Hey, hey, yeah, uh
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 breathe has taken a turn
Mm, and all I taught her was everything
Mm, I know she gave me all that she wore
And now my bitter hands chafe beneath the clouds
Of what was everything
All 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?
Mm, 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
Mm, mhm, oooh
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?
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ooh, ah yeah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ah, ooh-ooh)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ah, ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (he-he-hey)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ah-ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ah-ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (yeah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ahah, ah-ah, ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (ah-ah, yeah, ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (yeah, hey, ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (yeah, hey, ah)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo (hey)
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Ah
Ooh ooh ooh
Doo doo doo, doo, doo-doo-doo
Ooh-ooh
About This Song
"Black" is a deeply melancholic ballad about the devastating aftermath of losing a profound love, with Eddie Vedder's raw vocals conveying the emptiness and disorientation that follows when someone who was your entire world disappears from your life. The song uses vivid imagery of blank canvases and washed-out photographs to represent how memories and future possibilities have been drained of meaning and color. Musically, it builds from gentle, contemplative verses with fingerpicked guitar to soaring, emotionally charged choruses that showcase Pearl Jam's ability to blend grunge intensity with vulnerable songcraft. The track stands as one of Pearl Jam's most beloved songs because it captures the universal experience of heartbreak with poetic honesty, transforming personal anguish into something cathartic and beautiful that resonates across generations of listeners.
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