When all the help in the world won't get you by
When all the friends that you lean on let you down
You'll wonder why
I see you there with your painting box
And your oils and brushes and your artist's smocks
What'll you do if the Muse gets lost
When I'm gone?
Instrumental
You painted me in the way you said you knew
I don't believe that I saw myself in anything you drew
I say you never quite caught it right
You say you see me in a different light
What'll you do with your black and white
When I'm gone
You paint by numbers
I never noticed it before
You paint by numbers
It's just a closing of an open door
When you're looking round
You won't see me no more
You paint by numbers
Instrumental
Solo
Staying here in this room just makes me pale
I never really could fit into your geometric scale
I see you measure my profile up
And you mix your paints in a broken cup
What'll you do if the brush gets stuck
When I'm gone
You paint by numbers
I never noticed it before
You paint by numbers
It's just a closing of an open door
When you're looking round
You won't see me no more
You paint by numbers
Instrumental
Outro
(repeat and fade)