Sony Records w… Read Full Bio ↴The Upper Room were a pop band based in Brighton, UK.
Sony Records were brought to the band’s studio via mutual friends and they were signed in time for their first single, "All Over This Town", in summer 2004. The single's 2006 video featured actress Kate Sissons - who also appeared in the video for their second major single release - "Black and White" in April 2006.
The band members were from the South of England, and met while attending Brighton University: Alex Miller (vocals and guitar), James "Jim" Pattinson (lead guitar), Beau Barnard (bass), Jon Barnett (drums).
The band split in November '06.
Black And White
The Upper Room Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We were hiding from the rain (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
She was blowing bubbles
And I'll never feel the same (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
I'll miss you in a minute
If you'll only feel the same
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Yeah
She held an orange bottle
And she drunk it with a straw (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
I watched her glide around
Around the people on the floor (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
I'll kiss you in a minute
If you'll only feel the same
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Oh... oh... oh... ooooh...
Yeah
She threw a dart right through my shirt to my heart
Then came back later I had all but fallen apart (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
Will she ever feel the same
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Oh... oh... oh... ooooh... ooooh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
The Upper Room's "Black and White" portrays a story of opportunity lost and heartbreak gained. The song opens with the singer encountering a woman under shelter from the rain. She appears carefree, blowing bubbles with an orange bottle in hand. However, the singer's attraction to her is undeniable, and he expresses the hope that she might reciprocate his feelings if she only knew what he felt. But as the song progresses, the singer realizes his chance has passed, good memories now distant in the rearview mirror. The lyrics "pain, pain, pain" repeated throughout the song emphasize the singer's agony at having missed the opportunity he was given. The dart that punctures the singer's shirt and heart symbolizes the pain that comes with a missed opportunity for love. Still, he holds onto the hope that perhaps one day, the object of his affection will share his feelings.
Musically, "Black and White" starts with an upbeat rhythm with a steady beat before transitioning to a slower tempo with more emotional lyrics that punctuate the singer's realization of what he has lost. The song has an understated sound that matches the lyrics' mood while building up to the powerful ending lines of "It's all black and white for me now."
Line by Line Meaning
I met her under a shelter
I encountered her while we stood under a cover to protect ourselves from the rain.
We were hiding from the rain (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
We were cowering from the rain that was pouring heavily from the sky.
She was blowing bubbles
She was creating bubbles using a soapy solution and a wand-like tool.
And I'll never feel the same (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
I will never be the same again after meeting her and experiencing this moment with her.
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
I am feeling emotional pain, and it is overwhelming me.
I'll miss you in a minute
I will yearn for you shortly after you exit my presence.
If you'll only feel the same
If you reciprocate my feelings for you, I will miss you even more intensely.
Now it's all black and white for me baby
My perspective has changed, and things are now clear to me.
She held an orange bottle
She was gripping an orange-colored container.
And she drunk it with a straw (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
She consumed the contents of the container using a cylindrical tube-like object.
I watched her glide around
I observed her moving smoothly and effortlessly around the crowd.
Around the people on the floor (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
She maneuvered around the dancing folks who were on the ground level.
She threw a dart right through my shirt to my heart
She launched an arrow-like projectile through my clothing to aim at my heart.
Then came back later I had all but fallen apart (ahh-ahh-ahh-ahh)
As time passed, she returned, and I felt like I was completely breaking down in her presence.
Will she ever feel the same
I am questioning if she will ever return my affection in the same way.
Oh... oh... oh... ooooh...
A vocal expression of intense emotion, possibly longing, or pain.
Yeah
A simple acknowledgement or affirmation.
Contributed by Isaac P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@bebektempur12
I met her under a shelter
We were hiding from the rain
She was blowing bubbles
And I'll never feel the same
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
I'll miss you in a minute
If you'll only feel the same
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Yeah
She held an orange bottle
And she drunk it with a straw
I watched her glide around
Around the people on the floor
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
I'll kiss you in a minute
If you'll only feel the same
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Oh... oh... oh... ooooh...
Yeah
She threw a dart right through my shirt to my heart
Then came back later I had all but fallen apart
Pain, pain, pain, pain, pain, pain
Will she ever feel the same?
Oh...
Now it's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
Oh... oh... oh... ooooh... ooooh...
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now
It's all black and white for me baby
It's all black and white for me now.
@callum123100
Sad that so many people will never hear this album, insanely underrated
@daysleeper4792
I keep hoping that this song gets used in a pivotal scene in some big huge blockbuster movie so that it encourages a whole new wave of fans to seek out their music! Ah well, one can dream, eh? 😂😂😂
@mysticm7776
Its part of sound track to my life . Xx
@myrainingstars
yes, totally agree
@paulfrancis8764
It goes without saying the song is brilliant, but the video is top drawer too!
@matthewb9621
It just makes me feel OLD. This is 18 years old... when music was relevant to me or I actually had time and energy for it.
@sumitrana4813
This came out 18 years ago and has been one of my favourites from that era.
@jennyl5234
This album has been my go to album for years, that's a whole 17 years, because every song is perfect. I never tire of it. Its always in my car wherever i go.
@hulmer73
This song gets belted out at every Mossley AFC home game still. Classic
@vallancesmillie5734
Magic