The band existed for almost a decade before mainstream success. The members met and played in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School under the name Pezz and remained underground in Toronto's indie music scene until 2001. The band renamed itself Billy Talent after running into legal trouble with the old name. It was then that Kowalewicz's connection with an employee of Warner Music Canada's A&R department landed the band a record deal and launched them into mainstream success. Since then, Billy Talent has made three multi-platinum records in Canada and continues to expand their success overseas; this included touring for 20 months supporting their second album. They released their third album, Billy Talent III, in 2009, and their fourth album, Dead Silence, in 2012. Dead Silence was followed up by a full UK tour throughout October and November 2012. To commemorate the longevity since the release of their first studio album, the band has released a greatest hits album entitled Hits in 2014. In 2015, they began to prepare material for their fifth studio album. Just before entering the studio, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk decided to sit out the recording sessions while he continued his longstanding battle with multiple sclerosis. Fellow Canadian Jordan Hastings was quickly recruited to play as Solowoniuk's studio stand-in, and, in early 2016, the group completed work on Afraid of Heights, which was released in July of that year. The band's most recent album is Crisis of Faith, released in January 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Talent
Studio albums
Billy Talent (2003)
Billy Talent II (2006)
Billy Talent III (2009)
Dead Silence (2012)
Afraid of Heights (2016)
Crisis of Faith (2022)
Living In The Shadows
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hop on bandwagons
You make me sick
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Distant loud chuckles, they keep me awake
Awkward instances
Won't make you hip
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
We've said this all before, your shadow's at the door
We've said this all before, your shadow's at the door
There's darkness in the hall and we won't take the fall
We won't take the fall
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
Don't you tell me what you think is right
When you're living in the shadows
I can tell that you have lost your sight
When you're living in the shadows
The lyrics of Billy Talent's "Living in the Shadows" critique people who blindly follow trends and opinions without thinking for themselves. The song condemns those who are quick to jump on bandwagons and engage in quick fixes, calling them out for lacking sense and being sickening. The chorus provides a clear message directed towards these individuals, telling them not to tell others what they think is right when they themselves are "living in the shadows." The use of the phrase "living in the shadows" emphasizes the idea that these people are not being true to themselves and are hiding behind the opinions of others.
The second verse of the song shifts its focus to the behavior of those who are desperate to fit in. The loud chuckles of these individuals keep the singer awake at night, and their awkward instances won't make them hip. The message of the song is that blindly following the opinions of others and trying too hard to fit in won't result in genuine happiness or fulfillment. The repetition of the chorus emphasizes this message and highlights the hypocrisy of those who claim to know what's right while blindly following others.
Overall, "Living in the Shadows" is a powerful commentary on the dangers of conformity and blindly following others, urging listeners to think for themselves and not let others dictate their beliefs and actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Constant quick fixes, they don't make no sense
Frequent attempts at minor repairs are illogical and ineffective
Hop on bandwagons
Follow the latest trends blindly
You make me sick
Your actions disgust and repel me
Don't you tell me what you think is right
Do not impose your opinions on me
When you're living in the shadows
When you hide from the spotlight and stay in the background
I can tell that you have lost your sight
I can see that you have lost your sense of direction and purpose
Distant loud chuckles, they keep me awake
Indirect mocking laughter disturbs my sleep
Awkward instances
Embarrassing and uncomfortable situations
Won't make you hip
Will not make you fashionable or trendy
We've said this all before, your shadow's at the door
We have discussed this topic previously and your presence is looming ominously
There's darkness in the hall and we won't take the fall
There is looming danger and we will not be held responsible for it
Don't you tell me what you think is right
Do not force your opinions on me
When you're living in the shadows
When you hide from the spotlight and stay in the background
I can tell that you have lost your sight
I can see that you have lost your sense of direction and purpose
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Aaron Solowoniuk, Ben Kowalewicz, Ian D'sa, Jon Gallant
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind