Paint It Black
noredirect/Rolling Stones Lyrics
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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 see people turn their heads and quickly look away
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 settin' sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' 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
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
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
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
The song "Paint It Black" by the Rolling Stones was released in 1966 and it is regarded as a classic rock song. The song is about a person who is dealing with the loss of a loved one and feeling depressed and disconnected from the world around them. The song's protagonist sees a red door and wants it painted black because they are tired of colors and want to see everything in black. The red door serves as a symbol for hope and the singer's desire for it to be painted black reflects the feeling of hopelessness that they are experiencing.
The singer also sees girls walking by dressed in summer clothes but cannot appreciate their beauty because of their depression. They see a line of cars, with flowers and love, which will never come back. The song talks about how people turn their heads and quickly look away, which reflects the idea that people often avoid dealing with difficult situations, preferring to pretend that everything is okay. Additionally, the singer sees their own heart as black, which highlights the idea that they are consumed by grief and sadness.
The song's refrain "I wanna see it painted black, black as night, black as coal" shows the singer's desire to be surrounded by darkness, to completely shut out the world and their own feelings. The song ends with "I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black, yeah" which is a plea for help, an admission that the singer is struggling to deal with their emotions and needs support.
Line by Line Meaning
I see a red door and I want it painted black
I see something that was once full of life and vibrancy, but now I desire to see it changed into a darker and more somber version of itself
No colors anymore, I want them to turn black
I don't want to see the bright colors of life anymore, I want everything to be dull and lifeless
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I see the beauty and innocence of youth and it reminds me of what I used to have, but can't have anymore
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
The sight of beauty and innocence is too painful for me to bear, so I have to look away until my dark thoughts and feelings pass
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
I see that even objects that were once bright and cheerful have been transformed into darkness and sorrow
With flowers and my love, both never to come back
I see reminders of happier times, but those times are gone forever and will never return
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Others can see the darkness within me and they don't want to be associated with it, so they turn away from me
Like a new born baby, it just happens every day
Just like a baby is born every day, my darkness and pain are always there, simmering just beneath the surface
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I realize that the source of my darkness is within me; my heart and soul are consumed by pain and sorrow
I see my red door, I must have it painted black
I'm so consumed by my desire for darkness and pain that I'm willing to destroy even the things that used to bring me joy and comfort
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
My intense pain and suffering are so overwhelming that I find myself wanting to disappear into the darkness and avoid facing the harsh realities of life
It's not easy facing up, when your whole world is black
When everything around you is dark and hopeless, it's incredibly difficult to find the strength and courage to face your problems and try to make things better
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
The beauty and wonder I used to see in the world has faded away, and everything that was once vibrant and full of life now appears darker and more barren
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
I'm shocked and saddened by the way things have turned out, and I never could have imagined that things would end up this way
If I look hard enough into the settin' sun
If I search deep within myself and try to find the beauty in even the darkest places, I may be able to find hope and solace
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes
If I can learn to embrace the darkness and find joy in unexpected places, I may be able to find happiness and love once again
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
I wanna see it painted, painted black
I am so consumed by darkness and pain that I want everything around me to reflect those feelings
Black as night, black as coal
My desire for darkness and pain is so strong that I want everything to be as black and bleak as possible
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
My desire for darkness is so strong that I even want to blot out the beauty and light of the sun
Paint it, painted, painted, painted black
I am so consumed by darkness and pain that I can't think of anything else I want besides a world that reflects those feelings
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Michael Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind