About the Song
The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black” is a haunting and powerful exploration of despair and loss. Released in 1966, the song marked a departure from the band’s earlier blues-based sound, incorporating Eastern-influenced elements that created a dark and hypnotic atmosphere.
The song’s repetitive structure and minimalist arrangement contribute to its haunting quality. Mick Jagger’s vocals, delivered with a sense of detached detachment, perfectly capture the song’s bleak mood. The lyrics, filled with imagery of darkness and emptiness, convey a sense of profound loss and disillusionment.
Beyond its musical innovation, “Paint It Black” has become a cultural touchstone, representing a generation’s disillusionment with the Vietnam War and the counterculture’s search for meaning. The song’s enduring power lies in its ability to evoke a sense of primal emotion, making it a timeless masterpiece of rock music.
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Lyrics: “Paint It Black”
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colours 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 goesI 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 newborn baby, it just happens every dayI 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 blackNo 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 setting sun
My love will laugh with me before the morning comesI see a red door and I want it painted black
No colours 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 goesHmm, 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 blackYeah!
Hmm, hmm, hmm…