Black Beauty
Lana D. Rey Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I paint my nails black
I dye my hair a darker shade of brown,
Because you like your women Spanish, dark, strong and proud.
I paint the sky black,
You said if you could have your way,
You'd make a night time what a day,
So it suits the mood of your soul
Ohhh, what can I do?
Nothing, my sparrow blue

Ohhhhh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you

Black beauty
Ohhh oh oh
Black beauty
Ohhh oh

I paint the house black,
My wedding dress black leather, too.
You have no room for light,
Love is lost on you.
I keep my lips red,
They seem like cherries in the spring.
Darling, you can't let everything seem so dark blue.

But, ohhh
What can I do,
To turn you on,
Or get through you?

Ohhh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue.
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you.

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black bea-u-uty,
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Black beauty baby
Black beauty baby

Ohhhh what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh




Black beauty,
Ohhhh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Black Beauty" by Lana Del Rey comment on the sacrifices made by the singer's character in order to please her partner. She paints her nails and dyes her hair black because he prefers "dark, strong, and proud" women. Del Rey uses this imagery throughout the song to describe the darkness and sadness that her character feels towards her relationship. She even goes so far as to suggest that her partner would prefer the night to the day, as it suits his mood. All the while, Del Rey recognizes that her attempts to please her partner will not ultimately be enough to fix their relationship's fundamental problems.


Despite the darkness of the lyrics, the song's chorus brings a glimmer of hope. Del Rey sings that "life is beautiful," but her partner doesn't understand that fact. She contrasts his darkness with the beauty of the sun and ocean. The repetition of the phrase "Ohhh, what can I do?" highlights the sense of hopelessness that her character feels in trying to reach her partner.


Overall, "Black Beauty" represents a complex and nuanced exploration of a troubled relationship. The lyrics reflect the struggles that many people face in trying to change themselves to please others while still holding onto their own values and desires.


Line by Line Meaning

I paint my nails black
I adorn myself with dark colors to please you


I dye my hair a darker shade of brown
I change my appearance to fit your preferred type of woman


Because you like your women Spanish, dark, strong and proud.
I conform to your specific taste in women


I paint the sky black
I imagine the world around me in darkness


You said if you could have your way, you'd make a night time what a day, So it suits the mood of your soul
You yearn for darkness and melancholy in your life


Ohhh, what can I do? Nothing, my sparrow blue
I feel helpless to change your outlook and mood


Life is beautiful, But you don't have a clue
You fail to appreciate the beauty in life


Sun and ocean blue, They're magnificent, It don't make sense to you
You do not understand or appreciate the beauty of nature


I paint the house black, My wedding dress black leather, too.
I am willing to go to extreme lengths to conform to your darkness


You have no room for light, Love is lost on you.
You reject happiness and love in favor of darkness and melancholy


I keep my lips red, They seem like cherries in the spring.
I maintain a small glimmer of hope and beauty despite your influence


Darling, you can't let everything seem so dark blue.
I plead with you to see the beauty in life and not just the darkness


Ohhh, what can I do? Life is beautiful, But you don't have a clue.
I feel powerless to make you see the light in life


Black beauty
A reference to the title of the song


Ohhh oh oh Black beauty Ohhh oh
Repetition of the chorus


Black bea-u-uty, Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh Black beauty baby Black beauty baby
Repetition of the chorus with slight variations in pronunciation and addition of 'baby'




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRY O'NEIL, ELIZABETH GRANT, RICK NOWELS

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
Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@luccarodriguez8750

I paint my nails black
I dye my hair a darker shade of brown
'Cause you like your women Spanish, dark, strong and proud
I paint the sky black
You said if you could have your way
You'd make it nighttime all today
So it'd suit the mood with your soul
Oh, what can I do?
Nothing, my sparrow blue

Oh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful, but you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue
Their magnificence, it don't make sense to you

Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh

I paint the house black
My wedding dress black leather too
You have no room for light, love is lost on you
I keep my lips red
To seem like cherries in the spring
Darling, you can't let everything seem so dark blue
But oh, what can I do?
To turn you on or get through you?

Oh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful, but you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue
Their magnificence, it don't make sense to you

Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh

Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, baby
Black beauty, baby

Oh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful, but you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue
Their magnificence, it don't make sense to you

Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh
Black beauty, ooh



All comments from YouTube:

@diormoonlight6987

This song is so beautifully depressing. The lyrics that are describing how she loved someone who is so depressive who couldn't ever see light were as she could . The music is so gentle and harmonious

@sarahfuller8061

Felllllt💔

@BlackBeautyV223

SHE CAN MAKE A SONG ABOUT CLEANING A DIRTY ASS TOILET AND IT WILL SOUND BEAUTIFUL. I LOVE ALLLL HER DEPRESSING ASS SONGS. LOL. IDK WHY BUT ME AND LANA JUST GET EACHOTHER.

@ishaalwaseem1683

555555555555555555555b 555t555555555555555t5555555555t5555tt

@honeybunny2551

Exactly that’s why I’m listening to this song now cause the person I’m dating keeps killing my joy and happines with their negativity and constant bad mood I try everything to cheer them up but I just end up crying cause everything that I find exciting they start questioning it and making it seem stupid and un important

@ericaeva4408

​@Honey Bunny girl, that's not depression, that's an a-hole lol

@dr-rz5of

GIVE THIS WOMAN A GRAMMY NOW

@The-CasinaLolita-454-

HERE HERE! I SECOND THAT. BUT CORRECTION SIR, FUCK A GRAMMY. SHE BELONGS IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME.

@fleurbaptisee6179

Lana is too good for Garmmys

@vintagegirl2210

The Grammies don’t deserve her

More Comments

More Versions