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Lyrics for Black as interpreted by mike

Black Lyrics

Hey...oooh...
Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
Were laid spread out before me as her body once did.
All five horizons revolved around her soul
As the earth to the sun
Now the air I tasted and breathed has taken a turn
Ooh, and all I taught her was everything
Ooh, I know she gave me all that she wore
And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything?
Oh, the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything...

I take a walk outside
I'm surrounded by some kids at play
I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear
Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin round my head
I'm spinning, oh, I'm spinning
How quick the sun can, drop away
And now my bitter hands cradle broken glass
Of what was everything?
All the pictures have all been washed in black, tattooed everything...
All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be...yeah...

Uh huh...uh huh...ooh...
I know someday you'll have a beautiful life, I know you'll be a sun
In somebody else's sky, but why
Why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine

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Lucky1869_420
12-07-2001

Rated +1

About a brokenhearted Romeo who's remembering his absent lover

3 Replies

MundoDragon
07-04-2009

Rated 0

I got through some of these comments and I haven't seen any that reflect the true meaning. Most are very close, however, a lot of people seem to have the notion that this has something to do with an artist because of the mention of the canvas and clay. You are taken those lyrics literal, and Eddie Vedder rarely comes right out and just says it in easy to comprehend lyrics, which is what makes him such a phenomenal lyricist.

The first verse should not be taken literal, but it is a metaphor. "Sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay lay spread out before me as her body once did" This has nothing to do with him being an artist, but simply a metaphor to describe all the things left undone, such as all the 'pictures left unpainted and all the clay left unshaped' In other words, all he can think about is what might have been. What 'masterpieces' they could have created together. This is also reflected in the second verse when he sees the kids playing and knows that he should be happy in seeing it, but somehow isn't, because all he can do is dwell on what might have been (or in his eyes, SHOULD have been).

The song is about one thing simply. What he feels to be the ultimate betrayal. He placed everything in this one person and they turned on him, seemingly overnight, thus the reference to how quick the sun can drop away. No warning, just over.

MundoDragon
07-04-2009

Rated 0

Sorry for posting in the wrong place, but had no idea it would tack it on here.

incognito143
11-16-2009

Rated 0

I don't think it's about betrayal, but regret. He's not saying he was wronged. But he is bitter, obviously. I think this,

All the love gone bad turned my world to black
Tattooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be

means he's not just dwelling on "her" but on all the bad love in his life, whether it was family, friends, lovers, whatever. I always took that to mean he was at fault for the break (or at least his previous experiences were), and he hoped the best for her, but still wished it could be with him.

Then again, he probably lacks specifics for a reason. You don't need them. It can mean whatever you take it as.