Paint Box
Pink Floyd · Relics [1971]
Sitting in a club with so many fools
Playing to rules
Trying to impress but feeling rather empty
I had another drink
Drink - a - drink - a - drink - a - drink
What a way to spend that evening
They all turn up with their friends
Playing the game
But in the scene I should have been
Far away
Away - away - away - away - away
Getting up, I feel as if I'm remembering this scene before
I open the door to an empty room
Then I forget
The telephone rings and someone speaks
She would very much like to go out to a show
So what can I do - I can't think what to say
She sees through anyway
Away - away - away - away - away
Out of the front door I go
Traffic's moving rather slow
Arriving late, there she waits
Looking very angry, as cross as she can be
Be - a - be - a - be - a - be - a - be
Getting up, I feel as if I'm remembering this scene before
I open the door to an empty room
Then I forget
Paint Box - Pink Floyd
Released on the 1971 album Relics, "Paint Box" stands as a pivotal moment in Pink Floyd's early discography, marking their transition from psychedelic rock to the atmospheric sound that would define their later work. The track features the distinctive use of the Mellotron, a tape-based keyboard instrument that contributed to the band's evolving sonic palette during this transitional period. While often overshadowed by their subsequent masterpiece, The Wall, this recording showcases the group's growing sophistication in studio production and their ability to blend orchestral textures with rock instrumentation. The song remains a significant example of the band's experimental approach in the early 1970s, reflecting their deepening interest in creating immersive auditory landscapes that would become hallmarks of their career.