Saturday, October 17, 2015

10/19:Mollett- Black Beauty

I paint my nails black
I dye my hair a darker shade of brown,
Because you like your women Spanish, dark, strong and proud.
I paint the sky black,
You said if you could have your way,
You'd make a night time what a day,
So it suits the mood of your soul
Ohhh, what can I do?
Nothing, my sparrow blue

Ohhhhh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you

Black beauty
Ohhh oh oh
Black beauty
Ohhh oh

I paint the house black,
My wedding dress black leather, too.
You have no room for light,
Love is lost on you.
I keep my lips red,
They seem like cherries in the spring.
Darling, you can't let everything seem so dark blue.

But, ohhh
What can I do,
To turn you on,
Or get through you?

Ohhh, what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue.
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you.

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black bea-u-uty,
Ohhhh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Black beauty baby
Black beauty baby

Ohhhh what can I do?
Life is beautiful,
But you don't have a clue
Sun and ocean blue,
They're magnificent,
It don't make sense to you

Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh
Black beauty,
Ohhhh


            Lana describes her methods of darkening herself.  She paints her nails black, she dyes her hair a darker brown in hopes of appealing to the darkness her partner loves and embodies.  Lana describes the beauties she knows the word holds and how she tries to share those with her partner.  He keeps receding into his dark place and takes Lana with him.  She dresses in black and leather.  She knows he would have the night last all day if it were up to him.  She darkens herself because of her partner, only keeping her cherry red lips to cling onto her identity.  She loves her partner and continues to be what makes him happy, even though she knows that beauty also exists in the light.
            As Lana croons the sad words, the listener may find it hard not to stop and listen.  I find it hard.  I find myself at a red light wondering if I’ve ever painted my nails black, blue, or red because those are the colors that someone else prefers.  I know that I have.  I know that I’ve dressed in leather, lace, or cotton even when I didn’t want to. 
            As I fall deeper and deeper into thought, I realize that I’m sad and happy at the same time.  Lana’s sweet voice caresses my thoughts as they fall into place, a happy place of understanding.  It sounds like Lana is no fool, though I thought she sounded weak at first.  She knows that she’s playing in to what someone else wants.  She knows that a bright life exists outside the dark life that her partner clings to.  She’s okay with it, and, I think that she continues to love because of it. 
            Her nails and her hair become darker than they once were, something that she changes voluntarily.  Lana tells of the ocean and the sun. She sings that the world is beautiful. She knows it.  Her partner won’t know it.  She stays and continues to love the darkness that I believe she craves.  If she didn’t, she would be talking about how she left but instead, asks “What can I do?”  Have you ever wanted something that is so contrary to your own character?  Have you ever desired the presence of someone who seems to be your opposite?  I think something in us craves a balance.  This isn’t a song about a breakup.  Though the melody seems so sad, I’m not sure the song itself is meant to be so.  I hear confusion.  I hear her wondering why, through all the differences and conformities, is she still with this partner? Maybe, just maybe, her partner is her balance, her other half.  After all, I’ve often heard that we all have a dark side.
            As I read and re-read the lyrics on various sites, there were always comments at the bottom of the page containing someone’s perspective on this song.  Most of the posts were similar, almost never veering from the central point of loving someone who loves the dark. Robbie Baker at wordpress.com discusses Lana’s conformity to the darkness.  A comment on genius.com describes the symbolism of the sparrow as a sign of freedom.  Even the review from the Huffington Post claims the song is about conformity in the name of love.  All were very similar except one brave soul on songmeanings.com who made a very short point, but a very important one. 
            “Black Beauty” is more than just a song, horse, or a phrase.  According to dietspotlight.com, it was a drug that hit its peak in the 70s, but ended up getting banned in the 90s.  Why? Black Beauty was a diet pill in the form of speed.  Indulging in the drug caused a euphoric reaction, a high, and also caused weight loss, which drew in a crowd. 
            Well, that changes everything, doesn’t it?  Could this sad song be about a drug or addiction?  It very well could be.  We know through television, the Internet or even by experience that a drug can change who we are or what we want.  She paints her nails black and dyes her hair a darker shade because of the drug itself or possibly because withdraws cause depression.  She knows how beautiful the world is but she can’t escape the addiction, this addiction that she hates that she loves.  Black Beauty makes her a black beauty, darkening her physical attributes as well as her mind.  Maybe this sad song is still about a relationship.  She’s in a bad relationship with this drug and she cant leave.  She’s addicted.
Works Cites

1 comment:



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