Who seems twice as old with clothes torn … Read Full Bio ↴Picture a man of nearly thirty
Who seems twice as old with clothes torn and dirty
Give him a job shining shoes
Or cleaning out toilets with bus station crews
Give him six children with nothing to eat
Expose them to life on a ghetto street
Tie an old rag around his wife's head
And have her pregnant and lying in bed
Stuff them all in a Harlem house
And then tell them how bad things are down South
Paint It Black
Gil Scott-Heron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Who seems twice as old with clothes torn and dirty
Give him a job shining shoes
Or cleaning out toilets with bus station crews
Give him six children with nothing to eat
Expose them to life on a ghetto street
Tie an old rag around his wife's head
And have her pregnant and lying in bed
And then tell them how bad things are down South
Gil Scott-Heron's song, "Paint It Black," is a poignant reflection on the struggles and injustices faced by black Americans in the 1960s. In the opening lines, he describes a man who appears much older than his actual age due to the hardships he has endured. Despite his efforts to find work, he is relegated to menial jobs like shining shoes or cleaning toilets, which pay very little and offer no security. This sense of hopelessness is further compounded by the man's large family, who must try to survive in the face of poverty and hunger.
The third and fourth lines of the song introduce a reference to the civil rights movement, as the man's family is exposed to the harsh realities of life in a ghetto. This reference is reinforced by the fifth line, which describes the wife as pregnant and lying in bed with a rag tied around her head. The final lines of the verse paint a picture of the family being forced to live in a cramped Harlem house, while being made to feel like things are even worse in the South.
On a deeper level, the song can be seen as a commentary on the systemic racism and inequality that persists in America to this day. Through his vivid portrayal of the struggles faced by this one family, Scott-Heron highlights the ways in which poverty and discrimination can trap people in cycles of hardship and despair. By calling attention to these issues, he encourages listeners to work towards a more just and equitable society.
Line by Line Meaning
Picture a man of nearly thirty
Imagine a man who is close to thirty years old
Who seems twice as old with clothes torn and dirty
But looks much older due to his tattered and soiled clothes
Give him a job shining shoes
Provide him with employment polishing footwear
Or cleaning out toilets with bus station crews
Or assign him to scrubbing bus station restrooms
Give him six children with nothing to eat
Add to his troubles six hungry mouths to feed
Expose them to life on a ghetto street
Raise his family in a deprived urban neighborhood
Tie an old rag around his wife's head
Force his wife to wear a rag as a head covering
And have her pregnant and lying in bed
While she is expecting and unable to move from bed.
Stuff them all in a Harlem house
Squeeze the entire family into a single Harlem residence
And then tell them how bad things are down South
And remind them how much worse conditions may be in the southern region of the country
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: GIL SCOTT HERON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind