To me, this song has a sweet, simple meaning. Calvin likes a girl, but she rejects him in favor of more aloof guys who don't really care about her. These guys never stick around, and she is continually hurt ("they come and go, leave you shattered"). Calvin sees the "patterns" of this behavior and equates it with crying for a shadow--as in, mourning the loss of something that was never really there to begin with, which is pointless. Though his "heart cries out to her", she can't seem to spare any emotion for him, and he has to admit that he, too, is crying for a shadow by liking her so much and feeling sad when she pays him no attention ("I've cried for a few"). Still, to him even her tears are precious, and he continues to dream of the day that she might give him a chance.
To me, this song has a sweet, simple meaning. Calvin likes a girl, but she rejects him in favor of more aloof guys who don't really care about her. These guys never stick around, and she is continually hurt ("they come and go, leave you shattered"). Calvin sees the "patterns" of this behavior and equates it with crying for a shadow--as in, mourning the loss of something that was never really there to begin with, which is pointless. Though his "heart cries out to her", she can't seem to spare any emotion for him, and he has to admit that he, too, is crying for a shadow by liking her so much and feeling sad when she pays him no attention ("I've cried for a few"). Still, to him even her tears are precious, and he continues to dream of the day that she might give him a chance.