Paint It Black
Eric Burdon's i Band Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Hmm, ah
I see a red door and I want to paint it black
No colors in my life, you better turn them black
I see them walking by dressed in their colorful clothes
My happiness de
No more will my grey sea turn a deeper blue
I cannot foresee this thing happening to you
No

I see people walking by dressed their summer clothes
I see them strolling by, my happiness ?
Turn it black
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
I said I know baby
Everything is black I know
Since you been gone
Everything is black before my eyes
Baby eh

Everything is black I know
Turn to me
And help me see again baby
Help me walk once more
And help me talk again, walk again
Stand up like a man baby
Since you been gone, gone

There is no color in my life baby
Its turning so very very ? black
Humph, I walk down the street
And I see a line of cars
Maybe blue, maybe brown, maybe green
But their turning black
Before my very eyes
And you could not know

What its like when your whole world is black
When everything you see and touch
Turns so very very black hmm
Oh baby now
I need you by my side
Bring some color into my life
Once again
I even tripped down and fell

Didn't see no colors anymore baby
Bad, bad scene
And I have to tell you baby
No more will my grey sea go turn a deeper blue
I cannot foresee this thing ever happening to you
No
I see people walking by me
They're all going in different directions

I see them strolling by and my heart splinters like a flame
Turning black baby
Turning black I know
Everything
Since you've been gone is turning black, turning black
Turning black, turning black, turning black
Yeah yeah yeah yeah, baby
Oh lord, oh babe, whoa lord, help me see again, baby
Help me walk, talk, walk stand up like a man I know

Need you standing by my side
Because I'm blind and I cannot see
Color blind
I'm color blind
Paint everything so black
Go ahead and paint it black baby




Everything is black black, black, its turning black I know
Need some color in my life

Overall Meaning

The song "Paint It Black" by Eric Burdon & The New Animals is a mournful lament about losing a loved one and the subsequent darkness that envelops the singer's life. The lyrics describe the singer's despair and how every aspect of life has turned black since their partner left them. The song opens with the line "I see a red door and I want to paint it black", which is a metaphor for wanting to make everything black in order to match the darkness of his soul. The singer sings about how he used to love seeing people dressed in their colorful clothes, but now these same clothes only serve to remind him of what he has lost.


The lyrics suggest that the singer's life has become colorless and empty without their loved one. They desperately need someone to bring color back into their life and help them to see again. The line "No more will my grey sea turn a deeper blue" represents the singer's loss of hope and optimism. The song's melancholic tone is reflected in the repetition of "turning black", which emphasizes the depth of the singer's sadness.


Line by Line Meaning

I see a red door and I want to paint it black
I desire to color everything in my life in black.


No colors in my life, you better turn them black
I prefer everything in my life to be black and would like you to ensure that happens.


I see them walking by dressed in their colorful clothes
I observe people passing by wearing different colored garments.


My happiness de
My happiness diminishes.


No more will my grey sea turn a deeper blue
My life will not become any brighter or happier than it already is.


I cannot foresee this thing happening to you
I hope you never experience this same feeling of sadness.


There is no color in my life baby
I lack any form of joy or happiness in my life.


Its turning so very very ? black
My life is becoming increasingly bleak.


Maybe blue, maybe brown, maybe green, But their turning black
Although the cars are of different colors, I only see them as black.


What its like when your whole world is black
I am experiencing what it's like when everything in my world is devoid of any semblance of joy or happiness.


Bring some color into my life
I need something to bring joy into my dull and colorless existence.


Turning black baby
Everything is becoming dark and bleak.


Since you've been gone is turning black, turning black
Since you left, my life has become increasingly unhappy and bleak.


I'm color blind
I am unable to see the beauty in colorful things.


Paint everything so black
I want everything to be painted black.


Go ahead and paint it black baby
Please, color everything black for me.


Everything is black black, black, its turning black I know
Everything in my life is becoming stark and monotonous.


Need some color in my life
I require some joy and excitement in my life.




Lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@bigv10

Seems to me that War (the group) was a very underrated . What a group of very talented individuals !! A long with Eric Burton they made music that will last an eternity.

@WR3ND

Humanity rose to the top with these bad brothers. ❤‍🔥

@clinclin1240

So kick-ass. Can anything this good exist again?

@sambrooks7862

Noooooooo

@jamesrowland2170

Certainly, but you won’t hear it on commercial radio

@davidlancaster8152

Yes. We are still doing this...but hard to find. YouTube may revive the platform for excellent improvisational music. We can only hope. Please keep listening and searching.

@suzycreamcheeze000

Yeah,but you'll never know because only the narcissistic, materialistic,prison promoting,self indulging,crime provoking,substance abuse sensationalism,gang affiliation glamorization,the over sexualization,and demoralization of entire generations music will be pushed up,popularized and publicized

@oldrvr

They were so good at jamming together! Impeccable timing!

@dammmn

MAAAAAN THAT FLUTE IS EVVERRRRYYYTHINGGG❤❤❤

@murraymarshall5865

Best version ever 👍

More Comments

More Versions