Walls
The Red Paintings Lyrics
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Use it for therapy and nothing else
And i've been misunderstood
In a world of negatives, you find happiness
Happiness sit for days, eating nothing but my head
As i watched our world collide
Now that all you have is all you need
I give you all you need to, all you need to find
And i dont know, if you're holding on to what you've got
I'm so tired, i'll be holding on to this sweet love
I'll be holding on to this sweet love, sweet love
And now our world's colliding, and i feel walls, and i feel walls, walls...
And i don't know, if you're holding on to what you've got
I'm so tired, i'll be holding on to this, sweet love
I'll be holding on to this, sweet love
And now our world's colliding, and i feel walls,
And I feel walls,
Don't you feel those walls?
Don't you feel those walls?
The Red Paintings’s song Walls delivers powerful and inspiring lyrics that encourage listeners to find happiness in a world full of negativity. The song begins with the line “pick up that piece of wood, use it for therapy and nothing else,” which suggests that instead of resorting to violence, individuals should use their emotions constructively to overcome their struggles. The artist then talks about being misunderstood and experiencing happiness despite the challenges that life brings. The line “As I watched our world collide, now that all you have is all you need” suggests that when people face adversity, they become more introspective and appreciate what they have rather than what they lack. The chorus features the repetition of the phrase “holding on to this sweet love,” which highlights the importance of holding on to positive emotions and relationships.
The second verse reaffirms the message of the first, with the artist echoing that he is holding onto his sweet love despite the walls that are being built around him. The phrase “And now our world’s colliding, and I feel walls” highlights the chaos and confusion that can accompany personal struggles. In the end, however, the song encourages listeners to break through these walls and not let them hold them back.
Overall, Walls is a compelling song with an inspirational message that encourages hope in the midst of adversity. By using metaphors such as walls and a piece of wood, the lyrics encourage listeners to think creatively about how they can handle personal struggles to find a positive way of coping.
Line by Line Meaning
Pick up that piece of wood
Take that piece of wood and find solace in it, use it to heal yourself.
Use it for therapy and nothing else
That wood is solely for your therapy, don't use it for anything else.
And i've been misunderstood
I have been judged wrongly and people don't understand me.
In a world of negatives, you find happiness
Despite all negativity in the world, you still manage to find happiness.
Happiness sit for days, eating nothing but my head
Your happiness is all-consuming and occupies your mind.
As i watched our world collide
As I sit here, I see our world coming apart.
Now that all you have is all you need
When you come to a point where you realize that what you have is all you need.
I give you all you need to, all you need to find
I will give you all that you require to discover what you need.
And i dont know, if you're holding on to what you've got
I'm uncertain if you are holding onto all you have.
I'm so tired, i'll be holding on to this sweet love
I am exhausted and will cling to the love that uplifts me.
And now our world's colliding, and i feel walls, and i feel walls, walls...
Our reality is crumbling, and I sense obstacles, barriers, hindrances.
Don't you feel those walls?
Can't you sense the obstructions that emerge from the deterioration of our world?
Don't you feel those walls?
Can't you feel the hindrances that are blocking our path?
Contributed by Elijah P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
James Arey
Really enjoy these mini-documentaries on individual paintings. Thank you!
-- James
Mira Lehr
The Red Studio is a great documentary of a profound and original painting.
t s
Thank you to MOMA for this--the people who cannot get there in person , like myself, appreciate this-I appreciate the effort and the result so very much! Please help the art to keep reaching so many more people than can come there-although I have known people living there who go almost every other weekend, I cannot make it-and it is important-so important. Who and what would we be without art? Vital!
UnimportantHero
I wish I could back and understand the context surrounding so many artists of this time. Malevich would go on to create White On White just a few years after this painting, and many more would follow afterward. It must have been a real exciting time and I often wonder how much these various artists were in communication.
Lynn Duvall
@Unimportan… Writing letters and traveling is how they stayed in touch … and by phone, although I doubt that long distance calls were possible or, if they were, were affordable; and the quality must have been poor.
6pixiestix
Fascinating analysis—in a postmodern world where we are inundated w/chaos, cacophony, and encounter day-in-and-day-out the flat affect of impersonal digital communication—it is an absolute DELIGHT to visit Matisse’s colorful interior world for a few minutes…to remember how truth and beauty can feel, and that a broad-spectrum creative universe still exists beyond the ennui of the day.
❤️🌬🎨🖌🧑🏼🎨💭🖼
Roberta Fierro
This is one of my favorites. An intimate picture of his everyday items..and when he realized he would become sicker and sicker, he furiously cut out these beautiful shapes he even drew using a long pointer with a pencil attached. He was so COOL. Right down to his little beret.
Lynn Duvall
I’ve never seen an image of Matisse’s studio with his cutouts on the walls! Remarkable! Thank you, MOMA 👏🏽👏🏼👏🥰
Conrad Bo
That painting has such a great story, and this video told that story perfectly. Thanks for making and uploading the video, I learned a lot from it.
Lisa Sonora - Visual Journal Studio
Stunning presentation and film - would love to see more like this. I hope to get to see the exhibit!