The Furs initially used Martin Hannett as a producer, but their initial self-titled album from 1980 was eventually produced by Steve Lillywhite. The LP quickly established the band on radio and was a top 20 hit in the UK. The album also found success in Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Australia. The US version of the album was re-sequenced, but failed to have as strong a commercial impact.
The Furs found success in the U.S. market with the 1981 release, titled 'Talk Talk Talk', which made its impact on the US album charts and received critical acclaim worldwide. In the UK, the album was a solid hit which spun off two charting singles, "Dumb Waiters" and the original version of "Pretty in Pink". The latter song served as inspiration for the 1986 John Hughes film of the same name, and was re-recorded for the platinum-selling soundtrack.
In 1982, the band was reduced to a four-piece with the departures of Morris and Kilburn. (Ex-Birthday Party drummer Phill Calvert would briefly join the group around this time.) The band's remaining members moved permanently to New York, where they recorded the album Forever Now with producer Todd Rundgren. This album contained "Love My Way", a breakthrough Top 40 hit in both the US and the UK. Ely left the band after this release, though he would return for the 1988 single "All That Money Wants" and the 1989 album Book of Days.
The Furs' 1984 release Mirror Moves was produced by Keith Forsey, and featured the songs "The Ghost in You" and "Heaven". Both charted in the UK, and "Heaven" became the band's highest charting UK hit at the time -- but inexplicably, "Heaven" was never released as a single in America. Instead, Columbia Records opted for "Here Come Cowboys", despite both international success and heavy MTV airplay on "Heaven." "Here Come Cowboys" failed to chart, but "The Ghost In You" was a hit on the US pop charts. The band had become popular in Canada as well, CFNY, Toronto's new wave radio station, listed Mirror Moves as the #1 LP of 1984.
By this time, the band had become somewhat of a staple on US college and modern rock radio stations. As well, they were building mainstream success, fairly consistently placing singles in the pop charts on both sides of the Atlantic, though they would "have more impact on future musicians than they ever did in the marketplace." In 1986, the band re-recorded a version of "Pretty in Pink", which was their biggest hit to that time in the US, and their biggest-ever UK hit.
Richard Butler later claimed that the success of "Pretty in Pink" caused the band to be pressured into entering the studio to record a follow-up release before they were ready. The result was Midnight to Midnight, an album which Butler characterized as "hollow, vapid and weak". A more overtly commercial effort than the Furs had ever recorded before, the album also featured the single "Heartbreak Beat", which was their highest charting top 40 US hit.
However, the Furs were dissatisfied with their new commercial direction, and subsequently returned to a rawer sound with "All That Money Wants", a 1988 track especially recorded for a 'best-of' collection. 1989's Book of Days saw a return to the old-school style and the temporary return of Vince Ely. 1991's World Outside was similarly more of a "back to basics" approach.
From 1988 on The Furs' chart success continued with three #1 hits on the US Modern Rock chart between 1988 and 1991.
The band splintered in 1991, with the Butler brothers going on to found Love Spit Love. After spending most of the decade apart, Butler, Butler and Ashton re-formed The Psychedelic Furs in 2000, and released a live album Beautiful Chaos: Greatest Hits Live, which also featured a new studio recording, "Alive (For Once In My Lifetime)." A DVD version of the performance included live versions of "Alive" and three other previously unreleased songs: "Anodyne (Better Days)," "Cigarette" and "Wrong Train."
Since then the Furs continue to tour the world along with former Love Spit Love drummer Frank Ferrer, ex-Information Society and World Party keyboardist Amanda Kramer and saxophonist Mars Williams who returned to the band after a stint in the late 1980s.
Showing the band's significant influence as a part of the new wave and post-punk movements, their songs have been covered by numerous other artists. Examples include Annie Lennox, Buffalo Tom, Icehouse, Powderfinger, Regenerator, and Robyn Hitchcock.
Shadow
The Psychedelic Furs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wants all she can hold
I know all that she wants
Is my diamonds and gold
And she's nobody's fool
But it's easy to fall
She's a hole in the shadows
Where nobody talks
Where the rain never stops
And there's no conversation
Yeah nobody talks
There's a shadow in my heart
There's a shadow in my heart
I'm out on a ride
And you kiss me so cold
And I know what you want
But it's all I've been sold
I can see through your lies
And I know where you are
You're out in the rain
With the beat of my heart
There's a shadow in my heart
Where the rain never stops
And there's no conversation
Yeah nobody talks
There's a shadow in my heart
There's a shadow in my heart
This poor little rich girl
She can't find the spark
And she's shooting down stars
Through her hole in the dark
And she's out on a ride
She's got all you've been sold
She's got all of your dreams
All your silver and gold
There's a shadow in my heart
Where the rain never stops
And there's no conversation
Yeah nobody talks
There's a shadow in my heart
Where the rain never stops
And there's no conversation
Yeah nobody talks
There's a shadow in my heart
There's a shadow in my heart
There's a shadow
The lyrics of The Psychedelic Furs' song Shadow in My Heart tell the story of two people stuck in a dysfunctional relationship. The first verse describes a "poor little rich girl" who only wants material possessions and is willing to do whatever it takes to get them, even if it means fooling someone. The chorus talks about the shadow in the singer's heart, where there is a constant rain and a lack of communication.
The second verse reveals that the singer knows that he is being used and that the person he is with only wants what he can provide. He can see through the lies and the façade that the other person puts up, but he is still stuck in the storm that rages in his heart. In the third verse, the "poor little rich girl" is shooting down stars in the darkness, a metaphor for how she is trying to fill the emptiness she feels inside by chasing after something that will never satisfy her.
Overall, the song paints a picture of two people who are stuck in a cycle of pain and dissatisfaction. They are unable to communicate with each other and are using each other for their own ends. The rain in the singer's heart represents the pain and sadness that he feels, while the shadow symbolizes the darkness that surrounds them.
Line by Line Meaning
this poor little rich girl
Referring to a girl who seems to have everything but is still unsatisfied
wants all she can hold
She wants more than what she already has
i know all that she wants
The singer is aware of what the girl desires
is my diamonds and gold
The girl is after materialistic possessions
and she's nobody's fool
The girl is not easily deceived
but it's easy to fall
But she can easily be tempted
she's a hole in the shadows
The girl is elusive and mysterious
where nobody talks
There is a lack of communication between the girl and others around her
there's a shadow in my heart
The singer feels a dark and gloomy emotion inside him
where the rain never stops
The feeling persists and never goes away
and there's no conversation
There is a lack of meaningful discussion about the singer's feelings
yeah nobody talks
No one addresses the singer's negative feelings
i'm out on a ride
The singer is doing something adventurous
and you kiss me so cold
But the adventure is not enjoyable because of the girl's cold attitude
and i know what you want
The singer is aware of the girl's true motives
but it's all i've been sold
The singer was misled into believing the girl wanted something more genuine
i can see through your lies
The singer is not fooled and can see the truth
and i know where you are
The singer understands the girl's actual personality
you're out in the rain
The girl lives a miserable life
with the beat of my heart
The girl shares the same miserable feelings as the singer
she can't find the spark
The girl is unhappy and cannot find happiness
and she's shooting down stars
The girl is destroying everything that she once aspired to
through her hole in the dark
Through her mysterious character, she continues to cause pain and destruction
she's got all you've been sold
The girl has everything materialistic that others are chasing after
she's got all of your dreams
She has achieved everything that the singer had hoped for
all your silver and gold
The girl has accumulated all the materialistic possessions that the singer previously treasured
there's a shadow
The emotion of darkness and gloominess persists in the singer's heart
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN ASHTON, RICHARD LOFTHOUSE BUTLER, TIMOTHY BUTLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ianturton4976
Every track is a hit in my world. The lyrics are amazing and probably cost them ratings. I will always love this guy for being so honest.
@klyanmutis
my god this song is always the best and new wave 80's . i still have the cassette .
@Psychedelicbodega
Can’t wait to see these cats in September at Foxwoods. Hope they level the place 🤘🤘🤘🤘
@AlexFKegler
sensacional!
@tinfoilhatter
freakin eh! but it's all i've been sold!
@tinfoilhatter
yeah, nobody talks?
@reneapalit64
There’s a shadow in my heart….where the rain never stops….and there’s no conversation…yeah nobody talks.🤐
@squinteastwood4637
This is the only weak song on the album...