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Matt Mahaffey on the writing of “Paint By Numbers”:
I write a lot of songs about writing songs. Every time I turn on the radio, I hear these cardboard-cutout songs that sound like they were put together from a kit. I can’t stand that. So I wrote about being in my town, in my dusty, dirty band house...
[Verse 1]
In my dusty house, in my dirty clothes
Seated in a town on the verge of extinction
Struggling with a tune alone I compose
A bittersweet ditty about an ex-girlfriend
[Chorus 1]
So why bother with painful memories?
Why tear out my heart for all the world to see?
Why not paint by number, catchy melody?
Burn it up the charts with sweet simplicity
Then do it again
[Verse 2]
Gotta get away, maybe we should stay
Seated in a town on the verge of explosion
New York and LA, no one listening anyway
Busy predicting the next big thing
[Chorus 2]
So why bother with changing scenery?
Why pack up the car and move to California?
Why not paint by number, catchy melody?
Playing all the parts in deadly harmony
Then do it again
[Bridge]
Put the keys into the car, put the car into drive
You can take us to the moon, take us for a ride
[Break]
[Verse 3]
In his dusty house, in his dirty clothes
Seated in a town overrun by tourists
Struggling with a tune so alone he composes
Bittersweet ditty in the third person
[Chorus 3]
So why star in your fictional stories?
Why try to deny your criminals and thieves?
Go ahead, paint by number, phony fake IDs
Burn it up the charts with sweet simplicity
Then do it again
[Bridge]
Put the keys into the car, put the car into drive
You can take us to the moon, take us for a ride
Put the keys into the car, put the car into drive
You can take us to the moon, take us for a ride
Put the keys into the car, put the car into drive
You can take us to the moon, take us for a ride
Put the keys into the car, put the car into drive
Put the car into drive, and take us for a ride
You can take us to the moon, take us for a ride
Paint by Numbers was written by Matt Mahaffey.
Paint by Numbers was produced by Matt Mahaffey.
sElf released Paint by Numbers on Tue Jul 13 1999.