The little boy went first day of school
He got some crayons and he started to draw
He put colors all over the paper
For colors was what he saw

And the teacher said what you doing young man
I'm painting flowers you see
But this is not the time for art young man
And anyway flowers are green and red

There's a time for everything young man
And a way it should be done
You've got to show concern for everyone else
For you're not the only one

She said flowers are red (Are red)
And green leaves are green (Green leaves)
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower
And I see every one

Well the teacher said you're sassy
There's ways that things should be
And you'll paint flowers the way they are
So repeat after me

She said flowers are red (Are red)
And green leaves are green (Green leaves)
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than they way they always have been seen

But the little boy said again
There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower
And I see every one

The teacher put him in a corner
She said it's for your own good
And you won't come out till you get it right
And are responding like you should

Well finally he got lonely
Frightened thoughts filled his head
And he went up to the teacher
And this is what he said

Flowers are red
Green leaves are green
There's no need to see flowers any other way
Than the way they always have been seen

Time went by like it always does
He moved to another town
And the little boy went to another school
And this is what he found

The teacher there was smiling
She said painting should be fun
And there are so many colors in a flower
So let's use every one

That little boy painted flowers
In neat rows of green and red
And when the teacher asked him why
This is what he said

Flowers are red (Flower)
Green leaves are green (Green leaves)
There's no need to see flowers any other way (No need to see)
Than the way they always have been seen

But they must still be a way to have our children say

There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower
And I see every one

There are so many colors in the rainbow
So many colors in the morning sun
So many colors in the flower
And I see every one