In the shadows is a song by the Finnish band ‘The Rasmus’ and part of their fifth album called ‘Dead Letters’ released in 2003. The song is the most popular song by the band and is supposed to be their greatest hit. It was nominated for the Kerrang! Award for Best Single in 2004.
Song Meaning
The song has 4 different videos for the song-
1. Finnish Version
2. European Version
3. US Version
4. Simplified Version
Wikipedia says there is a version like this but I couldn’t find it.
Since there are different videos for this song, I don’t know if the meaning behind the song is linked to the videos as all the videos have somewhat different themes. If any video is hinting at what the song is about, it is probably the US version in which there is a house maid working in a mansion. The maid finds Lauri’s image on the mirror as she is carrying the tray and is taken aback to see it and ends up dropping the tray. This leads to her getting punished. The maid is unhappy with her situation and wants to escape it. Lauri eventually pulls her through the mirror and she enters the other reality in which the band is performing. Later, as the master of the house approaches her room with the other maid (most likely the head maid), they find that the maid is not there.
So, the meaning of the song that I relate with is similar to the situation above. Its about a person who is trapped in a situation and is looking for a way out of it. He is tired and dejected by the society controlling him and wants to escape the situation. He feels disconnected and probably has no other person he can relate with. He is waiting for his chance to live life on his own terms. He hopes for good days in the future and at times he feels if he should take risks to live the dreams he has been waiting for. He is tired of waiting for things to happen when he says ‘I just don’t want to stay and wait for a wonder’.
So, the song somewhat represents a person who is controlled and is not able to live life on his own terms. He is seeking a way out of this situation and thinking about taking risks. In the end, it is about doing something to improve your situation and live a better life.
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I agree with your interpretation of the song lyrics. It’s someone living an unfulfilled life, dreaming of tomorrows & becoming somewhat disillusioned in their own inertia. While I like the other two clips (Finnish & European) I too, love the US version. The maid, trapped in an age when all she could be was a “domestic” pulled through the mirror by Lauri to a time where she can be anything she likes. Brilliant song.
Yup, the US Version is really cool. It makes you feel like you want to be a part of the concert and also the idea of transporting the maid was really creative. In the shadows is an iconic song.