Shadows
Resurrection Band Lyrics


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In the words of his mama, "He was my only son."
In the words of his sister, "He was on the run."
In the words of his girl, "How could it end this way?"
In the words of his daddy, "Well he never had much to say."

Goodbye Kathy and goodbye Mom, there's voices in my head
Angel dust and tortured dreams say I'd be better dead
You, you chased the shadows because your hopes
and dreams have been lost to the night

Hey, Billy, did you hear the news?
Johnny's gone for good
They say his mama's all broke up
They found him in the woods
Kathy just couldn't understand
Sheriff, he just looked tired
Some will play and some will pay
And Johnny played with fire

Goodbye Kathy and goodbye Mom, there's voices in my head
Angel dust and tortured dreams say I'd be better dead

You, you chased the shadows because your hopes
and dreams have been lost to the night

You, you chased the shadows because your hopes
and dreams have been lost to the night

Johnny's dead and buried now out on the edge of town
Drove by his grave the other day, that's when the fear came down
I hate the night that took his life, but now it's haunting me
I may be young, may be confused but I gotta be free

God, are You there, can You hear me now?
Show me how to hope
Lost in the dark on a dead end road, please save me from myself

Lord, You, You took the shadows
- all my fears and doubt and brought me out of the night
Lord, You , You take the shadows
- give me hope and love and turn my darkness to light

Lord, You, You took the shadows
- all my fears and doubt and brought me out of the night




Lord, You , You take the shadows
- give me hope and love and turn my darkness to light

Overall Meaning

The Resurrection Band’s song Shadows depicts the aftermath of a tragic event, the death of a young man named Johnny. Through the perspectives of different family members, we are given brief glimpses into Johnny's life and his descent into drugs before he ultimately ends up dead. The first verse describes the reactions of Johnny’s family, his mother and sister are grieving, and his girlfriend is in shock, while his father has little to say. The second verse goes deeper into Johnny’s struggles, with him being tormented by voices in his head and turning to drugs to escape his reality. The third verse shifts into the perspective of the singer who is also struggling with the death of Johnny and the fear it brings.


The main theme of the song is the loss of hope and the struggle to find it again. Johnny's hopes and dreams were lost to the night, leaving him feeling like he had no other escape except drugs. The singer, in turn, is also struggling to find hope and keep from being consumed by darkness. However, in the end, there is an optimistic note as the singer turns to God, seeking to be saved from their darkness.


Overall, Shadows is a poignant song that tackles the heavy themes of tragedy, loss, and the search for hope amidst the darkness.


Line by Line Meaning

In the words of his mama, "He was my only son."
His mother is lamenting over the loss of her only child.


In the words of his sister, "He was on the run."
His sister describes him as someone constantly running from everything around him.


In the words of his girl, "How could it end this way?"
His girlfriend is grieving over his death and questions how it could have ended this way.


In the words of his daddy, "Well he never had much to say."
His father acknowledges his son's quiet and reserved nature.


Goodbye Kathy and goodbye Mom, there's voices in my head
The artist's mind is plagued by voices as he bids farewell to his loved ones.


Angel dust and tortured dreams say I'd be better dead
The singer believes death would be a better alternative than living with the pain of his current reality fueled by drug addiction and bleak dreams.


You, you chased the shadows because your hopes and dreams have been lost to the night
The singer addresses himself as someone who has given up on hope and dreams due to his circumstances, leading him to endlessly pursue shadows in the darkness.


Hey, Billy, did you hear the news? Johnny's gone for good
One character informing another of the news of Johnny's death.


They say his mama's all broke up They found him in the woods
The locals are gossiping about Johnny's mother being miserable after discovering his lifeless body in the woods.


Kathy just couldn't understand Sheriff, he just looked tired
Kathy is struggling to come to terms with Johnny's death, while the sheriff who handled the incident appears worn out from a long day at work.


Some will play and some will pay And Johnny played with fire
Some people will make foolish choices and recklessly risk their lives as Johnny did, eventually paying the price for their actions.


Johnny's dead and buried now out on the edge of town
Johnny has passed away and has been laid to rest at the town's outskirts.


Drove by his grave the other day, that's when the fear came down
The singer feels a sense of dread while passing by Johnny's gravesite.


I hate the night that took his life, but now it's haunting me
The singer blames the night for Johnny's death but now finds himself being haunted by it.


I may be young, may be confused but I gotta be free
The singer may not have all the answers and may be perplexed, but he needs to be free from his current situation.


God, are You there, can You hear me now? Show me how to hope
The artist is seeking guidance and asking for a glimmer of hope from a higher power.


Lost in the dark on a dead end road, please save me from myself
The artist is lost and alone, stuck on a path that leads nowhere, and begs for redemption and guidance from himself.


Lord, You, You took the shadows - all my fears and doubt and brought me out of the night
The singer believes that with God's help, he can overcome his fears, doubts, and the darkness that envelops him.


Lord, You , You take the shadows - give me hope and love and turn my darkness to light
The singer is asking God to take away his troubles and offer him a new beginning filled with hope, love, and light.




Contributed by Kayla R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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John McGowan


on Hotfootin'

A couple of lyrics changes:
"Banana-boat Buick blaring in stereo can't drown out what he is saying."
"Brothers and sisters he tells them..."

Bruce M. Axtens


on Benny & Sue

"ignored the one inside" or "ignored the warning sign"?

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