☝️ Key Points
- The song deals with deep sadness and the loss of a loved one, expressed through intensely emotional lyrics and metaphors.
- The emptiness and absence felt by the protagonist after the departure of their love are symbolized by lines like 'Sheets of empty canvas, Untouched sheets of clay'.
- The complete immersion in the relationship and the subsequent loss are described with 'And all I told her was ... everything, I know she gave me all that she wore'.
- The singer showcases their deep sorrow and dark mood in the repeated chorus 'All the pictures have, all been washed in black, tattooed everything'.
- The lines 'I know some day 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... can't it be mine...' express their pain and longing, despite knowing that their lives are now separate.
- At the end of the song, 'We... We belong... We belong together' is a desperate call and desire for belonging, despite the separation.
Interpretation
The song 'Black' by
Pearl Jam is an emotional expression of loss, separation, and unrequited love. The singer reminisces about a past relationship that meant a lot to him.
The opening verses 'Sheets of empty canvas, Untouched sheets of clay' describe the emptiness and absence he feels after she's gone. She used to be the center of his universe, as he expresses with the lines 'All five horizons, Revolved around her soul'.
He then uses metaphors like 'Now the air I tasted and breathed, Has taken turns' to show how much his life has changed. He told her everything, and she gave him everything she had ('And all I told her was ... everything, I know she gave me all that she wore'), but now it's all gone and his hands are bitter with loss and despair.
The repeated refrain 'All the pictures have, All been washed in black, Tattooed everything' showcases his profound sadness and how the memories of her are now soaked in darkness.
Throughout the song, the singer blames himself and wonders why he can't be the one to make her happy ('I know some day 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... can't it be mine...').
The ending of the song 'We... We belong... We belong together' is a desperate plea and a wish that they belong together, despite no longer being together.