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

goosebumps all over just reading the lyrics and singin it in my head

intense...........................

ill settle it:

It whatever you want it to be. There somone sings it differantly then that's how it is to them.

I always thought it was
"and now my bitter hands, SHAKE beneath the clouds". which makes more sense than "shade beneath the clouds"

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)

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)

i always thought it was either "lace spread out before me" or "legs spread out....."

Why do I always think at the end of the song they say "sun" instead of "star"?

Originally posted by undoneone
The sun is a star. :-)

hahah sweet...so by saying sun I'll never be wrong!!! haha your a genius

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!

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.