Only A Shadow
Cleaners From Venus Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Lying in my room quite late one night
Something I could see made me check my sight
Something very strange made walk outside
So I walked outside like this ??

Nothing to lose and I knew I should
Ever since she told me that I was no good
It was no good, I knew it would be..

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

She looks like you

It's the time of year when the flower dies
It's the kind of night when the ghost will rise
Searching for the girl with the dancing eyes
Who could stay all day but leave next night

Instinct should have told me it never worked out right
Now i'm very nervous I leave on my light
But I walk outside, I walk outside
But it's

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

She looks like you

Listen to her voice going 'round my head
Comes to me at night when i'm in my bed
Could be going crazy, it's what they said
And what they say is i'm no good

Told me to leave, you really think I should
Haunted by your face everywhere I look
But I walk outside, and I walk to find it's

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
But she looks like you

Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow

Only a shadow
Only a shadow




Only a shadow
Only a shadow

Overall Meaning

In the song "Only A Shadow", Cleaners From Venus tell us a story of a person who is haunted by the memories of a girl who resembles his lover. The song starts with the singer in his room late at night, when he sees something strange and walks outside to investigate. He is haunted by the image of this girl with the "dancing eyes" who looks just like his lover, but he can't tell if it's really her or only a shadow. He is confused and nervous, not knowing what to believe.


The lyrics seem to be about the struggle of moving on from a past relationship. The singer is haunted by his memories of the girl he loved, and even though he knows deep down that it's over, he can't help but see her face everywhere he looks. The line "Ever since she told me that I was no good, it was no good, I knew it would be" suggests that the singer's self-esteem has taken a hit, and he feels that he is not good enough for his lover, but he still can't help but feel drawn to her.


The song captures the feelings of loneliness, confusion, and longing that come with a failed relationship. It shows how memories can stay with us long after a relationship ends, and how we can be haunted by the shadow of our past loves.


Line by Line Meaning

Lying in my room quite late one night
I was in bed late at night, but I saw something that made me doubt my vision.


Something I could see made me check my sight
I was not sure if what I saw was real, so I had to double-check if my sight was accurate.


Something very strange made walk outside
I saw something peculiar, which prompted me to venture outside to investigate.


So I walked outside like this ???
I walked out of my room, and I don't know or can't remember how I was dressed.


Nothing to lose and I knew I should
I had nothing to lose, and I knew I needed to find out what was happening.


Ever since she told me that I was no good
She told me I was worthless or not enough, and it has been in my head forever.


It was no good, I knew it would be...
I knew it would not go well anyway despite trying to fix things.


Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
The girl I saw was not real, only a shadow or a mere resemblance of someone I knew.


But she looks like you
The shadow girl had a striking resemblance to someone I knew or loved.


It's the time of year when the flower dies
It's the season when plants wither, wilt, or die, a metaphor for sadness and loss.


It's the kind of night when the ghost will rise
It's a spooky or eerie night, an atmosphere fit for ghosts or spirits to manifest.


Searching for the girl with the dancing eyes
I yearn to find the girl I saw, with beautiful, captivating eyes that seemed to dance with joy.


Who could stay all day but leave next night
The girl I seek could be around me for a while, but she would disappear just as quickly, summer fling vibes.


Instinct should have told me it never worked out right
My gut should have warned me that things wouldn't go well, but I ignored it.


Now I'm very nervous, I leave on my light
I'm anxious, so I leave the light on, hoping it would ease my jitters.


But I walk outside, I walk outside
Despite my fears, I muster the courage to step out and search for the girl.


Listen to her voice going 'round my head
I still hear her voice in my head, even after seeing the shadow girl.


Comes to me at night when I'm in my bed
She keeps haunting me, especially at night when I'm vulnerable in bed.


Could be going crazy, it's what they said
People speculate that I'm going crazy or losing it, maybe because of the girl or something else.


And what they say is I'm no good
Others think less of me or believe I'm not good enough for someone or something.


Told me to leave, you really think I should
People tell me to quit or walk away, and I'm unsure if I should.


Haunted by your face everywhere I look
I see your face everywhere, and it keeps haunting me, even in the shadows.


Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
The shadow girl might not be real, but she lingers in my mind like a ghostly shadow.


Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
The shadow girl is just a shadow and nothing more.


Only a shadow, only a shadow, only a shadow
No matter how much I try, the shadow girl can only be a shadow, an illusion or a memory that feels real.


Only a shadow, only a shadow
The refrain emphasizes the idea that the girl I saw is only a shadow and nothing more.


She looks like you
Despite being just a shadow, the girl I saw resembles you, and it fuels my longing and confusion.




Contributed by Elena G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions