Paintings
From Indian Lakes Lyrics
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I have a thought for a while
Who is my teacher I'll never learn anything
And who has been my lover
She waits me in the dark to steal my love
To steal my love
What have I made them do
What have you made them for
Am I the only one
Left to sing at all
I met a falling creature
I picked him up, I licked his wounds
He bit my hands, I see the preacher
To fill my cup, please fill my cup
I had to take away all of the paintings
Inside my head, uh oaaah uh oaaah uh oaaah
I can only remember the first ones
And when the curtains were closed
I could still your eyelashes beating
Uh oaaah uh oaaah uh oaaah
I could still see your breath on the window
But I think I wanted to get away
I think I wanted to get away
I think I wanted to get away
I think I wanted to get away
The lyrics of "Paintings" by From Indian Lakes are deeply introspective and seem to reflect on moments of regret and self-doubt. The song starts off with the singer reminiscing about past research and learning, possibly alluding to a time when he was more focused on academic pursuits. He reflects on his own limitations and the fact that, no matter how much he learns, he may never be able to fully understand certain things.
The tone of the song shifts when the singer starts to talk about a lover who waits for him in the dark to "steal" his love. The ambiguity of this line is striking, as it could refer to someone who takes advantage of him or someone who simply desires his affection. The chorus then comes in, with the singer questioning the purpose of his hands, wondering what he has made them do and what they were meant to do.
The second verse introduces a new character, a "falling creature" who the singer tries to help. This creature ends up biting him and causing him physical harm. The "preacher" that the singer mentions is likely a metaphor for someone who can provide guidance or solace in times of trouble. The singer seems to be asking for help or comfort, perhaps recognizing that he can't always rely on others to help him.
The final section of the song circles back to the idea of paintings, with the singer saying that he had to "take away" all of the paintings inside his head. This could refer to memories or thoughts that he's trying to forget, or perhaps creative ideas that he's abandoned. The final lines of the song express a desire to escape, possibly from his own thoughts or past mistakes.
Overall, "Paintings" is a complex and introspective song that deals with themes of regret, self-doubt, and the search for meaning and guidance in life.
Line by Line Meaning
I took all of my research and made it a while back
In the past, I completed all the research that I had been working on for a long time
I have a thought for a while
For some time now, I have had a particular thought on my mind
Who is my teacher I'll never learn anything
I doubt that I will ever be able to learn anything, no matter who teaches me
And who has been my lover
I wonder who I have loved in the past
She waits me in the dark to steal my love
I feel like someone is waiting for me in the darkness, trying to forcefully take my love away from me
Take these hands
I offer my hands to you
What have I made them do
What actions have I performed using my hands?
What have you made them for
Why did you give me these hands? What is their purpose?
Am I the only one
Do I stand alone? Am I the only one feeling this way?
Left to sing at all
Perhaps singing is the only thing left for me to do
I met a falling creature
I encountered a creature that was in distress
I picked him up, I licked his wounds
I helped alleviate his pain and tend to his injuries
He bit my hands, I see the preacher
Despite my efforts to assist him, he turned on me and bit me. This caused me to seek help from a preacher or other spiritual figure.
To fill my cup, please fill my cup
I am asking for help and hoping someone can provide me with what I need
I had to take away all of the paintings
I had to remove all the thoughts and images from my mind
Inside my head, uh oaaah uh oaaah uh oaaah
The thoughts and images inside my mind are indescribable or difficult to articulate
I can only remember the first ones
Despite having many thoughts and images in my mind, I can only recall the earliest ones
And when the curtains were closed
When something was preventing me from seeing clearly
I could still your eyelashes beating, uh oaaah uh oaaah uh oaaah
I could still sense your presence, even when things were unclear or obscured
I could still see your breath on the window
I could still see clear evidence of your presence, even though you were not physically there with me
But I think I wanted to get away
Despite feeling your presence, I had a desire to distance myself from it
I think I wanted to get away
I had a strong desire to leave or escape from whatever was happening
I think I wanted to get away
I felt a sense of urgency or desperation to distance myself from the situation
I think I wanted to get away
I may not have been entirely sure of my motivations, but I felt a strong urge to leave or escape
Contributed by Micah I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.