Lyrics Al Stewart – Paint By Numbers

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

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

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