Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Paint it, Black

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

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
Like a new born baby it just happens every day

I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts

It's not easy facin' 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,...

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!



- Released May 7, 1966


- The song title is often given as "Paint It Black", this variant having appeared on some reissues and compilations. Keith Richards has said that the song was not intended to have a comma in its title, and that this was added by the record label.
- " I see a red door and I want it painted black" The significance of a red door on churches has ancient origins: The red door on a chapel symbolized the blood of Christ, and other martyrs, to signify that the ground beyond the door (inside the church) was holy, and a sanctuary from physical and spiritual evils.

In Ireland, front doors are painted red to ward-off ghosts and evil spirits.

In early America a red door was a sign of "welcome." When people traveled by horse and buggy they had to stop often. If they came upon a house with a red door it was a sign they would be able to spend the night. There is even rumor that a red front door was used in the underground railroad as a sign for slaves traveling north that the house was a safe house.

In Scotland, it is believed when you paid off your mortgage you painted your door red.

- "I see a line of cars and they're all painted black" = A funeral procession.

- "With flowers and my love both never to come back. I see people turn their heads and quickly look away. Like a new born baby it just happens every day." The song's protagonist is in obvious mourning. The death is unexpected and likely happened to someone very young and wild.

- "I look inside myself and see my heart is black. I see my red door and it has been painted black. Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts. It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black." The protagonist feels a deep sense of guilt and may be responsible for the death. It very well could be a crime and the protagonist knows he/she has to leave or they will be caught.

- "If I look hard enough into the settin' sun. my love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes" The protagonist is contemplating suicide for he believes this is the only way he can be with the one that had passed on. They were both deeply in love, young, and wild. Therefore, the death may have been a drug overdose which would explain the suddenness of the death and the shame. The protagonist supplied the drugs to his lover and not only misses her, but in his shame, feels like he must sacrifice his own life as well.

No comments:

Post a Comment