Painted from Memory
Elvis Costello Burt Bacharach & Bill Frisell Lyrics
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Didn't you notice the resemblance?
Doesn't it look like she could speak?
Those eyes I tried to capture
They are lost to me now forever
They smile for someone else
Funny, how looks can be deceiving
Painted from memory
You`d think that I would know by now
Those eyes I tried to capture
They are lost to me now forever
They smile for someone else
And so this had to be
Painted from memory
She is gone, and I must accept it
She is lost to me now
But I can`t look away just yet though
She smiles for someone else
And so this had to be
Painted from memory
Funny, now I can see
How looks can be deceiving
And so this had to be
Painted from memory
Funny, now I can see
How looks can be deceiving
The lyrics of Elvis Costello and Bill Frisell's song Painted from Memory paint a picture of a woman who has captivated the singer. He is struggling to move on from her, although he knows that he must accept the fact that she is "lost to [him] now". The repeated acknowledgement of "funny, how looks can be deceiving" makes it clear that the singer was drawn in by her appearance, without fully knowing her true nature or feelings. This notion is heightened by his regret that he was unable to capture her eyes, which he so greatly admired.
Line by Line Meaning
Such a picture of loveliness
Referring to a beautiful woman with an attractive physical appearance
Didn't you notice the resemblance?
Asking if the listener also noticed the beauty in question
Doesn't it look like she could speak?
Questioning if the woman's beauty is so strong that it appears as if she has her own voice and personality
Those eyes I tried to capture
The artist is describing his attempt to capture the woman's beauty in a painting, specifically her eyes.
They are lost to me now forever
The artist has now lost the ability to accurately capture the woman's beauty
They smile for someone else
The woman's beauty and attention is now being directed towards someone else
Funny, how looks can be deceiving
The artist reflects on how physical appearance can be misleading and not a true reflection of a person's character
But she's not easily painted from memory
The artist recognizes the difficulty in capturing the woman's beauty from memory
You'd think that I would know by now
The artist expresses confusion and surprise that he has not yet been able to capture the woman's beauty
And so this had to be painted from memory
The artist communicates that the painting of the woman had to be from memory, as he can no longer capture her beauty in person
She is gone, and I must accept it
The woman is no longer present in the artist's life and he must come to terms with that fact
She is lost to me now
The artist acknowledges that he has lost the woman's attention and beauty
But I can't look away just yet though
The artist still has feelings and is unable to turn away from the woman and her beauty
And so this had to be painted from memory
Reiterating that the painting had to be from memory, as the artist can no longer capture the woman's beauty in person
Funny, now I can see how looks can be deceiving
The artist reflects again on how physical appearance can be misleading and not a true reflection of a person's character
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BURT BACHARACH, ELVIS COSTELLO
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind