Could I act like you, and put a smile on face?
Not even for a second would I lie to myself..
Too many things are missing
And there's a tear in my eye
It's not a question or an answer
But it will change you mind

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we've all been painted my numbers
We dance and eyes will follow
You said it was love
I said I'd like you to be mine

I couldn't act like you
But I can love like you do
Between us there is something
I can explain it to you

[Repeat: x2]
We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we've all been painted my numbers
We dance and eyes will follow
You said it was love
I said I'd like you to be mine

We'll be the same tomorrow
'Cause we've all been painted my numbers
We dance and eyes will follow
Sing a song for sorrow

'Cause we've all been painted my numbers
We dance and eyes will follow
You said it was love
I got what I need to get by


Lyrics submitted by voltaire7

Painted by Numbers Lyrics as written by Fredrik Nilsson Felix Rodriguez

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Painted by Numbers song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    This is one of my favorite songs... I'm not quite sure what its about. Possibly lying? Or maybe things being set in stone? I have no clue.

    namesareaclicheon June 17, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The guy believes that he loves her, she knows she doesn't love him, but his attention is enough for her to get by. She's using him, he believes he loves her, but he really doesn't and she knows he is oblivious but she doesn't tell him...what a bitch.

    ds_nullon December 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song - definitly my favourite by The Sounds. I agree with your analysis , but what exactly does 'painted by numbers' mean as a phrase?

    butterflykiss84on December 15, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is pretty self-explanatory. The phrase "painted by numbers" means to be judged as a number, not as a seperate person - being made into a stereotype. It's about how people look at someone and then automatically judge everything about them.

    We'll be the same tomorrow 'Cause we all been painted by numbers We're dancin' as we borrow You said it was love I said I'd like you to be mine

    I think that verse is talking about how the writer doesn't care because people will always judge like that so why get angry about it, and "dancing as we borrow" means that they're just fine being judged even as they change because they don't care what the judging ones think. I'm not sure what the last two lines of that verse mean, but that's my guess of the song.

    targetbarneyon February 01, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    by numbers: following a set of simple instructions identified by numbers (example: painting by numbers)

    source: Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

    bugoffon March 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song so much it's ridiculous.

    swutmuffinon May 31, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think that painted by numbers (like those things you get in a box where you paint pictures by van gogh bu numbers) means that even though wee different underneath it all were just the same ...the song is about people using each other they both need someone and they just useing each other out of convenience....and she cant denie that ther is something between them but its not enough and she isnt willing to continue the charade but he is he just puts a smile on his face ...and she is just singing a song of sorrow bacuase tomorrow it will be the same

    amaneon June 02, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    'painted by numbers' refers to specific shades of a certain color according to numbers on the paint bottle

    triangularon July 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is about a chic's view point on her relationship with someone who claims thier in love but really hes in it alone. the lyric "we'll be the same tomorrow" is how they want to make the relationship mean more but it wont get any better because its the people that make a relationship. and the lyrics "cause we all been painted by numbers" goes with the theory that there is someone for everyone. that we all have our numbers and the person who has the same number is meant to be. thats my take on this song anyhow

    blah215on July 21, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's a tune whatever it means.

    I think there's a few ways of looking at it - most of which have already been covered.

    OGS_20on July 22, 2007   Link

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