How long has it been, shall we get into it again?
Excuse, our disgrace
We've had no time to paint the place
The dog is always barking at the mailman

I won't waste your time with my revelation
Hello my friend, I see you're back again
Hello mystery, don't bother to explain
How 'bout maybe, its all been in my head
Hey well I'm tired of this black and blue, black and blue

My dear, come again? Your voice is fading out and in
Out of the laundry bin, I found my innocence again
The dog is always barking at the mailman

I won't waste your time with my revelation
Hello my friend, I see you're back again
Hello mystery, don't bother to explain
How 'bout maybe, its all been in my head
Hey well I'm tired of this black and blue, black and blue

Hello my friend, I see you're back again
Hello mystery, don't bother to explain
How 'bout maybe, its all been in my head
Hey well, I'm tired of this black and blue, black and blue


Lyrics submitted by mistakenstrangers, edited by johnnyblueye, Obi, edeninwonderland, Provi1990, sebastookit, Valetion, clueless-daydreams

Black & Blue Lyrics as written by Henrik Nils Jonback Andrew Wyatt Blakemore

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Black & Blue song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

15 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    General Comment

    From what I've read the lyricist Andrew wyatt had a time of heavy substance abuse. I think the lyrics are about the periods of relapse. The title Black & Blue may even translate to black (slang for heroin, a la back to black Amy Winehouse) and blue - periods of depression in and out of addiction.

    "How long has it been, shall we get into it again?" and "Hello my friend, I see you're back again & Hello mystery, don't bother to explain" could relate to being back on the drugs. Read the lyrics with that in mind and they may make more sense.

    BTW I reckon the whole album, lyrically speaking, is about Wyatt's drug issues but it's just a personal theory based purely on a hunch, so take with a pinch of salt.

    Amazing record though. Spanning some of my favorite genres in a fresh way with full artistic honesty. A beautiful listen.

    msteron November 05, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    This song is so awesome.. In my opinion the way I personally interpret this song is dating someone for an extended period of time, but it never being an "official" relationship. The person who wants more out of the relationship is having an internal conflict with themselves. They realize what they want ( and official relationship) with the person they're dating will probably never happen.

    " I won't waste my time with my revelation" The person feels there's no need telling the person their dating how they really feel about their relationship because they know it's not going to change anything. Their "dating" relationship will keep going on the way it is unless they accept the situation for what it is or get out of dating relationship because it will never be an official b/f, g/f committed relationship.

    " Hello mystery don't bother to explain, how bout maybe it's all been in my head" The person feels like everything between them and the person their dating is all a misconceived lie. They do everything a committed relationship entitles, but it's not. The other person may tell them things/ act a certain way towards them, but it's not really the reality of the situation. They feel like everything that is going on between them will turn out to be more then what it actually is because of these things. Or maybe they person just wanted to perceive these things as the relationship as being something more then what it actually is ( how bout maybe it's all been in my head). The person is tired of the black and blue relationship. Meaning they are tired of the way the relationship is. They hate how when they are together, they are together and act like an official relationship when they are together, but it's still not an official thing. They almost don't know how to act around the person they are dating because it's that huge gray area of dating. The person wants more and knows nothing is going to come of it.

    That's what I think anyways.. I can relate to this song in so many ways.

    kare1127on July 08, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I feel this song is about suffering from depression, it describes it perfectly..

    Spiritualfishon January 16, 2010   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    I am definitely going with the Depression side of this song. Having just recently gone through one of my (thankfully rarer) bad weeks of depression, I can tell you this;

    The Dog is normally referred to as the Black Dog for Depression..feeling black and blue is a way of saying, deeply depressed....black is the depression. Many people say they are feeling 'blue' when down too, so Black and Blue is more so!

    Hello Friend I see you're back again...said in an almost poignant way of realising the depression is back. Hello Mystery don't bother to explain...meaning he can't understand how depression works in the brain. Which is also coinciding with the next line about being in his head, chemicals in the brain misfiring, rather than an external source.

    For this character, it has been awhile, and he feels let down he is going through the depression again. Makes everything look too much of an effort to take care of anything.

    So it is really about realising the depression is back and having to live through it again...feeling black and blue, bruised emotionally from this rotten dog which keeps barking at him.

    Cosmosgirlon July 22, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is so fucking good. I don't know specifically what the lyrics mean, but it speaks to me on a deeper level that I can't explain and it always makes me cry.

    makencheezieon July 04, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "Out of the laundry bin, I found my innocence again" i really like the imagery of this part. it might describe how you feel in your sober, depression-free moments. you might feel like you've found your innocence again (the person feels probably guilty for being depressed because "maybe, its all been in (his) head", saying his feelings are unjustified)you feel good actually and your mind is finally clear.but you feel worn out just like the clothing in the laundry bin, simply because depression leaves its marks on you. it's just really exhausting.

    yawninhamsteron January 03, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    It's obviously about TheDress


    "Hello my friend, I see you're back again"

    His friend came back again trying to convince him the dress is black and blue.

    "Hello mystery, don't bother to explain"

    He is very confident that the dress is white and gold, he doesn't need anyone to tell him it is black and blue because it's white and gold. Right?

    "How 'bout maybe it's all been in my head"

    He starts to second guess himself and starts to think maybe he is crazy

    "Hey world, I'm tired of this black & blue, black & blue"

    He is tired of people saying the dress is black and blue. He's just done with the dress.

    clueless-daydreamson April 04, 2015   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I feel this song is about reconciling with someone after a period of uncertainty or fall out. Black & Blue describes the unsureness and coldness.

    mistakenstrangerson May 25, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think it's kind of like someone who used to be important showed up out of the blue, thus there's the mystery - the singer's saying don't bother to explain why you came back. i don't know, any other ideas?

    bearspbjon October 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Honestly, I don't believe it's about a person at all. I've listened very closely to the lyrics and he doesn't say, "Well, I'm tired of this black and blue" the actual lyrics are: "World, I'm tired of this black and blue." The black and blue might be about being bipolar. I know the feeling.

    born2bflyon October 03, 2009   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Magical
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.