Paint it Black
Mother Goose Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I see a red door
And I want it painted black
No colors anymore
I want them to turn black
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've seen people turn their heads
And quickly look away
Like a newborn baby
It just happens everyday
I look inside myself
And see my heart is black
I see my red door
I must have 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
Before the morning comes
I see a red door
And I want it painted black
No colors anymore
I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by
Dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head
Until my darkness goes
I wanna see it painted
Painted black
Black as night
Black as coal
I wanna see the sun
Blotted out from the sky




I wanna see it painted, painted, painted
Painted black, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Paint It Black" by The Rolling Stones, famously covered in a Mother Goose version, addresses the theme of darkness and the desire to escape from it. The opening lines, "I see a red door and I want it painted black, no colors anymore, I want them to turn black," express a strong desire to eliminate any vibrant colors from the world. The singer feels a profound darkness within themselves, symbolized by the metaphorical blackness, and they believe that painting everything black can alleviate this feeling.


The presence of girls walking by in their summer clothes represents the potential for happiness and joy that the singer feels unable to enjoy. They have to turn away, unable to fully embrace this beauty because of the darkness inside them. The line about a line of cars painted black with flowers and love that will never return further emphasizes the notion of loss and grief. The singer observes how people, like newborn babies, often turn away from the darkness or unpleasant aspects of life, choosing to ignore or deny them.


In the second verse, the singer looks inward and realizes that their heart is also black. They believe that by painting their red door black, they may fade away and not have to face the reality of their situation. They describe their world as completely black, making it difficult to confront their problems and challenges. The imagery of the green sea turning a deeper blue implies the singer's inability to foresee the tragedy that has befallen someone close to them.


The song concludes with the repetition of the desire to see everything painted black, emphasizing the desperation and intensity of this longing. The reference to the sun being blotted out from the sky symbolizes the complete eradication of any light or hope. The repeated plea to see everything painted black serves as a reflection of the singer's inner turmoil and their yearning to escape it.


Overall, "Paint It Black" reflects the struggle with darkness and the desire to be free from its grasp. It explores themes of loss, grief, and the internal battle of facing one's own darkness.


Line by Line Meaning

I see a red door
I notice a prominent and vibrant entrance


And I want it painted black
However, I desire for it to be devoid of any color and saturated with darkness


No colors anymore
The absence of vibrant hues


I want them to turn black
My wish is for all colors to be transformed into deep shadows


I see the girls walk by
I observe the presence of young women passing by


Dressed in their summer clothes
Clad in outfits suitable for the warm season


I have to turn my head
I feel compelled to avert my gaze


Until my darkness goes
Until the internal darkness within me diminishes


I see a line of cars
I perceive a sequence of automobiles


And they're all painted black
They are uniformly adorned with somber hues


With flowers and my love
Accompanied by symbols of affection and attachment


Both never to come back
Both of which will never return


I've seen people turn their heads
I have observed individuals turning away


And quickly look away
Immediately diverting their gaze


Like a newborn baby
Similar to the casual occurrence of a newborn's presence


It just happens everyday
This event transpires on a regular basis


I look inside myself
I introspect and examine my inner being


And see my heart is black
Only to discover that my emotions are filled with darkness


I must have it painted black
I am determined to ensure it is completely devoid of any color


Maybe then, I'll fade away
Perhaps by doing so, I will gradually disappear


And not have to face the facts
And thereby avoid confronting the harsh realities


It's not easy facing up
It is indeed challenging to confront


When your whole world is black
Especially when one's entire existence is surrounded by darkness


No more will my green sea
Never again will my vibrant sea


Go turn a deeper blue
Transform into a darker shade of blue


I could not foresee this thing
I could not anticipate this event


Happening to you
Occurring in your life


If I look hard enough
If I search intensively


Into the setting sun
Towards the descending sun


My love will laugh with me
My affectionate bond will bring us joy together


Before the morning comes
Before the arrival of the next day


I see a red door
Once again, I observe a vibrant entrance


And I want it painted black
And once again, I desire for it to be devoid of color and filled with darkness


No colors anymore
The absence of vivid shades


I want them to turn black
I long for those colors to be transformed into shadows


I see the girls walk by
Once again, I witness the presence of young women passing by


Dressed in their summer clothes
Clothed in garments appropriate for the summer season


I have to turn my head
Again, I feel compelled to avert my gaze


Until my darkness goes
Until the internal darkness within me fades away


I wanna see it painted
I yearn to witness


Painted black
The act of coloration in a pitch-black shade


Black as night
As dark as the night sky


Black as coal
As deep and dark as coal


I wanna see the sun
I aspire to witness the obscuring of the sun


Blotted out from the sky
Completely erased and concealed from the sky


I wanna see it painted, painted, painted
I desire to observe the act of coloration, repeated multiple times


Painted black, yeah
Enveloped in a hue of darkness




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

DEMONS ARE ON !

Remember dancing on the tables at Easts Leagues Club in '79 one hell of a night and still one of the greatest bands I've ever seen live

buska100

Amazing Live band... I remember seeing them in the late 70's in Canberra at "The Floyd" They totally blew me away...Great Musicians & Great Entertainers. Cheers for uploading this!!!

buska100

@Matthew McNeill Very Cool

Matthew McNeill

I was there too. My fave live band of the late seventies

Ted & Linda Atkinson

I still believe they are NZ's finest entertainment band. Very Zappa

amsirap

This is amazing! BEST version ever! Have the album but played it sooo much it's wrecked! Thank you!!!! I can now listen and share :)

Ron Dogg

Saw these guys several times at the Herdsman in Perth back in the early 80's.....being a Kiwi from Northland I had only really known them for "baked beans".....suffice to say I was totally blown away at the first show....powerhouse performance with a stage act to match.

Stephen Pole

Always thee highlight of any live concert back in the mid-late 70's. I remember them at "Whispers" in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane as well as the Jindalee Hotel ! Sensational live !! This is a studio production and much more reserved ;-)

Wayne Barnett

I was at their farewell New Zealand performance in Dunedin, 1976. Terrific musicians and deserved wider acclaim.

Chris Andrews

sounds better maybe better than the rolling stones version?

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