Shadow Play
Gallagher Lyrics
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Shadows run, in full flight, to run, seek and hide
I'm still not sure what part I play,
in this shadow play, this shadow play
In the half light, on this mad night, I hear a voice in time
Well, I look back, see a half-smile, then it's gone from sight
Won't you tell me how I can find my way?
In this shadow play, this shadow play
Sounds come crashing, and I hear laughing
All those lights just blaze away
I feel a little strange inside
A little bit of Jekyll, a little Mr. Hyde
Sounds come crashing, can I hear laughing?
All those lights just blaze away
I feel a little strange inside
A little Dr. Jekyll, a little Mr. Hyde
Thoughts run wild, free as a child, into the night
Across the screen a thin beam, of magic light
Things they just don't look the same
In this shadow play, this shadow play
Shadow play, shadow play
I can't run away from this shadow play
Shadow play, shadow play
In Gallagher's song Shadow Play, the lyrics describe a scene where the singer is surrounded by shadows, with stars and sounds colliding and running away. The tone of the song is eerie, reflecting the feelings of confusion and helplessness expressed by the singer. He is unsure what role he plays in the shadow play and pleads for guidance. The song creates a sense of disorientation, and the reader is left with a feeling of being lost in a surreal and dreamlike world.
The song's lyrics may be interpreted in different ways, but some suggest that it is about the singer's experiences with drugs, particularly LSD. The shadows, flinty lights, and magic light, along with the distorted perception of sound and vision, create an image of him lost in some hallucinogenic state. The song's chorus, "In this shadow play, I can't run away," signals that he is trapped in this state and unable to escape the shadows.
Line by Line Meaning
In the flinty light, it's midnight, and stars collide
Under the hard, sharp light of the stars, midnight has arrived
Shadows run, in full flight, to run, seek and hide
The dark figures swiftly move around, searching for a place to hide
I'm still not sure what part I play, in this shadow play, this shadow play
The singer is uncertain about their role in this game of shadows
In the half light, on this mad night, I hear a voice in time
Amidst the slightly dim light and the craziness of the night, the artist hears a voice from the past
Well, I look back, see a half-smile, then it's gone from sight
The artist glimpses a smile from someone they knew, but it disappears as quickly as it appeared
Won't you tell me how I can find my way? In this shadow play, this shadow play
The singer seeks guidance on how to navigate through this game of shadows
Sounds come crashing, and I hear laughing All those lights just blaze away I feel a little strange inside A little bit of Jekyll, a little Mr. Hyde
Loud noises and laughter fill the air as bright lights blind the singer, causing them to feel disoriented and split between two personalities
Thoughts run wild, free as a child, into the night
The artist's mind wanders unrestrained like a child, into the darkness of the night
Across the screen a thin beam, of magic light
A slender ray of enchanted light shines through the shadows
Things they just don't look the same In this shadow play, this shadow play Shadow play, shadow play I can't run away from this shadow play Shadow play, shadow play
Everything appears different in this game of shadows, and the artist feels trapped and unable to escape
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Rory Gallagher
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@anngallifrey
Powerful Performance. The lyrics speak to me.
In the flinty light, it's midnight
And stars collide.
Shadows run, in full flight
To run, seek and hide.
I'm still not sure what part I play
In this shadow play, this shadow play.
In the half light, on this mad night
I hear a voice in time.
Well, I look back, see a half-smile
Then it's gone from sight.
Won't you tell me how I can find my way
In this shadow play, this shadow play.
Sounds come crashing
And I hear laughing
All those lights just blaze away.
I feel a little strange inside
A little bit of Jekyll, a little Mr. Hyde.
Sounds come crashing
Can I hear laughing?
All those lights just blaze away.
I feel a little strange inside
A little Dr. Jekyll, a little Mr. Hyde.
Thoughts run wild, free as a child
Into the night.
Across the screen a thin beam
Of magic light.
Things they just don't look the same
In this shadow play, this shadow play
Shadow play, shadow play.
I can't run away from this shadow play
@jimw.4161
How in the hell did I miss this guy for so many years? Fantastic musician! I'm 76 years old and have earned the right to say: better late than NEVER! Hope I can listen to Rory for another 20 years! Always so nice in your twilight years to discover a new writer - or, in this case, a great musician! Rock on, Rory!✌
@andrewme9720
Great! It’s not the age, is the attitude! Music keeps the brain alive. I wish you many years of good vibrations !
@jimw.4161
@Andrea Inama Andrea, thank you for your good wishes - much appreciated! I'm still kickin' - and listening to Rory Gallagher. Stay safe!✌
@s.ranidae
I KNOW! What was I doing that i missed him, too! Enjoying!
@markthomsen51
Hey Jim, isn’t it great we can still discover new things? Rock on!
@jimw.4161
@Mark Thomsen Mark, man you sure got that right!😃 Can't believe I missed this guy all these years. Imagine... and here's me thinking I'm hip!😱
@aakarsh1100
That bass player is a monster. Power stanced his way through the whole song while holding the rhythm. Crazy good.
@bigsky3072
Yeah, about 2 years ago, me and some other dude were writing comments back and forth about tbe bass players' wide stance.
Me, him, and some other dudes kept communicating every few weeks weeks about him "Sporting a wide stance" Anyway, every now and then, me and these other dudes also check in with each other and verify our "Wide Stance "
It's really funny.
@wallagain8782
He’s like that in almost every video I’ve ever seen of Rory. Amazing energy.
@HoggDzns
@@wallagain8782 guy still plays the same way to this day, there’s live performances of him on YouTube from not too long ago