Color Me Once

The song 'Color Me Once' by Violent Femmes delves into the complexities of human emotions and the unpredictable nature of life. The lyrics are rich with metaphors and vivid imagery, painting a picture of a world where things are not always as they seem. The opening lines, 'Color me once, color me twice / Everything gonna turn out nice,' suggest a sense of optimism and hope, but this is quickly juxtaposed with the need for 'everlasting arms' to keep the narrator from 'false alarms.' This duality sets the tone for the rest of the song, highlighting the tension between hope and reality.

The song continues to explore themes of patience and understanding, as seen in the lines 'Patience, patience said the man / Patience, patience I can't understand.' Here, patience is personified and compared to a 'cold, cold knife,' suggesting that while patience is often seen as a virtue, it can also be a source of pain and frustration. The reference to 'Jack be nimble Jack fall dead' and 'Jack bend over and give jilly head' introduces a darker, more cynical view of life's challenges, emphasizing the struggle to maintain one's integrity and well-being.

The imagery of 'Dead men working a sinner a saint / Mixing up a pail of paint' and 'Painted the house, black as night / When the Sun came up the house was white' further underscores the theme of transformation and the fluid nature of reality. The song concludes with a call to action: 'Gotta go on, gotta go on / We gotta go on, you gotta go on,' urging listeners to persevere despite life's uncertainties. This message of resilience and the quest for meaning in a chaotic world is a central theme in the music of Violent Femmes, known for their raw, introspective lyrics and eclectic musical style.