Song Meaning

The narrator pursued a formal art education with aspirations of becoming a recognized artist, but found their efforts went unnoticed. This initial disappointment sets the stage for a disillusionment with traditional artistic pursuits, suggesting a struggle for validation and a shift in priorities. The core tension arises from the contrast between the narrator's artistic ambitions and the harsh reality of making a living. The lyrics highlight a perceived decline in the value of "classic art" in favor of more commercial ventures like "cartoons and comic books" and "adverts for t.v." This commercialization of art is presented as the path to financial success, a stark departure from the narrator's initial academic goals. The repeated, almost chant-like chorus, "Painter man, painter man / Who wanna be a painter man," functions as a refrain of lost idealism. It underscores the narrator's current, perhaps resigned, identity as someone who once aspired to be a painter but now questions the desire or feasibility of that path. The inclusion of "Dirty postcards" and "Labels all around the cans" points to a commercial artistic landscape that feels far removed from the narrator's initial artistic studies. This song resonates because it captures the universal struggle of reconciling creative passion with economic necessity. The lyrics effectively convey a sense of dashed hopes and the pragmatic compromises one might make when artistic dreams collide with the demands of the marketplace. The simple, repetitive structure amplifies the feeling of being stuck or questioning one's choices.