Three

Paint by Number

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Paint by Number Lyrics

Do what you want me to do
Say what you want me to say
I smile when you give me the cue
I'll play like you want me to play
Don't give up, it's a quarter past three
I'm just scared I'll die before I can be free
So how come the road never clears?
How come it's always so cold?
I guess there's no way out of here
Unless I reshape to your mold
Don't give up, it's a quarter past three
I'm just scared I'll die before I can be free

Paint by number
Obey all posted signs
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?

Let's take it down another notch
Dim all your brightest ideas
Just a little snip to the crotch, now watch
That ought to set you at ease
Don't give up, it's a quarter past three
I'm just scared I'll die before I can be free

Paint by number
Obey all posted signs
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?

I'm gonna let it shine!
C'mon J, let it shine

Don't give up, it's a quarter past three
I'm just scared I'll die before I can be free

Paint by number
Obey all posted signs
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?
Oh, paint by number
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?
(Here we go)

Submitted by

sess On Mar 20, 2006

Paint by number
Obey all posted signs
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?

I'm gonna let it shine!
C'mon J, let it shine

Don't give up, it's a quarter past three
I'm just scared I'll die before I can be free

Paint by number
Obey all posted signs
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?
Oh, paint by number
Am I so out of touch
To wanna let my darkness shine?
(Here we go)

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Keep it true to the song

Fix what’s wrong, but don’t rewrite what the artist wrote. Stick to the official released version — album booklet, label site, verified lyric video, etc. If you’re guessing, pause and double-check.

Respect the structure

Songs have rhythm. Pages do too. Leave line breaks where they belong. Don’t smash things together or add extra empty space just for looks.

Punctuation counts (but vibe-editing doesn’t)

Correct typos? Yes. Re-punctuating a whole verse because it ‘looks better’? Probably not. Keep capitalization and punctuation close to the official source.

Don’t mix versions

If you’re editing the explicit version, keep it explicit. If it’s the clean version, keep it clean. No mashups.

Let the lyrics be lyrics

This isn’t the place for interpretations, memories, stories, or trivia — that’s what comments are for. Keep metadata, translations, and bracketed stage directions out unless they’re officially part of the song.

Edit lightly

If two lines are wrong… fix the two lines. No need to bulldoze the whole page. Think ‘surgical,’ not ‘remix.’

When in doubt, ask the crowd

Not sure what they’re singing in that fuzzy bridge? Drop a question in the comments and let the music nerds swarm. Someone always knows.

Sess

Submitter

2006-03-20 08:48:39

2 Meanings

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by DeuceFreely

19y ago

This song is about the record company telling them what they could and couldn't do, and how much Joey hated having to 'paint by number'.

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by cnelson2307

15y ago

yup, i agree! but like to think this sont translates further in life than just the record company. the way were all contained and directed int this polite human maner. in side note - i always hated those paint by number pictures when i was a kid. great song name.

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