Black and Blue
Counting Crows Lyrics


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Fading everything to black and blue
You look a lot like you
Shatter in the blink of an eye
You keep sailing right on through
Every time you say you're learning
You just look a lot like me
Pale under the blistering sky
White and red
Black and blue
You've been waiting a long time
You've been waiting a long time

To fall down on your knees
Cut your hands
Cut yourself until you bleed
Fall asleep next to me
Wait for everyone to go away
And in a dimly lit
room where you've got nothing to hide

Say your goodbyes
Tell yourself we'll read
a note that says
I'm sorry everyone
I'm tired of feeling nothing goodbye

Wash your face
Dry your eyes
Cause you've been waiting a long time
You've been waiting a long long time
To fall down on your knees

Cut your hands
Cut yourself until you bleed
But fall asleep next to me
Have a dream I'm falling down

On my face
Scrape my knees
Scrape my hands until they bleed




Cause you're fast asleep next to me
Next to me, next to me, next to me

Overall Meaning

In Black and Blue, Counting Crows explore the theme of self-destruction through addictive and reckless behavior, as expressed in the lines "Cut your hands, cut yourself until you bleed, fall asleep next to me". The singer is observing someone who reminds them of themselves, someone who is constantly falling but keeps sailing right through. The chorus uses the color metaphors to describe the suffering and bruises of the singer, both physically and emotionally. The line "You look a lot like me" highlights the universality of the experience of self-destruction, and the fact that the singer feels a sense of recognition and empathy towards the person they are addressing.


The song takes a turn towards darkness as the singer contemplates suicide and writes a note - "I'm tired of feeling nothing goodbye". This highlights the extent of their despair, and the fact that they feel like they are not really living, but just going through the motions. The last verse contains a sense of hope, as the singer washes their face, dries their eyes, and starts to take responsibility. It is possible that the singer is also trying to help the singer, by being a supportive presence and giving them a safe space to fall asleep next to.


Line by Line Meaning

Fading everything to black and blue
Slowly making everything dark and bruised


You look a lot like you
You resemble yourself


Shatter in the blink of an eye
Breaking apart suddenly and quickly


You keep sailing right on through
You continue moving forward despite obstacles


Every time you say you're learning
You claim to be developing knowledge and understanding


You just look a lot like me
You appear similar to me


Pale under the blistering sky
Appearing sickly in the hot, bright sun


White and red
The colors of bleeding skin


Black and blue
The colors of bruised skin


You've been waiting a long time
You have been anticipating for a while


To fall down on your knees
To lose your footing and kneel down


Cut your hands
Inflict harm on your hands with a sharp object


Cut yourself until you bleed
Hurt yourself so that you begin to bleed


Fall asleep next to me
Sleep beside me


Wait for everyone to go away
Stay until people have left the area


And in a dimly lit room where you've got nothing to hide
In a poorly-lit space with no secrets to conceal


Say your goodbyes
Say farewell


Tell yourself we'll read a note that says I'm sorry everyone
Imagine yourself apologizing through a note to all who may read it


I'm tired of feeling nothing goodbye
I am fed up with feeling empty, farewell


Wash your face
Cleanse your facial area with water


Dry your eyes
Remove any moisture from your eyes


Cause you've been waiting a long time
As you have been experiencing anticipation for a while


To fall down on your knees
To collapse onto your knees


But fall asleep next to me
Yet still, fall asleep beside me


Have a dream I'm falling down
Dream that I am tumbling downwards


On my face
Landing with my face touching the ground


Scrape my knees
Abrade my knee area


Scrape my hands until they bleed
Damage my hands to the point of bleeding


Cause you're fast asleep next to me
Because you are asleep beside me


Next to me, next to me, next to me
By my side, repeat




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID LYNN BRYSON, ADAM FREDRIC DURITZ, CHARLES THOMAS GILLINGHAM, DAVID A IMMERGLUCK, MATTHEW MARK MALLEY, BEN G MIZE, DANIEL JOHN VICKREY

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