The Rolling Stones Song of the Day is- Paint It Black. Paint It Black was an a-side  #1 hit single in both the United States and the UK. The b-side was Long Long While.  It was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

There has been much speculation over the years on what the song was about- rumors have it being about Vietnam, his break up with Chrissie Shrimpton or his new relationship with Marianne Faithfull or about a bad drug experience. Or is it just about death? Whatever the song is about it is a classic Stones song and fits right into the image they were trying to paint.

The song started out as being a much slower tune but Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts started to play around with it- Bill Wyman on the organ- and it became a more upbeat. Brian Jones plays sitar on the recording.

Over the years they have been over four hundred covers of Paint It Black none of course can touch The Stones original.

Paint It Black would be referenced in the great Big Star’s- “Thirteen”- “Won’t you tell your Dad get off my back, Tell him what we said ’bout “Paint It Black.”

Paint It Black has always seemed to me one of those songs that fits the 1960’s- if there were a soundtrack to the decade Paint It Black would have to be on the soundtrack.