1
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
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
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I agree with some of what others have said, but I have my own variation on the meaning.
I think it's about a person who is very loving and compassionate towards others. He understands people and is always willing to carry others' burdens, relieving them of their pain and hardships. These burdens, however, makes him into a very cold and distant person. He finds himself alone with a cynical hatred, which slowly drives him crazy.
He ponders for a reason as to why he is the person that he's become. Is it life? Is it people? He doesn't know.
He comes to realize that it is himself who caused him to become this way. While other people are able to put their problems behind them, he holds on to them. With no one to share these burdens with, he gives into what he has become and remembers fondly the person he once was.