Jacks Shadow
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

They dragged Jack and his shadow
From the hole
And the bulb that burned above him
Did shine both day and night
And his shadow learned to love his
Little darks and greater light
And the sun it shined
And the sun it shined
And the sun it shined
A little longer
(A little stronger)

Jack wept and kissed his shadow "Goodbye"
Spat from their dirty dungeons
Into a fully different din
Shat from their institutions
Into a truly different din
And his shadow soon became a wife
And children plagued his latter life
Until one night he took a skinning knife
And stole into the town
And Jack tracked his shadow down

Said the shadow to Jack Henry
"What's wrong?"
Jack said "Our home is not a hole"
"And shadow, you're just a gallow that I hang my body from"
"Oh Shadow, you're a shackle from which my time is never done"
Then he peeled his shadow off in strips
He peeled his shadow off in strips
Then he kneeled his shadow on some steps
And cried "What have I done?"

Yeah, and the sun it shined
Oh, the sun it shined
I say "Love is blind"
"And is it any wonder?"
"Is it any wonder?"

Jack and his damned shadow
Is gone
And though each one of us are want to duly mourn
Yes, and though each one of us are want to duly mourn
'Tis done in brighter corners now
'Tis done in brighter corners now
It's done in the brighter corners now
That Jack's black shadow is gone
Yeah, Jack's black shadow is gone

Yeah, and the sun it shines
I said sun it shines
Yeah and the sun it shined
(A little stronger) is it any wonder?
Is it wonder that? (Is it any wonder?)
Love is blind
I said "Love is blind"
I said "Love is blind"
And a little stronger
A little stronger

It's done in brighter corners now
'Tis done in brighter corners now
'Tis done in brighter corners now
Now that Jack's black shadow's gone
Yeah, Jack's black shadow's gone

And I swear love is blind
Yeah, love is blind
Yeah, love is blind
And who can blame our bloody blunders
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Oh, the sun it shines
Oh, the sun it shined
The sun it shined
But when I can't remember
(I can't remember)

But it's done in brighter corners now
It's done in the brighter corners now
Yeah, done in the brighter corners now
Done in the brighter corners now
Done in the brighter corners now
Now that Jack's black shadow's gone
That Jack's black shadow's gone
That Jack's black shadow's gone




That Jack's black shadow's gone
That Jack's black shadow's gone

Overall Meaning

"Jack's Shadow" by Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds is a song that tells the story of a man named Jack who is both haunted by and loyal to his shadow. The lyrics are very poetic and full of vivid imagery that convey a sense of darkness, longing, and eventual liberation. The song hints at themes of identity, freedom, and love, as well as the consequences of obsession and attachment to something that is inherently fleeting.


The first verse describes how Jack and his shadow were pulled out of a hole by someone, and how the light that shone on them created a strong bond between them. The second verse indicates that Jack eventually became resentful of his shadow, realizing that it was nothing more than a burden that kept him tied down. He eventually removes his shadow, but then feels regret and confusion, leading him to cry out "What have I done?" The final verses suggest that Jack's absence has created a sense of brightness, hope, and possibility, with the sun shining more strongly now that his shadow is gone.


Overall, "Jack's Shadow" is a powerful and enigmatic song that leaves open the possibility of multiple interpretations. It is a testament to the skill and depth of Nick Cave's songwriting.


Line by Line Meaning

They dragged Jack and his shadow From the hole And the bulb that burned above him Did shine both day and night And his shadow learned to love his Little darks and greater light And the sun it shined And the sun it shined And the sun it shined A little longer (A little stronger)
Jack and his shadow were rescued from the dungeon where they both stayed, and a bulb that burned constantly was the only source of light. His shadow learned to love his different aspects, and as time passes, more light shone upon them with the rising sun.


Jack wept and kissed his shadow "Goodbye" Spat from their dirty dungeons Into a fully different din Shat from their institutions Into a truly different din And his shadow soon became a wife And children plagued his latter life Until one night he took a skinning knife And stole into the town And Jack tracked his shadow down
After they were freed, Jack and his shadow split paths; the shadow got married and had children, yet Jack became enraged and decided to find him. Eventually, Jack found his shadow and killed him in the town.


Said the shadow to Jack Henry "What's wrong?" Jack said "Our home is not a hole" "And shadow, you're just a gallow that I hang my body from" "Oh Shadow, you're a shackle from which my time is never done" Then he peeled his shadow off in strips He peeled his shadow off in strips Then he kneeled his shadow on some steps And cried "What have I done?"
During their encounter, the shadow asks what's wrong, and Jack expresses his dissatisfaction with his life, blaming his shadow for being the one to keep him held down. He proceeds to peel off his shadow in strips and cries in regret for what he has done.


Yeah, and the sun it shined Oh, the sun it shined I say "Love is blind" "And is it any wonder?" "Is it any wonder?"
The rising sun shines bright once more as the song repeats the chorus. Love is the bookend theme to this traumatic ordeal, and it makes one wonder whether love is responsible for any mistakes made in life.


Jack and his damned shadow Is gone And though each one of us is want to duly mourn Yes, and though each one of us is want to duly mourn 'Tis done in brighter corners now 'Tis done in brighter corners now It's done in the brighter corners now That Jack's black shadow is gone Yeah, Jack's black shadow is gone
After Jack's killing of his shadow, they have both disappeared from this world, and the song implies that it's common human nature to feel some sense of melancholy over another's passing. However, the song ends on a hopeful note with the idea that with Jack's black shadow's disappearance, a brighter corner has opened up in the world.


And I swear love is blind Yeah, love is blind Yeah, love is blind And who can blame our bloody blunders Yeah, yeah, yeah
Love might make people blind to the mistakes they make; however, anyone is at fault for their actions, but a lot of these actions can be considered blunders in hindsight.


Oh, the sun it shines Oh, the sun it shined The sun it shined But when I can't remember (I can't remember) But it's done in brighter corners now It's done in the brighter corners now Yeah, done in the brighter corners now Done in the brighter corners now Done in the brighter corners now Now that Jack's black shadow's gone That Jack's black shadow's gone That Jack's black shadow's gone That Jack's black shadow's gone That Jack's black shadow's gone
The song ends with a repetition of previous lines and the idea that one day, when people cannot remember all of the details of this story, change will gradually occur, but the world will be brighter than before, now that Jack's black shadow is gone.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Mute Song Limited
Written by: Michael Harvey, Nicholas Cave

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

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