I was six years old
When my parents ran away
I was stuck inside a broken life
I couldn't wish away
She was beautiful
She had everything and more
And my escape was hiding out and running for the door

Somebody listen please
It used to be so hard being me
Living in the shadow
Of someone else's dream
Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me
Living in a nightmare
A never-ending sleep
But now that I am wide awake
My chains are finally free
Don't feel sorry for me

All the days collided
One less perfect than the next
I was stuck inside someone else's life and always second best
Oh, I love you now 'cause now I realize
That it's safe outside to come alive in my identity

So if you're listening
There's so much more to me you haven't seen
Living in the shadow
Of someone else's dream
Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me
Living in a nightmare
A never-ending sleep
But now that I am wide awake
Then I can finally see
Don't feel sorry for me

Mother, sister, father, sister, mother
Everything's cool now
Mother, sister, father, sister, mother
Everything's cool now
Oh, my life is good
I've got more than anyone should
Oh, my life is good
And the past in the past

I was living in the shadow
Of someone else's dream
Trying to find a hand to hold but every touch felt cold to me
I'm living in a new day
I'm living it for me
And now that I am wide awake
Then I can finally be
Don't feel sorry for me
Don't feel sorry, don't feel sorry for me
Don't feel sorry, don't feel sorry for me

Living in, living in, living in the shadow
Living in, living in, living in a new day


Lyrics submitted by fallacies

Shadow Lyrics as written by Kara Dioguardi Ashlee Simpson

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Shadow song meanings
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52 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I think this song is really sad, and messed up at the same time. The song is saying that she hated her sister (Jessica Simpson) when she was younger and not famous because Jessica WAS famous, and everyone thought she was beautiful. She was always 'second best' compared to her sister. But now that she's famous, she doesn't hate her any more, because basically in her point of view, they're equal. Pretty messed up if you ask me!

    brat2kon September 18, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love this song and i think Ashlee is a very talented artist... This song is not about jessica, its about ashlee herself...she was living in her own shadow not showing the world what she could do but now shes broke herself free and into the spotlight herself

    sHaKi04AnDiEon September 29, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I understand where she's coming from. I'm a younger sister too and feeling like how she is is pretty normal. My sister's always gotten the leads in plays, she's a cheerleader, got homecoming queen, and is so sweet it drives me crazy. I think what ashlee's tryin to say is that she used to be unappreciated but now she's lucky to be where she is in life and it made her realize how much she loves her sister.

    pinkpantha764on October 03, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    it's not just about fame... pretty much anyone who has siblings (especially older ones) can relate to it

    ajr5688on September 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    she cant sing....the part where she says 'in someone else's dream' sounds like a little kid's voice goin through puberty...besides she aint half of wat jessica is

    JessicaisHotton September 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i almost like her more than jess...they just have totally different personalities...totally different....their both good...dont get me wrong..just who to like more lol I really do like ashlee though..she's a good singer...and i do think she can sing!

    cutie_108on September 29, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    In the beginning, I really liked this song. But now, the more I listen to it, the more I get annoyed. ESPECIALLY with the first two lines "I was six years old, when my parents went away / I was stuck inside, a broken life, I couldn't wish away." Hello?! Stuck inside a broken life?! Waaaaaay too many more people have had it far worse than her than to just live in someones shadow. Living in her sisters shadow has brought her the fame, like someone had said before me. If Jessica Simpson was not her sister, would she have broken through the entertainment business so easily? Would she have gotten that show on MTv, which OBVIOUSLY boosted her album sales? I dont think so. If it wasnt her singing this song, maybe the words would mean more, but otherwise, nope.

    suepursticiouson October 17, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Somebody listen please It used to be so hard being me Livin' in the shadow of someone elses dream Tryin' to find a hand to hold But every touch felt cold to me Livin' in the nightmare Never ended sleep Now that I am wide awake I changed it finally free Don't feel so real for me

    I can totally relate to those words, It seems like I am always in the shadow of someone else's dreams. I am not the best singer in my grade, but I know I can do better, and Ashlee Simpson inspires me.

    JesusLuver62404on October 17, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    suepursticious - First of all, the point of comments are to say what the song means to you.. Oh no! Maybe that's why it says "What does this song mean to you?" above where you type!! I really don't see "Post Rude, Critical Comments Here, Please!" It's stupid to compare how some people have had it "far worse than her". You CAN'T compare those type of things. Everyone has their own problems, and everyone has it worse in a different way. Think before you post something, I think you made us all stupider from reading your pointless comment..

    To me this song is about how when she was younger.. She thought she wasn't as important as her sister and that she had to try to be like her sister to be loved by her family and friends. When she says.. I was six years old, when my parents went away I was stuck inside, a broken life, I couldn't wish away ^^I think she's talking about how she didn't think her parents cared about her anymore.. Because her sister became famous.. And she just wanted to wish all the pain away.

    She was beautiful, she had everything and more My escape, was hiding out, running for the door ^^Here she's talking about how her sister was so beautiful to her and it made her feel ugly and that she had nothing, and that she just wanted/or did hide out to try to get rid of the sorrow she felt for herself.


    It used to be so hard being me Livin' in the shadow of someone elses dream Tryin' to find a hand to hold But every touch felt cold to me


    ^^Here she's saying how she was trying to follow her sister's footsteps (Her sister's shadow) And she was trying to find someone to accept her and she didnt think anyone liked her.. she thought everyone liked her sister more than her..

    SMILEnatLUVSyouon October 20, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I like this song. Im rele annoyed by all the rude comments. So wut if she didnt have it that bad when she was younger? shes just singing about a personal struggle which she totally has the right to do now. The song doesnt mean that she had to become famous for people to love her- it is about finding her own identity and people thinking of her as ashlee, not jessica's sister. Because they both rock in their own way!

    Babygurl2191on October 23, 2004   Link

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