Paint It Black
The Quakes Lyrics
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No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the settin' sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
Hmm, hmm, hmm,...
I wanna see it painted, painted black
Black as night, black as coal
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
Yeah!
The lyrics to “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones reflect a deep feeling of depression and hopelessness that the singer is experiencing. He sees the world around him as hopeless, devoid of color or light. When he sees a red door, he wants it painted black, and when he sees people turning their heads, he wishes darkness to overcome them. He sees himself as a creature of darkness with a black heart, and he wishes for everything around him to reflect his emptiness.
The mention of a line of cars painted black and the flowers for his love who will never return suggests a deep sadness and bleaker times ahead. The lyrics also suggest a sense of rejection from others as people turn away from him, and he feels trapped in a world that has no place for him. The song is a reflection of the struggles to cope with loss, depression, and anxiety in a world that seems to offer no hope.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a red door and I want it painted black
I desire to transform the color of a red door into black.
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I don't want to see any more colors, I want them all to be black.
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I perceive the girls passing by, clothed in attire appropriate for the summer season.
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I must avert my gaze until the negative feelings dissipate from within me.
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
I am observing a queue of cars which are coated in black dye.
With flowers and my love both never to come back
The flower arrangements and my affection are gone and will not return.
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
I observe individuals who glance in my direction but then rapidly avert their attention.
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day
It's a recurring affair that happens all the time, like a newborn baby crying every day.
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I reflect on my inner self and perceive a deeply negative mindset.
I see my red door and it has been painted black
I notice the formerly red door which has been altered to the color black.
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
Perhaps in that situation I will fade into obscurity and not need to acknowledge the unpleasant reality.
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black
It's quite challenging to confront the difficulties when everything has turned negative.
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
My once vivid and lush surroundings will no longer have any variety or vibrancy.
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
I could not anticipate or predict this event happening to you.
If I look hard enough into the settin' sun
If I scrutinize the setting sun with adequate attention.
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes
My beloved will humorously chuckle with me prior to the arrival of the new day.
Hmm, hmm, hmm,...
An indistinct and lingering vocalization.
I wanna see it painted, painted black
I strongly desire to witness the visual transformation to the color black.
Black as night, black as coal
As black as darkness that occurs in the nighttime or as coal that is burned to produce it.
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
I yearn for the sun to be obscured and hidden from the sky entirely.
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
I want the visual transformation to the color black so badly, I desire it to be emphasized multiple times.
Yeah!
An enthusiastic exclamation of excitement.
Contributed by James W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.