All of Harley Poe's initial members came from the now defunct Christian band Calibretto 13. Upon disbanding in late 2004, Joseph Whiteford (vocals and guitar), Chad Serhal (bass), and Christopher Thomas (drums) went on to record an album under the name Harley Poe. "In the Dark", which had originally been planned as a new Calibretto 13 album, was released in November of that year. The line-up has gone on to feature many changes since this release, and the only remaining member of this original line-up is Joe Whiteford, who is very much the owner of the band.
The band released 4 albums over the next 11 years, notably 2012's Satan Sex and No Regrets, which was a more acoustic release, and became Harley Poe's most popular album (still holding this title today), and 2013's Pagan Holiday, which was an album almost entirely dedicated to Halloween.
In 2015, Joe Whiteford announced on his blog that Harley Poe would be going on "indefinite hiatus," citing a need to "give this demon some time off." Whiteford marked the hiatus of Harley Poe by releasing the album "Fallen Down," a collection of recordings done almost entirely on Whiteford's phone.
In January 2016, however, Whiteford announced that he had reformed the band and was working on recording yet another album. "I'm thinking that music is a part of me," Whiteford wrote on his personal Facebook page, "It flows. I can't stop it. When something is on my mind, I write about it (...) It's a gift."
Following this, in 2017, Lost and Losing It was released, an album mainly focussed on Whiteford's recent divorce which is what had sparked his hiatus. In 2019, Have A Great Life was released, feeling like a continuation of the themes presented in Lost and Losing It.
The band released a new album on streaming services entitled "7 Inches of Hell" in January 2021, although it had all been written and recorded with a limited release prior to the hiatus in 2015.
Harley Poe released a new album, 'Uke Puke' in August 2021.
Paint it Black
Harley Poe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No colors anymore I want them to turn back
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and I want it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the setting sun
My love will laugh with me until my morning comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn back
I wanna see your face
Painted black
Black as night
I wanna see the sun flying high in the sky
I wanna see you painted, painted, painted, painted black
I wanna see you painted, painted, painted, painted black
(Rolling Stones)
In Harley Poe's rendition of the Rolling Stones' classic "Paint It Black," the lyrics tell the story of a protagonist who is struggling with depression and darkness. The song begins with the singer seeing a red door and wanting to paint it black, wanting everything to become dark and colorless. The girls walking by in bright summer clothes are a reminder of the happiness and lightness that the singer is not able to access. The singer sees a line of cars, all painted black and carrying flowers and his lost love. People turn away from death and grief just like they do from the singer's depression.
The chorus brings the focus back to the red door, representing the singer's heart, which is red but now wants to be painted black. The singer hopes to "fade away" and not face the facts, but it is not easy to do so. The second verse introduces a twist as the singer realizes that he had not foreseen this "thing" happening to someone he loves. When he looks into the setting sun, it is not clear if he is seeing his loved one's face or his own reflection. He hopes for the light to return and for his loved one to be painted black as well.
Overall, the lyrics paint a picture of someone who is struggling with depression and mourning, wishing to paint over the brightness in the world with darkness. The red door becomes a symbol of the singer's heart, which longs to be painted black in order to escape the pain of grief and loss. Yet, the song does not end on a completely hopeless note - there is still hope for laughter and light, even in the midst of darkness.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a red door and I want to paint it black
I see something bright and cheerful but my mood is so low that I want to cover it up with something dark and depressing.
No colors anymore I want them to turn back
I don't want to see anything that reminds me of happiness or joy; I just want everything to be bleak and hopeless.
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
Other people are enjoying the warmth and beauty of summer, but I can't even bear to look at them because it reminds me of how empty and miserable I feel.
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I can't stand to be reminded of the happiness and contentment I'm missing out on, so I have to look away until I can bring myself back to a gloomy state of mind.
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
Even the cars, which should be symbols of freedom and possibility, are tainted with the same sense of hopelessness that I feel.
With flowers and my love both never to come back
The presence of flowers, which are often associated with love and happiness, only serves to remind me of what I've lost and can never regain.
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
My sadness is so pervasive and offputting that even strangers can't bear to be around me and must look away.
Like a new born baby it just happens every day
My depression is as natural and constant to me as the daily cycles of birth and death.
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
My innermost feelings are as dark and lifeless as the color black.
I see my red door and I want it painted black
Once again, I am so distraught that I want to turn a symbol of warmth and welcome into something that feels as empty and desolate as I do.
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
Perhaps by giving in fully to my despair, I won't have to face the harsh truths of the world around me.
It's not easy facing up when your whole world is black
When everything feels gloomy and bleak, it's difficult to find the strength and courage to face the world with any kind of positivity or optimism.
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
Even the natural beauty of the world around me is tainted by my sadness, as evidenced by the fact that the once-beautiful green sea has turned dark and somber.
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
I could never have imagined that I would be consumed by such overwhelming despair and hopelessness.
If I look hard enough into the setting sun
Despite everything, I still hold onto the tiniest sliver of hope that I might be able to find some beauty or joy in the world if I keep searching hard enough.
My love will laugh with me until my morning comes
Even in the depths of my despair, I hold onto the idea that someday I might be able to find happiness and companionship with someone who loves me for who I am.
I wanna see your face
Despite my overwhelming sadness, I still long for human connection and companionship.
Painted black
I want everything in my life to be as dark and empty as I feel inside.
Black as night
I want everything to be as hopeless and lifeless as the darkest night imaginable.
I wanna see the sun flying high in the sky
Despite everything, I still hold onto the idea that someday I might be able to find some beauty or joy in the world if I keep searching hard enough.
I wanna see you painted, painted, painted, painted black
Even though I know it's irrational, I can't help but project my own overwhelming sadness and despair onto everything and everyone around me.
Contributed by Jordyn B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.