The Rolling Stones – Paint It Black

About the song

Released in 1966 as a single and later included on the U.S. version of their album Aftermath, “Paint It Black” marked a significant stylistic shift for The Rolling Stones, incorporating exotic instrumentation and darker lyrical themes. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, the song delves into a profound sense of grief, despair, and an overwhelming desire to blot out all color and joy from a world plunged into darkness by loss. It quickly became a global number-one hit and remains one of their most distinctive and enduring tracks.

The sound and style: “Paint It Black” is a fascinating blend of psychedelic rock, garage rock, and what was then considered “exotic” or “Eastern” influences. It’s characterized by its driving, almost frantic rhythm, a distinctive sitar riff, and a pervasive sense of brooding intensity. The sound is dark, urgent, and slightly disorienting, perfectly mirroring the song’s themes of overwhelming sorrow and emotional numbness. It’s a departure from their earlier blues-rock roots, showcasing the band’s willingness to experiment and push their sound forward.

Musical features:

• Brian Jones’s Sitar: The most iconic and defining feature of the song is Brian Jones’s haunting sitar riff, which provides a distinctive, almost melancholic, and subtly psychedelic melody. This was one of the earliest uses of the sitar in a Western pop/rock hit.
• Driving Rhythm Section: Charlie Watts’s relentless, almost military-like drumming, combined with Bill Wyman’s thumping, propulsive bass line, creates an urgent and inescapable rhythmic foundation.
• Mick Jagger’s Intense Vocals: Jagger’s vocal delivery is filled with anguish and a desperate urgency, conveying the lyrical themes of overwhelming despair and nihilistic desire. His voice shifts from a more subdued tone to a more powerful, almost strained wail.
• Keith Richards’s Rhythmic Guitar: Richards’s guitar work, while not as overtly prominent as the sitar, provides a crucial rhythmic backbone, adding to the song’s relentless drive.
• Dynamic Shifts: The song builds and releases tension effectively, particularly through the interplay between the sitar and the driving rhythm section.

It’s dark, hypnotic, and psychologically intense, a musical embodiment of profound grief and disillusionment.

Lyrical themes and atmosphere:

“I see a red door and I want it painted black / No colors anymore, I want them to turn black”

The lyrics are a raw outpouring of despair following a significant loss, likely the death of a loved one. The narrator expresses a desire to paint the entire world black, to strip it of all color and joy, because the beauty of life has become unbearable in the face of their sorrow. The atmosphere is one of overwhelming nihilism, emotional numbness, and a profound sense of isolation. Every mention of color (red, yellow, blue) is met with the desire to eradicate it, reflecting the depth of the narrator’s pain.

Themes:

• Grief and Loss: The central theme is the overwhelming and suffocating experience of mourning.
• Nihilism and Despair: A rejection of joy and color in the face of unbearable pain, leading to a desire for absolute darkness.
• Emotional Numbness: The feeling of being detached and unable to perceive anything but sorrow.
• The World Turned Grey: The transformation of a vibrant world into a bleak, monochrome landscape due to personal suffering.
• Isolation in Sorrow: The feeling of being alone in one’s profound grief, unable to connect with the world’s perceived normalcy.

Unlike many love songs or protest anthems, “Paint It Black” is a stark and unyielding exploration of the darkest corners of human emotion.

Legacy and impact:

• Global Number One Hit: A massive commercial success, topping charts internationally and further cementing The Rolling Stones’ superstar status.
• Psychedelic Pioneer: One of the early mainstream rock songs to prominently feature non-Western instrumentation (sitar), influencing the psychedelic rock movement.
• Iconic Rock Anthem: Became one of The Rolling Stones’ most recognizable and enduring songs, a staple of classic rock radio.
• Culturally Pervasive: Frequently used in films, TV shows, and video games to evoke a sense of darkness, despair, or impending doom (e.g., Full Metal Jacket, Wednesdays).
• Live Show Favorite: A powerful and dramatic addition to their live performances for decades.

“Paint It Black” is a bold, experimental, and emotionally potent track that cemented The Rolling Stones’ reputation as innovators willing to explore the darker side of human experience.

Final thoughts: “Paint It Black” is a truly groundbreaking and unsettling song in The Rolling Stones’ discography. Brian Jones’s sitar provides an instantly recognizable and almost menacing hook, while the relentless rhythm section drives the song’s urgent despair. Mick Jagger’s vocal performance is a raw and compelling expression of grief, making the listener feel the narrator’s overwhelming desire to blot out a painful reality. It’s a testament to the band’s versatility and willingness to experiment, moving beyond their blues roots to craft a psychedelic masterpiece that remains as powerful and evocative today as it was in 1966.

Video

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 day

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 setting sun
My love will laugh with me before the morning comes

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 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!

Hmm, hmm, hmm…