# Portrait of a Painted Sky **[Intro]** [The final Mellotron chord from *Teaspoons of Rain* continues.] *(Blue...)* [Rain stops.] [Celesta plays three notes. 12-string guitar answers. Bass enters upward. Full band blooms.] **[Verse 1]** Blue was the first thing that stayed in his sight Yellow came after and leaned into light Red found the rooftops, green entered the leaves Colours had colours he couldn't believe The carriage stood open — the railway was gone A violet meadow went endlessly on His ribbon turned scarlet, the clouds opened wide And somebody's morning was painted outside **[Pre-Chorus]** *(Backing, softly rising)* Blue... *(blue...)* Red... *(red...)* Gold... *(gold...)* Percival lifted his eyes— **[Chorus]** Painted sky, painted sky Colours where the grey used to lie Painted sky, painted sky Every little cloud has learned to shine Look up, Percival Gray Look up, Percival Gray The whole wide world is waking under A portrait of a painted sky *(painted sky...)* *(look up...)* **[Instrumental]** [12-string and piano trade the chorus figure; French horn rises behind them.] **[Verse 2]** He walked through a street where the windows were rose Where lavender shadows lay under his toes A fountain threw silver and turquoise in rings And blue little bells made a blue little sound when they swing He touched a green railing — the green seemed to stay He laughed at a doorway enamelled in day A woman sold oranges, bright as small suns He bought none at all — he just looked at each one *(one by one...)* *(orange... gold...)* **[Pre-Chorus]** Red on the awning *(red...)* Blue on the stone *(blue...)* Green in a garden He'd never called home Percival lifted his eyes— **[Chorus]** Painted sky, painted sky Colours where the grey used to lie Painted sky, painted sky Every little cloud has learned to shine Look up, Percival Gray Look up, Percival Gray The whole wide world is waking under A portrait of a painted sky *(painted sky...)* *(Percival Gray...)* **[Bridge: arrangement drops to bass, celesta and hand percussion]** *(Lead / backing, call-and-response)* Blue— *(blue...)* Red— *(red...)* Green— *(green...)* Gold— *(gold...)* How many colours can one morning hold? *(more...)* How many colours? *(more... more...)* How many— [Full orchestra enters.] —more? **[Instrumental Break]** [String quartet climbs through the colour motif; backwards guitar sweeps upward; drums return with tambourine.] **[Verse 3]** A bell in the distance rang over the square And everyone turned as it coloured the air The pigeons rose silver, the market stood still For twelve little strokes from a clock on the hill High in the tower, behind painted glass A hand turned a key and the moment could pass Then windows flew open, the whole square began As though someone somewhere had wound it by hand *(turn the key...)* *(wind it again...)* **[Final Chorus: full harmonies, strings, horns]** Painted sky, painted sky Colours where the grey used to lie Painted sky, painted sky Every little cloud has learned to shine Look up, Percival Gray Look up, Percival Gray The whole wide world is **turning** under A portrait of a painted sky *(turning... turning...)* *(painted sky...)* **[Post-Chorus]** Painted sky *(blue...)* Painted sky *(red...)* Painted sky *(green...)* Painted sky *(gold...)* Look up— Look up— Look up— Percival Gray **[Outro]** [Band recedes. Celesta and clock bell remain.] *(tick...)* *(tock...)* High above the square, a window opens. [A young woman's voice, distant, singing without words.] *(ah...)* [Sound of a key turning once.] *(tick... tock...)* [Cut.]
