Here's a thought for every man who tries to understand

What is in his hands (what's in his hands)

He walks along the open road of love and life

To find it if he can (to find it if he can)

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow

(Haaaaaaaa-ah)

As they took his soul they stole his pride (priiiii-hide) <-- 3 times

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow

(Haaaaaaaa-ah)

(Haaaaaaaa-ah)

(Haaaaaaaa-ah)

Here's a thought for every man who tries to understand

What is in his hands (what's in his hands)

He walks along the open road of love and life

To find it if he can (but only if he can)

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay

Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow

(Haaaaaaaa-ah)

As they took his soul they stole his pride (priiiii-hide) <-- 4 times

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow (Haaaaaaa-ah) <-- 2 times

As he faced the sun he cast no shadow



Lyrics submitted by dsfire

Track duration: 04:52

"Cast No Shadow" as written by Gallagher

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Cast No Shadow song meanings
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50 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:"Richard (Ashcroft) wasn´t very happy for a while so I wrote it for him and about three weeks later he quit the band. It´s about songwriters in general who are desperately trying to say something. I´d like to be able to write really meaningful lyrics but I always end up talking about drugs or sex. But people like Richard and Paul Weller will look after me. `Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say´ - That´s me. I´m not Morrissey. I´m not Bob Dylan. I´m not Brett Anderson. They are better lyricists than I´ll ever be." ~ Noel Gallagher
    Flagged TheRightEarOfNashon February 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:is "surviving if he can" instead of "to find it if he can"
    Flag Paler23on January 13, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I see it as a man who, in need, gave his life to evangelicals or any such group that replaces individuals. They shot down any idea he thought god had given him, took his passion and soul for the things he held dear and in the process stole his pride. But bewildered after it all he remains blameless and doesn't block god's light when he turns to the sun/son. His identity was lost to thieves seeking safety in numbers. But he remains someone who doesn't cast shadows on others.

    Flag stevenj777on April 29, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think the line "bound with all the weight of all the words he tryed to say" means that if you do not express yourself, and say what you really feel, then your living an empty life- therefore cast no shadow.
    Flag jackknightson February 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its about a guy who is stuck in a life he isnt happy with, and tries to speak to show who he is as a person.. but people obviously are fed up to their own ways that they bring him down and make him feel like hes screwed up.. when they say "he cast no shadow" means he doesnt know who he is or what he stands for in life because people are always telling him to be somebody hes not, and the person he is means nothing to them. "heres a thought for every man who tries to undrstand what is in his hands" kinda means he is so bothered by this he cant appreciate his worldly possesions, or what he has that is good because he doesnt know who he is.
    Flag richievalzon May 12, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:Personally though, I think its about someone who wants to leave a relationship because he loves someone else.

    "Bound by all the weight of all the words he tried to say"
    He hasn't told his spouse that he no longer feels anything, and is having a mental debate about whether to tell her, making him stressed.

    "Chained to all the places that he never wished to stay"
    Simple, he's tied down to his spouse but since he doesn't feel anything towards her, he wants out.

    "As they took his soul they stole his pride"
    As love began to degenerate him slowly and drowning in guilt, (and after he told his spouse, to which she got really angry or something) he learnt to be humble. Idk how its supposed to connect but my brain can so... LOL

    Personal opinion though. ^^
    Flag zalethon April 20, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:noel didnt write the song to richard he just dedicated it him
    Flag noahsamon June 04, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is one of the most beautiful songs Noel has written. In my interpretation he is talking about someone who is not living the life he wants to live. He feels lost and empty but he can't do anything about it because he doesn't know what to do.
    "Bound with all the weight of all the words he tried to say,chained to all the places that he never wished to stay"
    "as he faced the sun he cast no shadow". this line makes me extremely sad actually, it must be horrible to feel that way. I think that it's not that he doesn't cast a shadow but the thing is that he doesn't see it, he feels that he does not have one.
    Flag nic4non May 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is song was not written about Richard Ashcroft, Noel says that on the DVD. However, he dedicated the song to him at a gig, when he left The Verve. So, I believe this song is about Noel himself, and him as an artist, but above all, as a person. It'sa BEAUTIFUL song, and it can mean a lot...
    Flag Ritaviterboon March 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Everything a man can be given in life, a beautiful wife, children, things like that, and afterwards he himself,doesn't mean anything, he "casts no shadow" himself but it is about all he has in his hands, not himself.
    Flag Mongothegreaton February 09, 2009   Link

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