Once upon a time I was of the mind
To lay your burden down
And leave you where you stood
And you believed I could
You'd seen it done before
I could read your thoughts
Tell you what you saw
And never say a word
Now all that is gone
Over with and done, never to return

I can tell you why
People die alone
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Staring at the loss
Looking for a cause
And never really sure
Nothing but a hole
To live without a soul
And nothing to be learned

I can tell you why
People go insane
I can show you how
You could do the same
I can tell you why
The end will never come
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Shapes of every size
Move behind my eyes
Doors inside my head
Bolted from within
Every drop of flame
Lights a candle in
Memory of the one
Who lives inside my skin

I can tell you why
People go insane
I can show you how
You could do the same
I can tell you why
The end will never come
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Sun, sun


Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by despondent, KosnSatori

Shadow on the Sun Lyrics as written by Chris Cornell Timothy Commerford

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group

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Shadow On The Sun song meanings
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    General Comment

    There is definitely a specific meaning Chris is alluding to. But he's enigmatic as ever, and it's difficult to decode.

    In the first verse I imagine him singing about being an external and invisible observer of the good and bad (mostly bad) of everyone's life. He has a rather jaded and cynical, yet self-conceived-as-wise opinion of all things, and offers his pessimistic dogma freely to others. Perhaps in the first verse he's playing the part of God, addressing one of his believers.

    The second verse is perhaps the grief and sorrow of one who lost a close loved one, and is unable to make peace with the death.

    Perhaps the lyrics in the interlude refer to a schitsophrenic (s?) or someone struggling with some other mental disorder. "Every drop of flame" being a memory trigger for a relapse into such a disorder (as in "A Beautiful Mind").

    Thus I conclude: throughout Chris sings the thoughts of several different people in several different states of mental anguish or emotional unrest, all of whom feel alone in the world.

    One of the greatest singers in rock history. One of the greatest albums he worked on. One of the greatest songs made by this great band.

    therambler07on November 28, 2007   Link

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