Not to be confused with Canadian rock and roll pioneer Ronnie Hawkins
Black
Ron Hawkins Lyrics
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A dark, ominous stranger with a knife at my back
A train full of werewolves on a poisonous track
Black, black, my heart is black
Down, down, my spirit goes
My little boat is capsized on a river of woe
The trees are screaming murder and the sky's full of crows
Blind, blind, it's dark all the time
O'er the window of my soul someone has lowered the blind
A pinhole camera takes the portrait of my crime
Blind, blind, blind, blind, blind
Please, please remember my name
When my lonely little rocket leaves this planet of shame
My life's just a dissonant whistling down a long dark lane
Please, please remember my name
Black, black, my heart is black
So raise that cross and salt my wounds and tighten that rack
I got me a one-way ticket and I ain't coming back
Black, black, black, black, black
Black, black, my heart is black
The song "Black" by Ron Hawkins is a dark and brooding tale of despair and hopelessness. The repeated chorus of "Black, black, my heart is black" sets the tone for the rest of the lyrics, which describe a feeling of being hunted and trapped by one's own negative emotions. The persona in the song feels as though they are being followed by a dark, ominous stranger with a knife at their back, and compares their situation to being on a train full of werewolves on a poisonous track.
The second verse describes a sense of drowning in sorrow and depression: "My little boat is capsized on a river of woe, the trees are screaming murder and the sky's full of crows". The image of trees screaming murder is particularly powerful, as it suggests a kind of malevolent presence in nature itself. The final verse is a plea to be remembered after the persona has left this world, suggesting a kind of resignation to their fate.
Overall, "Black" is a haunting and poetic meditation on the darker aspects of the human psyche, and Hawkins' powerful vocals and atmospheric instrumentation serve to heighten the song's sense of unease.
Line by Line Meaning
Black, black, my heart is black
The singer's heart is filled with darkness and negativity.
A dark, ominous stranger with a knife at my back
The singer feels as if they are being threatened by a powerful and dangerous force that is always present.
A train full of werewolves on a poisonous track
The singer feels as if they are on a dangerous and unpredictable journey with no clear destination in sight.
Black, black, my heart is black
The artist has a deep sense of hopelessness and despair that he cannot shake off.
Down, down, my spirit goes
The artist is spiraling into a state of deep depression and sadness that is hard to overcome.
My little boat is capsized on a river of woe
The singer feels as if they are drowning in a sea of sadness and sorrow that they cannot escape.
The trees are screaming murder and the sky's full of crows
The singer feels as if the world around them is a dark and dangerous place that is conspiring against them.
Blind, blind, it's dark all the time
The artist cannot see a way out of the darkness and despair they are experiencing.
O'er the window of my soul someone has lowered the blind
The artist feels as if someone or something is preventing them from seeing the light and hope that could bring them out of their dark place.
A pinhole camera takes the portrait of my crime
The artist feels as if they are being constantly watched and judged for the mistakes they have made in their life.
Blind, blind, blind, blind
The singer cannot see a way out of their current situation, no matter how hard they try.
Please, please remember my name
The artist wants to be remembered and recognized for who they are, despite their struggles.
When my lonely little rocket leaves this planet of shame
The singer hopes to escape the darkness and despair they are experiencing and find a way to a more positive and fulfilling life.
My life's just a dissonant whistling down a long dark lane
The singer feels as if their life is meaningless and without purpose, and that they are on a never-ending journey towards nowhere.
Please, please remember my name
The singer wants to be remembered and respected for who they are, despite their struggles and suffering.
Black, black, my heart is black
The artist cannot escape the darkness and hopelessness they feel inside.
So raise that cross and salt my wounds and tighten that rack
The artist is describing the torture and pain they feel inside, and how it seems to be never-ending and unrelenting.
I got me a one-way ticket and I ain't coming back
The singer feels as if they are on a path towards a certain doom, and that they cannot turn back or change their fate.
Black, black, black, black, black
The darkness and hopelessness the singer feels is pervasive and all-encompassing, and they cannot escape it no matter how hard they try.
Lyrics © CD Baby
Written by: Ronald James Hawkins
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind