Once upon a time I was of the mind
To lay your burden down
And leave you where you stood
And you believed I could
You'd seen it done before
I could read your thoughts
Tell you what you saw
And never say a word
Now all that is gone
Over with and done, never to return

I can tell you why
People die alone
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Staring at the loss
Looking for a cause
And never really sure
Nothing but a hole
To live without a soul
And nothing to be learned

I can tell you why
People go insane
I can show you how
You could do the same
I can tell you why
The end will never come
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Shapes of every size
Move behind my eyes
Doors inside my head
Bolted from within
Every drop of flame
Lights a candle in
Memory of the one
Who lives inside my skin

I can tell you why
People go insane
I can show you how
You could do the same
I can tell you why
The end will never come
I can tell you I'm
A shadow on the sun

Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Shadow on the sun, shadow on the sun
Sun, sun

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Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by despondent, KosnSatori

Shadow on the Sun Lyrics as written by Chris Cornell Timothy Commerford

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Hipgnosis Songs Group

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Shadow On The Sun song meanings

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+13
My Interpretation
The meaning of this song is so very clear to me - every lyric, so it's hard for me to understand why no one else sees this. I've typed my translation next to dash underneath the quoted lyrics. "Once upon a time I was of the mind, To lay your burden down" =
- I used to tell you not to worry, I would take care of your problems, worries, & take away ur pain.. "And leave u where u stood" =
- and that she didn't have to do a thing - he would take care of everything. "You'd seen it done before" =
- She told him she had faith in him & knew he could do it. "I would read your thoughts, Tell u what u saw, & never say a word" =
- They had a very very close connection & relationship together, where they knew what each other was thinking without having to always talk. "But now all of that is gone, over with & done, never to return" =
- The relationship ended - no hope for reconciliation. "I can tell you why people die alone" =
- He now believes that no relationship ever lasts. "I can tell you why I'm a shadow on the sun" =
- The sun respresents brightness, happiness, and an incredible energy of love. The shadow represents sadness, pain, and a broken heart. Where there was once blissful happiness is now pain (the shadow). "Staring at the loss, looking for the cause, and never really sure." =
- the relationship ended but he doesn't understand why it did & is in shock cause it did end, something he thought it would never happen at the time. "Nothing but a hole, To live without a soul," =
- There is now an empty place in his heart and soul where she used to be - a great loss, and he feels she cannot be replaced. "And nothing to be learned"
- He thought he had found his soulmate, but it didn't work out - so he will not be moving forward. He thought he finally found the answer to love thru her, but was wrong cause now she is gone - thus, 'nothing to be learned' - he's back where he started. "I can tell you why people go insane" =
- The pain & sadness of the loss of someone you deeply loved can sometimes be unbearable to accept and move forward. "I can show you how you could do the same."=
- Feel my pain and you will understand how I feel. "I can tell you why the end will never come" =
- I no longer believe that soul mates and true love exist or is possible. "I can tell you I'm the shadow on the sun" =
- Where happiness once was, is now pain & sadness. I'm now in the darkness, sadness, and pain and no longer part of the brightness, love and happiness. My flame of love has extinguished itself into darkness. "Shapes of every size move behind my eyes"=
- He's talking about memories & dreams of the person he loved & their past times together. "Bolted from within, Every drop of flame, Lights a candle in, Memory of the one who lived inside my skin"
- He is shutting & bolting the door to his heart & soul, which is now very fragile & needs protected & now only a flicker of flame burns inside & the only reason it is still barely flickering is because enough good memories of her were left behind, to keep a small energy flow to the flame to keep it somewhat flickering. 'the one who lived inside his skin' - that means they were 2 souls in one - the ultimate love connection.
The meaning of this song is so very clear to me - every lyric, so it's hard for me to understand why no one else sees this. I've typed my translation next to dash underneath the quoted lyrics. "Once upon a time I was of the mind, To lay your burden down" = - I used to tell you not to worry, I would take care of your problems, worries, & take away ur pain.. "And leave u where u stood" = - and that she didn't have to do a thing - he would take care of everything. "You'd seen it done before" = - She told him she had faith in him & knew he could do it. "I would read your thoughts, Tell u what u saw, & never say a word" = - They had a very very close connection & relationship together, where they knew what each other was thinking without having to always talk. "But now all of that is gone, over with & done, never to return" = - The relationship ended - no hope for reconciliation. "I can tell you why people die alone" = - He now believes that no relationship ever lasts. "I can tell you why I'm a shadow on the sun" = - The sun respresents brightness, happiness, and an incredible energy of love. The shadow represents sadness, pain, and a broken heart. Where there was once blissful happiness is now pain (the shadow). "Staring at the loss, looking for the cause, and never really sure." = - the relationship ended but he doesn't understand why it did & is in shock cause it did end, something he thought it would never happen at the time. "Nothing but a hole, To live without a soul," = - There is now an empty place in his heart and soul where she used to be - a great loss, and he feels she cannot be replaced. "And nothing to be learned" - He thought he had found his soulmate, but it didn't work out - so he will not be moving forward. He thought he finally found the answer to love thru her, but was wrong cause now she is gone - thus, 'nothing to be learned' - he's back where he started. "I can tell you why people go insane" = - The pain & sadness of the loss of someone you deeply loved can sometimes be unbearable to accept and move forward. "I can show you how you could do the same."= - Feel my pain and you will understand how I feel. "I can tell you why the end will never come" = - I no longer believe that soul mates and true love exist or is possible. "I can tell you I'm the shadow on the sun" = - Where happiness once was, is now pain & sadness. I'm now in the darkness, sadness, and pain and no longer part of the brightness, love and happiness. My flame of love has extinguished itself into darkness. "Shapes of every size move behind my eyes"= - He's talking about memories & dreams of the person he loved & their past times together. "Bolted from within, Every drop of flame, Lights a candle in, Memory of the one who lived inside my skin" - He is shutting & bolting the door to his heart & soul, which is now very fragile & needs protected & now only a flicker of flame burns inside & the only reason it is still barely flickering is because enough good memories of her were left behind, to keep a small energy flow to the flame to keep it somewhat flickering. 'the one who lived inside his skin' - that means they were 2 souls in one - the ultimate love connection.

Reason:

truehearttrueon October 23, 2009 Link
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@truehearttrue
Wow I love your answer man it's the same idea I had about the song especially since the song reminds me of someone who I consider to be my soul mate.

jeremyvvlon October 08, 2014
Wow I love your answer man it's the same idea I had about the song especially since the song reminds me of someone who I consider to be my soul mate.

jeremyvvlon October 08, 2014
@truehearttrue - Not all other people see it because it doesn't make much sense. I construe this line: "Once upon a time I was of the mind to lay your burden down" To be suggesting suicide. Those of us who know what that feels like understand what it means to be seriously depressed, to feel dead inside, and to feel like a burden to one's spouse, family, friends, etc. Suicide is therefore about "laying their burden down". The song is called "Shadow On The Sun", not "Gee I Sure Miss You". The vast majority of the lines say nothing to suggest it's about a relationship. Instead, they speak to being dead and tormented inside. And Cornell is well known to have had a long history of depression and suicidal thoughts. And Cornell did, in fact, end up committing suicide in 2017. I'm not Monday morning quarterbacking here; I said the same thing in 2012, because this is how I've always interpreted the song.

despondenton June 08, 2018

@despondent - I can see what you mean and also relate to the idea "I was of the mind to lay your burden down" meaning "If I commit suicide then I will not be a problem to anyone anymore." Your response helped me put an alternative perspective on the lyrics, that along with Cornell's actual suicide. He does mention dying alone in his lyrics. With that said, maybe the other person he is referring to in the lyrics ..is himself, the person he was before the depression. The depression being the shadow on the sun. Makes alot of sense...especially now. Thanks for the insight.

truehearttrueon June 08, 2018