As a founding member of the ground breaking Bauhaus, multi-instrumentalist Daniel Ash has distinguished himself in the world of contemporary music. He later went on to form Tones on Tail and Love and Rockets with members of Bauhaus.
After attending gigs in his teenage years, he made a promise to himself that no matter in what capacity; he would get up on that stage, even if he was only banging a tambourine. He started playing guitar at age 15, but later he confessed that he didn’t give it much effort, only learning three chords during his first three years. Driven by a love of Rock 'n Roll, Ash began playing in cover bands. The first gig he played was in the Glasgow Rangers Workman's Club. During this time, Ash started playing music with his Kindergarten mates David J and Kevin Haskins. With the addition of Peter Murphy, this lineup became Bauhaus.
Ash became friends with Peter Murphy during his teenage years. Ash went to art school and Murphy to work in a printing factory. They met up five years later and Daniel suggested forming a band. After rigging up a makeshift rehearsal space, Ash played an echo-laden 12-bar blues while Murphy sang a series of newspaper articles. Four weeks later they formed Bauhaus and recorded "Bela Lugosi's Dead".
That song, released in 1979, became the cornerstone of the gothic rock movement. From early on, Ash was intent on sounding original and often tried to “make the guitar not sound like a guitar.” His style is simplistic and visceral, frequently using an EBow or a guitar with a sustainer circuit.
Four years and as many albums later, Bauhaus broke up. Soon after, Ash put together Tones on Tail with Bauhaus drummer Kevin Haskins. In 1984, Tones on Tail was disbanded, and Ash founded the influential Love and Rockets in 1985 with Kevin Haskins and David J, also of Bauhaus.
Despite creating a unique guitar style seminal to several genres, he's often said that he's really not that interested in guitars. During the last ten years, he has been experimenting with electronic music, limiting the use of guitar as an extra element as opposed to the main focus. Since the last reformation of Bauhaus however, he's been returning to a more guitar based rock sound.
Me and my Shadow
Daniel Ash Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Strolling down the avenue,
Me and my shadow,
Not a soul to tell my troubles to
And when it's twelve o'clock,
We climb the stairs,
We never knock,
Just me and my shadow,
All alone and feeling blue
Me and my shadow,
Not a soul to tell my troubles to
And when it's twelve o'clock,
We climb the stairs
We never knock,
Because there's nobody's there
And it's me and my shadow,
All alone and feeling blue
All alone and feeling blue
All alone and feeling blue
The lyrics to Daniel Ash's "Me and my Shadow" evoke a sense of loneliness and isolation. The singer is walking down the avenue with only their shadow as a companion. They have nobody to share their troubles with, and when they return to their empty home, they don't bother to knock because they know nobody will answer. The repetition of the lines "me and my shadow" and "not a soul to tell my troubles to" emphasizes the singer's deep sense of loneliness.
The imagery of the shadow is significant as well. It is a representation of the self, but it is also something that follows and mimics the actions of the person. In this case, the shadow is the only thing the singer has to keep them company, and it highlights just how disconnected they are from the rest of the world. The line "all alone and feeling blue" is a powerful one, as it reinforces the tone of melancholy that runs throughout the song.
Overall, "Me and my Shadow" is a poignant reflection on the experience of loneliness, told through rich imagery and evocative language. The song captures the feeling of being adrift in the world, with nobody to rely on or confide in.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my shadow,
I am accompanied by my shadow, and I feel like we are walking together as a pair.
Strolling down the avenue,
We are leisurely walking down the street with no time limit or destination.
Not a soul to tell my troubles to
I have no one to talk to or share my problems with.
And when it's twelve o'clock,
At midnight,
We climb the stairs,
We go up the stairs for the night.
We never knock,
We don't need to because no one is there.
Because there's nobody's there
We are alone and there is nobody else in the house.
Just me and my shadow,
Only I and my shadow remain together, all that's left is our company.
All alone and feeling blue
I am lonely, and I feel unhappy or depressed.
And it's me and my shadow,
It's just me and my shadow left in the house.
All alone and feeling blue
I'm still lonely or unhappy, despite having my shadow with me.
All alone and feeling blue
I continue to feel unhappy or depressed, and there's no one to make me feel better.
Contributed by Samantha F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.