Wrap Her Up

Song Meaning

The lyrics to "Wrap Her Up" present a speaker surveying a diverse array of women, from "illegal X's" to "Mona Lisa's." The tone is strikingly transactional, almost like a shopper in a store. The repeated command, "Wrap her up," immediately establishes a sense of acquisition. A central tension emerges from the stark contrast between the women described and the speaker's detached approach. He lists "shady, English roses" and "blue blooded, turned up noses," then immediately follows with the cold, business-like assertion that "Money talks." This suggests a world where relationships are explicitly defined by financial exchange, with "no strings attached." The most impactful craft choice is the chorus's blunt directive, "Wrap her up." This phrase, usually reserved for inanimate objects, strips away individuality, reducing women to commodities. It's a striking verbal act of possession. The subsequent line, "Beasts and beauties," further flattens their identities, grouping them by superficial traits and a single, performative skill. The lyrics become particularly effective in the third verse, which unleashes a torrent of famous names—Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Nancy Reagan, and even "Superwoman." This dizzying, almost indiscriminate list blurs the lines between real icons, fictional characters, and political figures. It suggests that in the speaker's world, all women, regardless of their status or persona, can be reduced to objects of desire to be "wrapped up," portraying desire as a flattening force.