Song by Song: "Paint it, Black" Quiz

Answer: Keith Richards

The song was originally released with a comma in its title - "Paint It, Black," though the comma was later dropped. This quiz will use the original title. The song was released as a single in the U.S. on May 7, 1966 and in the UK on May 13, 1966. It hit number one on both countries' single charts. Rolling Stone magazine ranked "Paint It, Black" number 176 on its "Greatest Songs of All Time" list.

Answer: White

"Paint It, Black" uses colors to create imagery that depicts a state of depression. The singer's depression is emphasized by the fact that there are "no colors anymore, I want them to turn black." The colors red, green, and blue must all disappear into blackness:

"I see a red door and I want it painted black."

"No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue."

The song has been included on several compilation albums of the Rolling Stones, including "Hot Rocks 1964-1971," "30 Greatest Hits," and the 2002 compilation album "Forty Licks."

Answer: Aftermath

"Breakfast in America" is not an album by the Rolling Stones, but by Supertramp. In the U.S., "Aftermath" was released in 1966 between the albums "Big Hits" and "Got Live if You Want It!" The U.K. version of "Aftermath," which was released April 15, 1966, opened instead with "Mother's Little Helper," and "Paint It, Black" was not included on the album.

However, the song's success as a single inspired the group to include it on its July 2, 1966 release of "Aftermath" in the United States.

Answer: darkness

"I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore, I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes."

It has been claimed by numerous sources, including Tony Visconti in his 2014 book "1,001 Songs You Must Hear Before You Die," that the line "I have to turn my head until my darkness goes" was snatched from (or paraphrased a line in) James Joyce's stream-of-conscious novel "Ulysses." However, it is difficult to find contextual evidence for this claim.

Answer: A sitar

A sitar is a stringed instrument often used in Hindustani classical music. Brian Jones played the instrument on "Paint It, Black," which was the first song with the instrument to hit number one on the UK singles chart. George Harrison had previously recorded sitar on The Beatles' song "Norwegian Wood."

"Paint It, Black" ranked number three among Rolling Stones songs in the 2012 Readers' Poll conducted by Rolling Stone magazine. In that article, Rolling Stone reports, "On 'Paint It, Black,' the band decided to stretch their legs a little bit by incorporating a sitar, even though some critics said it was them merely aping the Beatles."

Answer: new born baby

"I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love, both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby, it just happens every day."

"Paint It, Black" remained for 11 weeks on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and for ten weeks on the UK Singles Chart. When the song was reissued in the U.K. in 1990 and 2007, it once again hit the top 100. The song has been featured in several video games, including Rocksmith 2014, Guitar Hero III, and Mafia III.

Answer: Bill Wyman

According to Rolling Stone magazine (November 1, 2012, "Readers' Poll: The Rolling Stones' 10 Greatest Songs") organist and bass player Bill Wyman claimed to help "a great deal in writing the song." Eventually, the magazine reports, "the group started to agree with him." Rolling Stone magazine quotes Keith Richards: "I must say in retrospect that actually, what made 'Paint It, Black' was Bill Wyman on the organ."

Answer: Tour of Duty

"M*A*S*H" premiered in 1972 and "JAG" in 1995. "Scrubs" is a medical, not a military, show. "Paint It, Black" has also appeared in the closing credits of the movies "The Devil's Advocate" and "Full Metal Jacket." An orchestral arrangement of the song featured in the American sci-fi western series "Westworld."

Answer: heart

"I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door, I must have it painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facing up, when your whole world is black."

Echo & The Bunnymen covered "Paint It, Black" on their 1988 album "People Are Strange." U2 covered the song and it was released with their 1992 single "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses." The song has also been covered by Deep Purple, The Winstons, Africa, No Prisoners, Earth Crisis, and numerous other musicians.

Answer: War

British singer-songwriter Eric Burdon first covered "Paint It, Black" with Eric Burdon & The Animals in 1967 on his album "Winds of Change." It was the 1970 version, however, performed with War, that peaked at number 31 on the Dutch Top 40. War, an American funk band, is known for such hits as "The World is a Ghetto," "The Cisco Kid," and "Spill the Wine." The song was included on the band's 1970 album "The Black-Man's Burdon."