Macklemore’s “Shadow” was the product of the NBC show, Songland. Ori Rakib, known as IRO, brought the Irish melody to the shows stage and captivated the judges and Macklemore immediately. After working with the producers, the final presentation of the song was an instant hit. Macklemore chose to pro...
[Chorus: IRO]
Got me straight up drinkin' from the barrel
I've been losin' hours
Singin' sad songs underneath the gallows
Runnin' from my shadow
Runnin' from my shadow
[Verse 1: Macklemore]
I need relief, I need some peace
But the voices, they keep talking to me
And I keep going to meetings, I pray every evening
But I can't escape my disease
Lookin' at me, stare in the mirror
Look at the man starin' back at you
You are your failures, you are your triumphs
You are a prophet, you are an asshole
You are a devil and you are a god
You buy a shovel and bury it all
Think you can purchase your way right out of the void and not end up payin' the cost?
Lie to yourself, lie to them, hell
Whatever helps, forgotten what's real
You think the secrets you keep stay between you and me
But the shadow's attached to your heels, like
[Chorus: IRO]
Got me straight up drinkin' from the barrel
I've been losin' hours
Singin' sad songs underneath the gallows
Runnin' from my shadow
Runnin' from my shadow
[Verse 2: Macklemore]
I let it rain through the sunroof
I've been parked out by the waterfront
Been going to war with myself
Reading Sun Tzu, bumpin' Tha Carter I
I'm back on day two, forgot how hard it was
Starin' at me for so long, I forgot who the target was
I thought I was over this, this isn't what sober is
What kind of dad would hold their kids
Then go back out and ignore the risk?
The shadow wants me to forget the pain
Wants me to live in the guilt and the shame
So much that I have no choice but to die from the drugs or blow out my fucking brain
The shadow, it wants me too busy
It wants me keep driftin'
It wants me to give in to fame
It wants me forgettin' that I got an illness that lives in my spirit in different ways
Shadow, the light
They can both blind, got different names
If it's too dark, if it's too bright
It can still burn you with different flames
And I don't owe them an iota
Tell my mama I'ma die sober
Yeah, I might be bipolar
I should write an album out in Wyoming
Low bottom, I'm a high roller
Go full throttle, got no chauffeur
Got two voices on both shoulders
But I keep swinging 'til the fight's over
[Chorus: IRO]
Got me straight up drinkin' from the barrel
I've been losin' hours
Singin' sad songs underneath the gallows
Runnin' from my shadow
(Runnin' from my shadow)
[Bridge: IRO]
Runnin', I'm runnin', I can't get away, away, away
Chasin' me down every night and all day, all day, all day
Runnin', I'm runnin', I can't get away, away, away
Chasin' me down every night and all day, all day
Runnin', I'm runnin', I can't get away, away, away
Chasin' me down every night and all day, all day, all day
I'm runnin', I'm runnin', I can't get away
Chasin' me down every night and all day
My mama told me I gotta be brave, be brave, be brave
[Outro: IRO]
Keep runnin' from my shadow
Shadow was written by Macklemore & IRO & Andrew DeRoberts & Shane McAnally & Ester Dean & Xperience & Tyler Dopps & Aalias & Coyle Girelli & Ryan Tedder.
Shadow was produced by Andrew DeRoberts & Shane McAnally.
Macklemore released Shadow on Wed Aug 14 2019.