Went to college, studied arts
I attended college and studied art.

To be an artist make a start
I wanted to pursue a career as an artist.

Studied hard, gettin' my degree
I worked diligently towards earning my degree in art.

But no one seemed to notice me
Despite my efforts, I didn't gain any recognition for my work.

Tried cartoons and comic books
I attempted to make a living by creating cartoons and comic books.

Dirty postcards could have done
I could have made more money by creating vulgar postcards.

Here was where the money laid
However, the most profitable path wasn't one that I was personally comfortable with.

Classic art has had it's day
Traditional art forms were no longer in demand.

Did adverts for T.V.
I turned to creating advertisements for television.

Household shops and brands of tea
My advertisements featured household products, such as tea brands.

Labels all around the cans
My work appeared on product labels.

Who want to be a painter man
I still longed to be recognized as a painter, despite my change in career path.

La, la, la, la, la, la,
An interlude of nonsensical sounds.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la,
Another interlude of nonsensical sounds.

Painter man, painter man
A repetition of the song's title.

Who want to be a painter man
A repetition of the song's theme, expressing the desire to be recognized as a painter.