Rose-Colored Boy

Album: After Laughter (2017)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song was written as a call for people to be more open about their mental health. "'Rose-Colored Boy' is a song about feeling pressured to look at the world with blind optimism when you actually feel very hopeless about the world and your part in it," the band explained "There is so much social pressure to be (or appear to be) "happy" that we can actually feel shame when we aren't."

    "Adding shame to sadness is a pretty toxic cocktail," they added. "It's hard enough to deal with sadness, depression, or any type of anxiety without the added societal expectations. It's important and more healing to meet people where they're at – EMPATHY – than to try and paint everything rosy."
  • The pretense of pretending to be happy in order to mask sadness is a recurring theme throughout After Laughter, especially on the single "Fake Happy."
  • The song's music video was directed by The Weeknd and Haim collaborator Warren Fu. The clip features Paramore hosting a cheery local morning news program. The happy, upbeat nature of the show is juxtaposed with the drama happening behind the scenes, as the band are hounded by TV executives to "smile more" to increase ratings.

Comments: 1

  • Willy from Planet EarthI can't stress enough how much I LOVE this song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Harry Shearer

Harry ShearerSongwriter Interviews

Harry is Derek Smalls in Spinal Tap, Mark Shubb in The Folksmen, and Mr. Burns on The Simpsons.

Glen Burtnik

Glen BurtnikSongwriter Interviews

On Glen's résumé: hit songwriter, Facebook dominator, and member of Styx.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Creedence Clearwater RevivalFact or Fiction

Is "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about Vietnam? Was John Fogerty really born on a Bayou? It's the CCR edition of Fact or Fiction.

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' Albums

We Will Rock You (To Sleep): Pop Stars Who Recorded Kids' AlbumsSong Writing

With the rise of Kindie rock, more musicians are embracing their inner child with tunes for tots - here, we look at pop stars who recorded kids' albums.

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")

Phil Hurtt ("I'll Be Around")Songwriter Interviews

Phil was a songwriter, producer and voice behind many Philadelphia soul classics. When disco hit, he got an interesting project: The Village People.

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)

Graham Bonnet (Alcatrazz, Rainbow)Songwriter Interviews

Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai were two of Graham's co-writers for some '80s rock classics.