# "Paint It Black" - Have you always assumed the singer is a teenager or an adult? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2017, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811 "2017-10-02T14:48:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/41 "2017-10-03T12:52:34Z")
Older teen. It’s “Teen Angel” for the next generation. ---
**Author:** ![Mavic\_Chen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@Mavic\_Chen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mavic_Chen)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/42 "2017-10-03T16:23:14Z")
Just for the fun, here’s some very red soil from the UK. Used to wait there for a bus many years ago… [linky](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4880438,-2.5456241,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0AIq-HxJ1rnT_3nv_LLI2g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/43 "2017-10-03T16:59:44Z")
> [@Filbert](#): > > Actually, we do have quite a few areas of noticeably red soil in the UK. [Example](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@54.1240642,-3.1493573,861m/data=!3m1!1e3) (It looks even redder in person there, it always stands out when I go there), but yeah, that does read as a bit of a stretch. > [@Mavic\_Chen](#): > > Just for the fun, here’s some very red soil from the UK. Used to wait there for a bus many years ago… [linky](https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4880438,-2.5456241,3a,60y,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s0AIq-HxJ1rnT_3nv_LLI2g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0) I’m not saying it doesn’t occur, it’s just not typical, like it is in [Arkansas](http://www.thedirtbum.com/wp-content/uploads/2010-03-16-Arkansas-005.jpg) or other parts of the southern US. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2017, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/44 "2017-10-03T21:30:59Z")
I, too, think red door=gravesite soil is stretching it. Like, a _lot_. Sometimes a red door is just a red door. (Now, if he said he saw her red _rum_, the discussion in this thread would continue in perpetuity) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/45 "2017-10-04T00:07:55Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I, too, think red door=gravesite soil is stretching it. Like, a _lot_. > > Sometimes a red door is just a red door. > > (Now, if he said he saw her red _rum_, the discussion in this thread would continue in perpetuity) > mmm I agree. In context it makes no sense, you wouldn’t want to paint an open grave black. Plus he says both “your red door” and “my red door”. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/46 "2017-10-04T00:15:44Z")
I’ve heard it mentioned that the door of 10 Downing Street was red back in the day, and that was the reference. Any thoughts on that? ETA: After searching, it appears it’s always been black. So, nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2017, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/47 "2017-10-04T00:56:18Z")
I wlways thought it was either about a serial killer or someone coming back from Vietnam with ptsd … ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/48 "2017-10-06T15:30:34Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I, too, think red door=gravesite soil is stretching it. Like, a _lot_. > > Sometimes a red door is just a red door. > > (Now, if he said he saw her red _rum_, the discussion in this thread would continue in perpetuity) > mmm Don’t Anglican Churches typically have red doors? Every Episcopal Church I’ve attended has had red doors. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/49 "2017-10-06T16:27:03Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Don’t Anglican Churches typically have red doors? Every Episcopal Church I’ve attended has had red doors. I think you [hit it](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&biw=1080&bih=1788&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=anglican+church+doors&oq=anglican+church+doors&gs_l=psy-ab.3...13691.16447.0.16648.10.10.0.0.0.0.122.1075.1j9.10.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.7.770...0j0i30k1j0i67k1j0i8i30k1j0i24k1.0.LviIrO2hvZw). Wow. Really makes this American appreciate the song more. ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/50 "2017-10-06T16:42:24Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Don’t Anglican Churches typically have red doors? Every Episcopal Church I’ve attended has had red doors. Wow. I didn’t know that. Very cool. Thanks for pointing that out. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/51 "2017-10-06T18:35:56Z")
I _knew_ marrying a nice Episcopalian girl would work out. Well, besides that whole sixteen happy years (and counting) years of marriage. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/52 "2017-10-06T18:48:32Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Don’t Anglican Churches typically have red doors? Every Episcopal Church I’ve attended has had red doors. > [@Bayard](#): > > Wow. I didn’t know that. Very cool. Thanks for pointing that out. Not around here. I just looked at a few on Street View. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/53 "2017-10-06T19:04:59Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > Don’t Anglican Churches typically have red doors? Every Episcopal Church I’ve attended has had red doors. Thanks, Maus Magill. Here is a link, red is said to represent the [Blood of Christ.](http://www.secaucus.org/oursaviour/churchdoors.html) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/54 "2017-10-06T19:12:12Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Not around here. I just looked at a few on Street View. It seems pretty split here,but it’s interesting. I’ve never noticed that before. Reading up on it, it doesn’t seem to be specific only to Eppiscopal churches, but it does seem to be more common with them. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2017, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/55 "2017-10-06T23:38:19Z")
Jagger could quite easily have been brought up as an Anglican within the CoE, he was certainly a choir boy. Even if not it’s no stretch, given his family of school teachers, to think he was inquisitive and knowledgeable about such things. All BS aside, Jagger is a genuinely bright and naturally curious man. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/56 "2017-10-07T01:46:49Z")
> [@up\_the\_junction](#): > > Jagger could quite easily have been brought up as an Anglican within the CoE, he was certainly a choir boy. That explains _You Can’t Always Get What You Want_, but next we will learn that Jim Morrison was a Boy Scout. ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2017, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811/57 "2017-10-07T05:22:07Z")
Like some other people in this thread, I always thought the song was about someone with depressive or psychotic tendencies that struggled to maintain his sanity. Part of that is probably projection, at least for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/paint-it-black-have-you-always-assumed-the-singer-is-a-teenager-or-an-adult/797811.md?page=2)