Love in the Shadows
Neil Sedaka Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

In the shadows
You get to know your lover mostly by feel
Got to put your faith in things you can touch
If you dare to
'Cause the shadows can make you crazy
With the things they reveal
They show it all without revealing too much
Scare the hell out of you
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Me and my baby know love in the shadows
In the shadows
You got to work at love to get it to shine
You can't believe in everything that you see
Not this time around
'Cause the shadows can play
A half a million tricks on your mind
You try your best but you can never break free
It just kind of drags you down
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the sun never shines




Deep in the shadows where most men go blind
Me and my baby find love in the shadows

Overall Meaning

The song Love in the Shadows by Neil Sedaka is about a couple who are deeply in love but must keep their relationship hidden from the rest of society. The lyrics suggest that living in the shadows can be both exhilarating and terrifying. The couple must rely on their sense of touch to truly know each other, and while this creates a level of intimacy that is unmatched, it also requires them to put their faith in things they can't see or trust completely.


The shadows are a metaphor for the hidden aspects of their relationship, and the lyrics suggest that these shadows can reveal everything while still keeping some parts of their love hidden. This creates a sense of danger and excitement for the couple, as they never know what secrets the shadows may reveal. The song also implies that society condemns their love, as they are forced to make love in dark hallways and alleyways where the crowd never goes.


The themes of secrecy and forbidden love make this song a popular choice for movie soundtracks and TV dramas. The haunting melody and Sedaka's emotive voice further add to the sense of mystery and danger that the song embodies.


Line by Line Meaning

In the shadows
In the unlit, obscured areas of life


You get to know your lover mostly by feel
By touch, you learn about your partner's character


Got to put your faith in things you can touch
You must trust in physical sensations


If you dare to
If you're brave enough


'Cause the shadows can make you crazy
The areas of darkness can cause you to feel insane


With the things they reveal
When exposed, the shadows can reveal a lot


They show it all without revealing too much
They convey a lot yet leave much to the imagination


Scare the hell out of you
They terrify you completely


'Cause me and my love
My partner and I


Live among the shadows
We reside in the dimly lit areas of existence


Where the old playground is an alley way
The place where we used to play is now an ugly alley


Now me and my love make love among the shadows
Currently, my partner and I engage in physical intimacy in dimly lit places


When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
The act occurs in the evening, in hidden spaces


Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Our love is confined to places unvisited by the masses


Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Our love flourishes in areas devoid of natural beauty


Me and my baby know love in the shadows
My lover and I experience love in darkness


You got to work at love to get it to shine
To truly showcase your love, you must put in an effort


You can't believe in everything that you see
Every visual isn't always the truth


Not this time around
It's specifically not true this time


'Cause the shadows can play
The areas of low light can be very deceiving


A half a million tricks on your mind
They can manipulate you in many ways


You try your best but you can never break free
You put up quite a fight, but you never quite escape


It just kind of drags you down
It lowers your spirits


Where the sun never shines
We find love in places where there's no illumination


Deep in the shadows where most men go blind
We discover love in areas where people are usually unaware


Me and my baby find love in the shadows
My lover and I experience love in dimly lit places




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PHILIP CODY, NEIL SEDAKA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

johnny zell

In the shadows
You get to know your lover mostly by feel
Got to put your faith in things you can touch
If you dare to
'Cause the shadows can make you crazy
With the things they reveal
They show it all without revealing too much
Scare the hell out of you
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Me and my baby know love in the shadows
In the shadows
You got to work at love to get it to shine
You can't believe in everything that you see
Not this time around
'Cause the shadows can play
A half a million tricks on your mind
You try your best but you can never break free
It just kind of drags you down
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the sun never shines
Deep in the shadows where most men go blind
Me and my baby find love in the shadows



Kim Wood

Surprisingly, I've never heard this song.

I've heard of Sedaka, though.

Certain regions of the U.S., play different songs. Our AM station in the late 1960's and early 1970's was WOHO, in Toledo, Ohio.

In the mid-1970's, too, I was listening to "Album rock" on an FM station in Toledo, Ohio.

I also listened to WLS, WCFL, and CKLW.



Suyeko akisamiyo

You get to know your lover mostly by feel
Got to put your faith in things you can touch
If you dare to
'Cause the shadows can make you crazy
With the things they reveal
They show it all without revealing too much
Scare the hell out of you
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Me and my baby know love in the shadows
In the shadows
You got to work at love to get it to shine
You can't believe in everything that you see
Not this time around
'Cause the shadows can play
A half a million tricks on your mind
You try your best but you can never break free
It just kind of drags you down
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down
Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Me and my baby know love in the shadows



All comments from YouTube:

Gb Crowne

My brother had this LP, he bought it for Stepping Out, I think. I was around 5 or 6 at the time, and this was my favorite song from the record! A true gem! 💜

Karl Helm

i was also 5 or 6 when this song came out. i'm 52 years old now.

Randy Barnett

Wow! I haven't heard this song in over 40 years!!! Still sounds good!!😀😀👍

johnny zell

In the shadows
You get to know your lover mostly by feel
Got to put your faith in things you can touch
If you dare to
'Cause the shadows can make you crazy
With the things they reveal
They show it all without revealing too much
Scare the hell out of you
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the crowd never goes
Deep in the shadows where flowers won't grow
Me and my baby know love in the shadows
In the shadows
You got to work at love to get it to shine
You can't believe in everything that you see
Not this time around
'Cause the shadows can play
A half a million tricks on your mind
You try your best but you can never break free
It just kind of drags you down
'Cause me and my love
Live among the shadows
Where the old playground is an alley way
Now me and my love make love among the shadows
When the sun goes down in a dark hallway
Love in the shadows where the sun never shines
Deep in the shadows where most men go blind
Me and my baby find love in the shadows

shamrock1961

Excellent song writer and performer. TALENTED with a capital "T"!!!

Raymond Malcuit

Neil Sedaka Belong In The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

DAVID WOLF

~ Great dance record, was hot in New Orleans and Chicago in 1976. Really got lost in the shuffle with all the classics that came out that year. Still, we use 2 promo 7" singles to mix live and extend. This could use a dance remix even in 2018, still fresh and kinda festive. Cheers, DAVEDJ ~

Alan Reeser

As casual, another good, solid recording of what a lot of us all go through…Sedaka knows how to write great music..

David Lee Penn

Great Song It’s Rocks

Winters Battle of Bands

Disco-riffic. A fun single with nothing to prove during his stellar comeback.

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