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Lets Settle It Once And For All..."black"

BrotherBrother Posts: 63
edited April 2004 in Words and Music...Communication
What are the words to this song? I've heard many debates over the words in the first verse and the first chorus!

What are the words?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • ecopeecope Posts: 89
    Hey ooh.
    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 shade beneath the clouds of what was everything.
    All the pictures have all been washed in black. Tattooed every day.

    I take a walk outside. I'm surrounded by some kids at play.
    Oh, I can feel their laughter. Oh, so why do I sear?
    Ooh, and twisted thoughts that spin around 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 star in somebody else's sky but why, why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?
    Oh... Ohh yeah oh.
    Do do do do do do do (x20 total) Yeah... Yeah...
    Hi. (x6)
    Yeah. (x3)
  • «¤tîg®ê§§¤»«¤tîg®ê§§¤» Posts: 5,137
    goosebumps all over just reading the lyrics and singin it in my head

    intense...........................
    he who forgets will be destined to remember
  • BrotherBrother Posts: 63
    I think it's "shake" not "shade beneath the clouds"
  • brother123brother123 Posts: 792
    ill settle it:

    It whatever you want it to be. There somone sings it differantly then that's how it is to them.
    <a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v44/brother123/?action=view&current=thewh0.png&quot; target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v44/brother123/thewh0.png&quot; border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
  • {[No_Code}]{[No_Code}] Posts: 4,059
    overrated
    So that is how I learned the lesson that everyone is alone. And your eyes must do some raining if you are ever going to grow. But when crying don't help and you can't compose yourself. It is best to compose a poem, an honest longing or simple song of hope.
    That is why I'm singing
  • shawnsmileshawnsmile Posts: 7
    I always thought it was
    "and now my bitter hands, SHAKE beneath the clouds". which makes more sense than "shade beneath the clouds"
    www.secondsmile.com
  • brain of cbrain of c Posts: 5,213
    i turn up my radio every time black comes on..............................................................................................................................:cool:
    d'oh!!!!!!

    http://www.myspace.com/brain_of_c
  • bushleaderbushleader Posts: 5
    I think it's "gave me all that she was" not wore. I agree with "Shake" Also I think it's "tatooed everything", not every day. "I can feel their laughter, so why do I see her"

    This is probably my 2nd most listened to song after "flow". I'm still searching for a version where Ed says "She fucking taught me" and that has a "we belong together" or "hold on to love" tag. It may not be out there.

    Always vote R
    Originally posted by ecope
    Hey ooh.
    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 shade beneath the clouds of what was everything.
    All the pictures have all been washed in black. Tattooed every day.

    I take a walk outside. I'm surrounded by some kids at play.
    Oh, I can feel their laughter. Oh, so why do I sear?
    Ooh, and twisted thoughts that spin around 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 star in somebody else's sky but why, why, why can't it be, oh, can't it be mine?
    Oh... Ohh yeah oh.
    Do do do do do do do (x20 total) Yeah... Yeah...
    Hi. (x6)
    Yeah. (x3)
  • chicago23xchicago23x Posts: 53
    SHAKE is right, but so is WORE not was, and it's EVERYTHING, and if you notice in the album version their are two differences than live versions and they are

    legs spread out before me, where now it's they or laid spread out before me....and all the pictures had, were now it's all the pictures sad
    Hell; a paticular realm of the after life where they never play Pearl Jam
  • chicago23xchicago23x Posts: 53
    so I submit the following as current live versions

    sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay
    they spread out before me, as her body once did
    ooo all five horizons, revolved around her soul, as the earth to the sun
    now the air I tasted and breathed, has taken a turn
    ooo and all I taught her was, everthing
    ooo I know she gave me all, that she wore

    and now my bitter hands, shake beneath the clouds
    of what was everything
    all the pictures, sad, all been washed in black, tatooed everything

    I take a walk outside, I'm surrounded by, some kids at play
    ooo I can feel their laughter, so why do I sear
    ooo and twisted thoughts that spin, round my head
    I'm spinning, whoa 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, sad, all been washed in black, tatooed everything, all the love gone bad, turned my world to black, tatooed all I see, all that I am, all I'll be.........

    I know/hope someday you'll have a beutiful life, I know/hope you'll be a star, in somebody else's sky, but why, why, why....
    can't it be, why can't it be mine.......

    (he swithes hope and know around at the end, I've heard it both ways)

    now my album version

    sheets of empty canvas, untouched sheets of clay, legs spread out before me, as her body once did, ooo all five horizons, revolved around her soul, as the earth to the sun, now the air I tasted and breathed, has taken a turn
    ooo and all I taught her was, everything
    ooo I know she gave me all that she wore

    and now my bitter hands, shake beneath the clouds, of what was everything, all the pictures had, all been washed in black, tatooed everyday

    I take a walk outside (second verse same)

    and now my bitter hands, cradle broken glass, of what was everything, all the pictures had, all been washed in black, tatooed everyday, all the love gone bad, turned by world to black, tatooed all I see, all that I am, all I ever be.....

    I know someday (same)
    Hell; a paticular realm of the after life where they never play Pearl Jam
  • sirjamstonsirjamston Posts: 38
    i always thought it was "chafe beneath the clouds".

    by the way, i'm new. this is post numero 1. hi all.
  • maccachiefmaccachief Posts: 1
    i always thought it was either "lace spread out before me" or "legs spread out....."
  • sonicreducersonicreducer Posts: 713
    all i have to say is that shit that aaron lewis did was uncalled for,...
    you're a real hooker. im gonna slap you in public.
    ~Ron Burgundy
  • chadeauchadeau Posts: 7
    Why do I always think at the end of the song they say "sun" instead of "star"?
  • undoneoneundoneone Posts: 26
    Originally posted by chadeau
    Why do I always think at the end of the song they say "sun" instead of "star"?


    The sun is a star. :-)
    "I'm lost,I'm no guide, but I'm by your side." E.V.
  • chadeauchadeau Posts: 7
    Originally posted by undoneone
    The sun is a star. :-)

    hahah sweet...so by saying sun I'll never be wrong!!! haha your a genius
  • smileemptysoulsmileemptysoul Posts: 9
    i've always heard 'chafe' as well
    myspace.com/goldenboy25


    "I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good."
  • soapyrowssoapyrows Posts: 235
    i always thoought it was chafed as well
    omg it is such a beautiful song i love it it's my fave and it always makes me cry!
    EVENFLOW MEMBER #009 and i'm LOVIN the new PJ!!!! avacado all the way!!

    i know someday you'll have a beautiful life,
    i HOPE you'll be a star,
    in somebody elses sky, but why, why, why can't it be, why can't it be mine?!
  • BONESBONES Posts: 11
    I'm another who's hears chafe
    Ooooh - they have the internet on computers now.
  • elisa_taufikelisa_taufik Posts: 3
    okay here's my ear's version: (my thoughts in brackets)
    Sheets of guilty canvas, untouched sheets of gray (he's an artist?)
    were lay spread out before me, as her body was still (he still remembers her)
    oh all five horizons revolved around her soul, as the earth did the sun (this is such a beautiful line, he thinks the world of her)
    now the air i've tasted and breathed has taken a turn (but now he doesnt feel too good about her)

    err and all I thought her was, everything (he thinks everything of her)
    I know she gave me all that she wore (while what she gave him was all superficial)

    and these bitter hands, shake beneath the clouds, of what was everything (hands reference - artist? writer?)
    All the pictures had, all been washed in black, tatooed everything (any memory he had of her has permanently been distorted)

    I take a walk outside, i'm surrounded by .. some kids at play
    I can feel/hear their laughter.. so why do I see her? (he can hear happiness, but all he sees is sadness)
    And these twisted thoughts I spin, 'round my head..
    I'm spinning ohhh I'm spinning
    How quick the sun can drop awayyyy (Gawd this part always gets to me. If I listen to this by the beach when the sun is setting, i'd be on my knees crying) (Ed captured the feeling i get everytime I see the sun set)

    Oh this bitter hands prey on broken glass (though "cradle broken glass" sounds better)
    of what was everything...
    all the pictures had, all been washed in black tattooed everything..
    auw the love gone bad, turned my world to black,
    tattooed all I see, all that I am,
    all I'll be ....... yeahhh (he's deeply affected by his loss)

    I know someday you'll have a beautiful life,
    I know you'll be a star
    in somebody else's sky (he still cares for her)
    but why why why...
    cant it be
    oh cant it be
    mine..? (though he still pines for her)

    tududud tud dududu..

    Searching for the 'true' lyrics is like searching for the holy grail. Sometimes I like the fact that PJ does not provide lyrics and that Ed sings it almost mumbling. It means we can make up the words to fit how we feel and the song gives us more meaning than the band could ever hope to give..

    I cried the first time i heard this song, even before I found out the whole lyrics. It was just so *powerful*.
    a true PJ classic.
    " we were but stones, ... your light made us stars" - Lightyears
  • NothingbetterNothingbetter Posts: 570
    Originally posted by chadeau
    Why do I always think at the end of the song they say "sun" instead of "star"?

    I thought so too. It sure sounds like sun. I've always thought this not only with the sound of it, but also the fact that Eddie brings his surfer background in by using the sun as the be all in his world. He uses it in many lyrics.
    Kansas City 6/12/03 ** Kissimmee 10/9/04 ** Atlantic City 10/1/05 ** Denver 7/2/06 ** Denver 7/3/06 ** Chicago 8/23/09 ** Chicago 8/24/09 ** Kansas City 5/3/10 ** Dallas 11/15/13 ** Oklahoma City 11/16/13 ** St. Louis 10/3/14 ** Tulsa 10/8/14 ** Chicago - Wrigley Field 8/20/16 ** Chicago - Wrigley Field 8/22/16 ** Oklahoma City 9/20/22 ** Ft. Worth 9/15/23

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  • Judge PenJudge Pen Posts: 16
    I always thought it was "grate on broken glass" imagining the pain and scarring of getting hurt by the end of their relationship, but cradle works too, just not as much blood.
  • smileemptysoulsmileemptysoul Posts: 9
    cradle broken glass of what was everything - sheets of empty canvas
    myspace.com/goldenboy25


    "I wish I was a messenger and all the news was good."
  • KimKim Posts: 2
    I always thought it was
    Cheap talk, empty habits
    Under sheets of clay.
    Her legs spread out before me
    as her body once did
  • KimKim Posts: 2
    and I thought it was
    I take a walk outside
    I'm surrounded by some kids at play
    I can't hear their laughter
    so why do I stay?
  • billiardballbilliardball Posts: 8
    I thought it said

    ' All five horizons, revolve around her sun'

    So, at the end, he mentions her being somebody elses sun in their sky.
    On the edge, a window-sill
    Ponders his maker,
    Ponders his will.....
  • nicoolnicool Posts: 89
    k.. evreyone has aweosme interpretations and idont think anyone's wrong... like a song is sposed to be there with you to help you get tthrough something, becuase u can relate to it. Everyone listens to music and sings them with the words they can hear; the words which most resemble their own situation that they may be going through.. or that they have already experianced. if a song has dug this deep into ur soul... u know someone has made one hell of a good song... no matter what way u interpret it, its' always gonna be a complete masterpiece.
    You sheltered me from nothing but the weather...
  • christmas cleanchristmas clean Posts: 60
    Originally posted by twistedmenace
    i always thought it was "chafe beneath the clouds".

    by the way, i'm new. this is post numero 1. hi all.
    Yes, I did to but shake seems to sound right too.
    Hi back by the way.
    And we're all allowed to dream of the next time we touch.
  • codedcoded Posts: 12
    Originally posted by bushleader
    I think it's "gave me all that she was" not wore. I agree with "Shake" Also I think it's "tatooed everything", not every day. "I can feel their laughter, so why do I see her"

    This is probably my 2nd most listened to song after "flow". I'm still searching for a version where Ed says "She fucking taught me" and that has a "we belong together" or "hold on to love" tag. It may not be out there.

    Always vote R

    Can you get the unplugged version anywhere? He says 'we belong together' during that show but I have no idea if you can get it.
    "They misunderestimated me." - George W. Bush
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