El Greco is a song by Paula Cole about her struggles throughout her 7 year … Read Full Bio ↴El Greco is a song by Paula Cole about her struggles throughout her 7 year period away from music. How she'd forgotten who she was, how this time away humbled her and how much more grateful she is for the 2nd time around. She had stated in an interview that it's probably her favorite track from Courage.

El Greco
Paula Cole Lyrics

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I'm black on blacker velvet
Milk skin and veins
Like some El Greco painting
So full of pain
So full of longing for light of day

I thought I knew who I was in the world
But here I am twice blind at being born

Crawling to my buried voice, within

And I've forgotten who I used to be
And I've forgotten the woman in red
Living her dream
And I've forgotten the courage I used to be

Happiness is overrated
It never lasts
Skating the surface of oceanic depths
Oh may the fruit of my life be meaning
So please forgive me all my seriousness
My so-called spirituality
I'm just a mess
I'm tears and anxiety
But I'm unafraid to see

And I've forgotten who I used to be
The leader in her glory shining, divining
And I've forgotten, the courage I used to be
The middle passage is so damned humbling, persona crumbling

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
And I try, and I try, and I try, and I try, and I try
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
And I try, and I try, and I try, and I try, and I try

Like some El Greco painting
No sun or sky
No lantern, no candle needed to light
The holy radiance behind the eyes
And I've forgotten who I used to be
And I've forgotten the woman in red
Living her dream
And I've forgotten the courage I used to be

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
And I try, and I try, and I try, and I try, and I try

I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know
And I try, and I try, and I try

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Paula Cole's song "El Greco" evoke powerful images of pain, longing, and struggle for self-discovery. The opening lines describe an intensely personal struggle with one's identity, embodied in vivid visual language: "I'm black on blacker velvet / Milk skin and veins / Like some El Greco painting / So full of pain / So full of longing for light of day." Here, the singer seems to be grappling with the contradictions of her existence – the black on blacker velvet metaphor suggesting a sense of being swallowed up by her own contradictions, while the image of milk skin and veins indicates a sense of fragility and vulnerability.

As the song continues, the singer reflects on her own forgetfulness, both of who she used to be and the woman she hoped to become. This theme of forgetting seems to encompass everything from personal dreams and aspirations to the courage to face oneself honestly. The middle passage of the song is particularly dense with powerful images and metaphor, as the singer reflects on the humbling nature of personal transformation: "The middle passage is so damned humbling, persona crumbling."

Despite the pain and uncertainty of this self-discovery, the final lines of the song suggest a sense of perseverance and openness to the great mysteries of existence. The closing lines, "Like some El Greco painting / No sun or sky / No lantern, no candle needed to light / The holy radiance behind the eyes," remind us that even in the darkest and most uncertain moments of our lives, there is always the possibility of discovering profound beauty and spiritual insight.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm black on blacker velvet
I am adorned in darkness, a deeper and richer version, like velvet material.

Milk skin and veins
My skin is pale like milk, but the veins showing beneath it reveal the intensity of my inner struggles.

Like some El Greco painting
Similar to the art of El Greco, my appearance has a blend of realism, creating a thought-provoking effect on the viewers.

So full of pain
I am consumed by unbearable pain.

So full of longing for light of day
I yearn for hope, a glimmer of light, to escape this endless darkness.

I thought I knew who I was in the world
I was once confident in my identity and my position in the world.

But here I am twice blind at being born
Now I find myself lost and disoriented, having to re-discover myself as if I was just born again.

Crawling to my buried voice, within
I am struggling to connect with my inner self and my true voice, which has been silent and buried deep within me.

And I've forgotten who I used to be
I have lost my sense of self, forgetting who I once was.

And I've forgotten the woman in red
I forgot the bold and confident woman I once was, who stood out in a crowd with her striking red outfit.

Living her dream
I was once living my dream, but now it feels like a distant memory.

And I've forgotten the courage I used to be
I used to be brave, but that strength has diminished over time, and I struggle to find it again.

Happiness is overrated
I no longer believe in chasing happiness as it seems fleeting, and I strive for deeper meaning instead.

It never lasts
The happiness I once experienced proved to be only temporary and fleeting.

Skating the surface of oceanic depths
I am only touching the surface of profound and massive emotional depths, afraid to dive in deeper.

Oh may the fruit of my life be meaning
My desire is for my life to be profound and meaningful, ripe with substance and significance.

So please forgive me all my seriousness
I may come across as overly serious, but I am searching for true depth and meaning in life.

My so-called spirituality
My quest for meaning can be labeled as spiritual, but it is true to myself and not just a label.

I'm just a mess
I am a complete disaster, struggling to find meaning and purpose in life.

I'm tears and anxiety
My emotions consume me, and I am overwhelmed by feelings of sadness and nervousness.

But I'm unafraid to see
Despite my struggles, I am not afraid to face my reality and confront my inner turmoil.

No sun or sky
Similar to El Greco paintings, there is no sun or sky in my life, and everything is encapsulated in darkness.

No lantern, no candle needed to light
Even without any external light sources, the inner radiance of hope within me shines through.

The holy radiance behind the eyes
Despite my darkness and pain, I have a sacred light radiating behind my eyes, symbolizing hope and faith.

The leader in her glory shining, divining
I forgot the strong and inspiring leader I was, shining brilliantly in all her glory and inspiring others to follow.

The middle passage is so damned humbling, persona crumbling
My struggles to find meaning and identity have been a humbling experience, causing my outward persona to crumble.

I don't know, I don't know
I am lost and uncertain, unsure of my position in the world and who I am.

And I try, and I try
Despite my struggles, I continue to try and push through, searching for meaning and purpose.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: MARK GOLDENBERG, PAULA COLE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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