Paint it Black
Bastard Sons of Dioniso Lyrics
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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
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
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 Bastard Sons of Dioniso's "Paint It Black" are an intriguing mix of imagery and introspection. The song's narrator sees a red door and wants it painted black, symbolizing a desire to reject the brightness and color of the world around him. He longs for a darkness that reflects the bleakness he sees inside himself, and hopes that by painting everything black, he can fade away and avoid facing the facts of his life.
The verses are filled with descriptions of the world outside the singer, and he often has to turn away from it because it only serves to remind him of what he's lost. He sees cars and people wearing black, again suggesting a connection between the outside world and his inner darkness. The song's refrain ("I wanna see it painted black") is repeated several times, conveying a sense of urgency and a desire for change.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a red door and I want it painted black
The singer is seeing the color red, which represents passion and love, but wishes to paint it black, symbolizing a desire to feel nothing instead.
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
The singer wants to eliminate all color from their life, in the hopes that it will allow them to escape their feelings and emotional attachments.
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
The singer observes others enjoying life and engaging in normal activities, but is unable to participate due to their own feelings of darkness.
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
The artist feels the need to avoid the joyful experiences of others in order to avoid feeling hopeless and alone.
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
The artist notices that even the mundane objects in their life seem to reflect their feelings of despair.
With flowers and my love both never to come back
The singer's feelings of loss and heartbreak are symbolized by the image of flowers, typically associated with love and affection.
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Others are uncomfortable with the singer's darkness and avoid interacting with them as a result.
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day
The isolation and rejection the artist experiences are a normal, everyday part of their life.
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
The artist recognizes that their innermost feelings are dark and hopeless.
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Even their physical surroundings are a reminder of their desire to escape the feelings of passion and love that the color red represents.
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
The singer wishes to disappear entirely, rather than confront the emotional pain they are experiencing.
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black
It is difficult to confront one's emotions when they are overwhelming and all-consuming.
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
The singer has lost the ability to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them, so even the ocean is black in their eyes.
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
The singer is surprised and saddened by the fact that someone they care about has also been affected by darkness and despair.
If I look hard enough into the settin sun
The singer hopes that if they search hard enough, they will find some glimmer of hope in the world around them.
My love will laugh with me before the mornin comes
The artist hopes to find love and joy in their life, even if it means trying to find it in the darkest of moments.
I wanna see it painted, painted black
The artist longs for the comfort of darkness, rather than the pain of emotional attachment.
Black as night, black as coal
The singer wishes to be enveloped in a complete, undifferentiated darkness that consumes everything else.
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
The singer's desire to eliminate all light and color from the world around them reflects their desire to escape their emotional pain.
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
The repetition of this phrase emphasizes the artist's intense longing for darkness and emotional detachment.
Yeah!
A final expression of the artist's desire for darkness and emotional isolation.
Contributed by Austin I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.