The Rolling Stones 'Song Paint It, Black'

“Paint It, Black” The Rolling Stones’ song “Paint It, Black” is a popular song that came out in 1966. Its message is “ensuing grief, depression, and blackened state following a loss,” said the American Songwriter. There is also another meaning to this song and it relates to the time that it came out in The Vietnam War. The song is mainly about grieving which many people had to do during the Vietnam War one-third of the American Army were drafted. The Rolling Stones named “Paint it, Black” because “‘It means ‘Paint it, Black.’ ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’ means ‘I can’t get no satisfaction’ said Mick Jagger,” The writers didn’t name it this for some particular reason. To them, it sounded like a feeling of depression and grief. It highlights

The speaker is in a very deep depression and he wants the world around him to match. Without his love, he sees the world as too colorful and wants it to be like him. “Maybe then, I’ll fade away/And not have to face the facts/It’s easy facing up/When your whole world is black”(3.5-8). He wants to fade away because he doesn’t want to face the fact that his partner is dead. It isn’t easy facing up when he is so depressed.

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 “No more will my green sea/Go turn a deeper blue”(4.1-2). Without his love, he feels like a part of him is missing. “I could not foresee this thing/Happening to you”(4.3-4). His partner’s death was very sudden and unexpected. He wouldn’t want this to happen to you, as well. “If I look hard enough/Into the setting sun/My love will laugh with me/Before the morning comes”(4.5-8) When he looks into the sun he can imagine that he is with his partner in the afterlife.

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,