Shadow of a Doubt
Black Tape for a Blue Girl Lyrics

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Met a stranger on a train
he bumped right into me
i swear i didn't mean it
swear it wasn't meant to be
must have been a dream
from a thousand years ago
i swear i didn't mean it
Swear it wasn't meant to be

from the bottom of my heart
he was looking all over me
you take me and i'll take you
swear it wasn't meant to be
kiss me
kiss me in the shadow
kiss me in the shadow of a doubt

must have been a dream
it's just a dream i had (it's just a just a)
swear it's just a dream (it's just a dream)
it's just a dream
no
no no no
take me to it
take me to it (her)
take me to it
take her to me
it's just a dream
it's just a dream (it's just a it's just a)
it's just a dream (no)

it's just a it's just a dream
no

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Black Tape for a Blue Girl's song Shadow of a Doubt are shrouded in mystery and the meaning behind them can be interpreted in various ways. The song begins with the singer encountering a stranger on a train, and the idea of chance encounters is further emphasized by the line, "I swear I didn't mean it, swear it wasn't meant to be." The singer goes on to say that it must have been a dream from a thousand years ago, which adds to the sense of otherworldliness and surrealism that runs throughout the song.

The second half of the song is even more enigmatic, as the singer attempts to make sense of the dream-like encounter by saying it's "just a dream I had." However, they seem to contradict themselves in the very next line, saying, "it's just a dream, no no no." The repetition of "it's just a dream" creates a sense of uncertainty and confusion, as if the singer cannot quite shake off the feeling that something significant has occurred, even if they cannot quite put their finger on what it was. The chorus, with its repeated plea to be kissed in the shadow of a doubt, adds to the sense of ambiguity and the feeling of being stuck between two worlds.

Line by Line Meaning

Met a stranger on a train
I encountered someone unknown on a journey

he bumped right into me
He accidentally collided with me

i swear i didn't mean it
I promise it wasn't intentional

swear it wasn't meant to be
Insisting that it was not supposed to happen

must have been a dream
I assume it was only in my imagination

from a thousand years ago
Feels like a distant memory

from the bottom of my heart
Speaking sincerely

he was looking all over me
The stranger was observing me closely

you take me and i'll take you
Implying an exchange or agreement

swear it wasn't meant to be
Reiterating that it wasn't intended to happen

kiss me
Asking for a romantic kiss