the hunter then I’m the prey / You lick your lips as you walk away / Your final kiss is to leave a scar”.

To refer to a woman as a Jezebel has often meant deeming them to be immoral, promiscuous and scheming. But instead of using the figure as a demeaning term, The Rasmus instead use the comparison as a symbol of rebellion, defiance and independence.

“It is about a girl who takes what she wants, without asking. A free spirit.”, Ylönen comments. “Jezebel is an homage, a tribute, to the strong women of today, who own their bodies, who are in charge of their sensuality, their sexuality, and who are determined to be an equal.”

The song was written by Ylönen himself alongside world-renowned producer Desmond Child, who has worked with iconic rock acts Kiss, Bon Jovi, and Alice Cooper, as well as The Rasmus themselves on previous occasions.

Music and lyrics by: Lauri Ylönen, Desmond Child

Midnight, it’s time to put your face on
Game set, a killer shark in heels
I’m just the first shot on your hit list
High kicks, a predator on wheels
Woke up with bruises on my body
Hands tied, like Jesus on the cross
Your name’s in lipstick on the mirror

Jezebel
I don’t know how you got in my blood
Was it the dangerous things you do?
You always wanted to be a star
Jezebel
If you’re the hunter then I’m the prey
You lick your lips as you walk away
Your final kiss is to leave a scar
On a heart
Jezebel

At night you turn into a tiger
A girl who looks like she’s a boy
The world’s most ultimate survivor

Jеzebel (Jezеbel)
I don’t know how you got in my blood (Jezebel)
Was it the dangerous things you do? (Jezebel)
You always wanted to be a star
Jezebel (Jezebel)
If you’re the hunter then I’m the prey (Jezebel)
You lick your lips as you walk away (Jezebel)
Your final kiss is to leave a scar
On a heart

Sunrise, you crawl under the covers
Sleep tight until the dying sun
Tonight you’ll catch another lover
Jezebel

Jezebel (Jezebel)
I don’t know how you got in my blood (Jezebel)
Was it the dangerous things you do? (Jezebel)
You always wanted to be a star
Jezebel (Jezebel)
If you’re the hunter then I’m the prey (Jezebel)
You lick your lips as you walk away (Jezebel)
Your final kiss is to leave a scar
On a heart

Jezebel (Jezebel)
Jezebel (Jezebel)
Jezebel

What do you make of the “Jezebel” lyrics? How will The Rasmus fare at Eurovision 2022? Let us know in the comments below.