Shadows In The Rain

a song about insanity.

I really had never thought about the fact that there are no shadows present when its raining out, because the sun is blocked by clouds. Its just about a guy who sees things and is paranoid, yet he has fun with his friends.

the lyrics are simple and straight forward, using well known devices from a number of literary genres.

"I tell my best friends when I see them outside my window pane"

Imaginary friends - "If you see US on the corner we're just dancing in the rain"

SO -- he's drifting between two realities. 1- Under a doctor's care for delusions. 2-dancing with his 'friends' that the doctor doesn't see.

The two realities are separate except for when he sees them as outside his window when it rains. It raises the question - which life is real or perhaps which one is crazy? He doesn't say that one is more real than the other - but it seems clear which one is more fun.

I seem to remember reading an interview with Sting /the Police where the song was about anxiety/fear over the very real 1980's possibility of nuclear war- referencing the Hiroshima vaporized persons who just left a shadow on the sidewalk visible even in the nuclear "rain" fallout. Also Multiple references to nuclear war on Dream of the Blue Turtles. Sting doesn't write shallow stuff. De do do do , de da da da

The half-instrumental 'Shadows In The Rain' might take some time getting used to, as it's pretty 'weird', but there's so much going on in that track that I wouldn't even know where to start. The brilliant idea of bringing the drums far higher in the mix than everything else; the minimalistic bassline; Andy's ferocious guitar fireworks that you won't be hearing unless you turn the volume up pretty loud; and Sting's tribal wallowings about, well, shadows in the rain. Well, it's not that much, but it sure is enough to pump the level of 'atmosphericness' to the max so that I can actually visualize the shadows in the rain. [George Starostin]

Sounds like a day in the life of Charles Bukowski.

The Sting solo version of this song (on The Dream of the Blue Turtles) is so much more exciting. I usually prefer the Police to Sting solo, but this song is the exception. Turn it up and dance!

James Schuyler

I—I’ve lost my place No—here it is Where am I? En route to a literal Vermont It’s time to—oh, do this—do that

I’ll call Perhaps we’ll lunch? My ocean liner I am your summer Goodbye Hello Kiss Hug A letter to a friend … {signed} all my—you know ….

smoke, sniff & alcohol induced psychosis. heavy partying in excess to the point of needing to see a doctor. young Rock & Roller with a full set of golden keys... the life situation we think we'd all wished for at one point or another. Sting lived thru but many don't

I don’t know. When you wake up in your clothes not knowing exactly where you are, generally this is due to a wild night of excesses—something most doctors would warn against.

But the delusion seems to be seeing dancing shadows in the rain. Maybe they were ghosts. I believe in ghosts. Anyone who has a supernatural experience naturally checks the head first—am I nuts?!!