THE AYATOLLAH OF ROCK 'N' ROLLAH
'Paint It Black'

Song story and background information

The Ayatollah's version of a Rolling Stones classic from yesteryear, as featured on 'The Return Of The Saint' EP and 'The Return Of The Saint - Special Edition' compilation album.  after a lengthy legal battle with the Rolling Stones for permission to cover this track, in the autumn of 1997 the judge found in favour of the Ayatollah, stating that "It would be criminal of me, not to let of world hear this track".

Jagger and the Ayatollah finally resolved their differences in 1999, when Mick asked the Rock'n'Rollah to perform this version of 'Paint It Black' at Wembley, as part of the 'Bridges to Babylon' tour.

Paint It Black (Full mp3 file) - 3:59 [3.6MB]
Paint It Black (Preview Stream) - 3:59

Credits

Written by Mick Jagger & Keith Richards. Produced & mixed by The Ayatollah Of Rock 'n' Rollah, The Quiff & Kermit Le Freak at Viewpoint Studios, Hampshire. © Frostbyte Records. Copyright control.

Lyrics

I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day

I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black

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 settin' sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes

I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes

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
Yeah