What do the lyrics from Pearl Jam's Black mean?

Answer 1

Don't rely on this answer as one that would come from a close friend of, or Eddie Vedder himself, but as my mere assumption. So, firstly, let's consult the lyrics themselves (NOTE: In the lyrics, only what's in bold is of any importance):

Hey...oooh... / 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 / Chafe beneath the clouds/ Of what was everything / Oh 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 / Oh, 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 had / 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 sun / In somebody else's sky / But why / Why / Why can't it be / Why can't it be mine / (Not sure?)/ Mm-hmm no yeah no / Mm mmmm no nonono yeah yeah / We-- / We belong / We belong together / Together / Oooh ooh / We-- / We belong / We belong together / Oh yeah

(NOTE: Read slowly so as not to become confused) Now, from what I can observe, "Black" is obviously a love song. That much is obvious even if you don't know the words, but will seem even more obvious when you know and understand them. The first lines about a blank canvas and virgin pieces of clay implys, or so I think, that the man's (in this case, Vedder's) love was his masterpiece; his greatest work of art-- nothing now that she's gone-- and was a creation of his love, as is all art. The next bit-- All five horizons / Revolved around her soul / As the earth to the sun / Now the air I tasted and breathed / Has taken a turn-- says that she, his love, was like the sun, and he like the earth-- his very existence relied on her alone-- leaving the line about air to imply that things have drastically changed in his life; his sun has gone. The following lines about him teaching her everything goes back to the whole 'masterpiece' metaphor. The line suggests that Vedder gave the woman mentioned all his artistic abilities-- all his love-- expecting some in return, which she did give in the line Ooh I know she gave me all that she wore-- which to me implys the obvious: command over how much and how little she wore, if you get my meaning.

Now the chorus, And now my bitter hands / Chafe beneath the clouds / Of what was everything / All been washed in black / Tattooed everything, suggests that Vedder, with his hands, scratches (scratch is a simile to chafe) away at the frames of pictures of the love he lost as the next chorus implies-- all their images gone to black-- suggesting that all his good memories with her have wasted and dwindled away along with her. I believe the pictures are are also representations of his world; gone to black with her nonexistance. This all in reality implies that he connot accept that she is gone; gone forever.

The next few lines about children at play and Vedder's strange ignitedment by the sound of laughter are possibly tied to recollections at the many good times he had with his love, and if not that's my best guess. Oh, and twisted thoughts that spin / Round my head says that Vedder mentally believes what has happened between him and his love was wrong-- 'twisted'-- and should never have happened. And, again, the last line of the verse, How quick the sun can drop away..., goes back to the whole 'she is the sun, he is the earth concept', so translated, says simply that 'she dropped away'; she left him.

The next verse-- a revised version of the first chorus-- saying that 'his bitter hands cradle broken glass' implies that Vedder has broken the all the picture frames because of his persistance to find the pictures still black; lifeless. The final lines of the chorus just confirm my suspicions-- All the love gone bad / Turned my world to black / Tattooed all I see / All I am / All that I'll be... All of this simply means, in reality, is that he has finally come to terms with their coda.

Then, in Vedder's final hollerings, we go back to the 'she is the sun, he is the earth' metaphor, with Vedder citing metaphorically in sadness that she'll find love again, and that she'll become what she was to him for her next man-- I know someday you'll have a beautiful life / I know you'll be a sun / In somebody else's sky /But why / Why / Can't it be / Can't it be mine

I hope I was able to answer your question and not confuse you too much in the process (Sorry!). I'd also like to thank you-- your question allowed me to look for answers in "Black" (one of my favorite Pearl Jam songs) where I'd never looked before, and I loved doing it! Thank you, and sorry again. I hope this was the answer you were looking for.

~ Leisure Suit Larry