| "Shadow of the Day" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Shadow of the Day" cover | |||||
| Song by Linkin Park from the album Minutes to Midnight | |||||
| Released | November 12, 2007 | ||||
| Recorded | 2006-2007 | ||||
| Genre | Alternative rock, synth rock, power ballad | ||||
| Length | 4:17 (Single Version) 4:49 (Album Version) | ||||
| Label | Warner Bros. Records | ||||
| Writer | Mike Shinoda, Chester Bennington, Linkin Park | ||||
| Producer | Rick Rubin Mike Shinoda | ||||
| "Linkin Park singles chronology | |||||
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"Shadow of the Day" is the third single from Linkin Park's third studio album, Minutes to Midnight. It was released in November 2007.
It was first played live during the Projekt Revolution tour in Auburn, Washington on July 25, 2007.
Song structure and background information[]
The song opens with a reverse/edited keyboard loop, as mentioned in the booklet. The band experimented with several different versions of the keyboard loop, before deciding on the one used in the final version. Chester explained that they used over 60 different beats for this song until they found the really suitable one. They also used different types of instruments like banjos at first, just experimenting on different styles until they came up with something that could fit the track.
Like some of their other songs such as "Breaking the Habit" and "Faint", this song uses samples of live string ensemble recordings. The samples come in before the second verse starts. Distorted guitar elements are only played after the second chorus. The lead is an 8-bar phrase which is later raised an octave. The song is written in the key of B Major, the first major key the band has ever used, and is thus the first song by Linkin Park to use a major key. The end of the album version of the song, which is an instrumental piece, leads into the start of "What I've Done". It is the second-longest track on the album and features no vocals from Mike Shinoda.
During the Projekt Revolution tour, Chester was the one playing the guitar while also singing the lyrics. These occasions are very rare for the band, since Brad Delson is the lead guitarist. However, this is not the first song on which Bennington plays guitar, since It's Goin' Down was also performed by Shinoda doing the vocals and Bennington playing the guitar during Linkin Park and Fort Minor live performances.
Track listings[]
CD 1
- "Shadow of the Day"
- "Bleed It Out" (Live From Projekt Revolution Tour)
CD 2
- "Shadow of the Day"
- "No More Sorrow" (Third Encore Session)
- "Bleed It Out" (Live From Projekt Revolution Tour)
7" Picture disc format
- "Shadow of the Day"
- "No More Sorrow" (Third Encore Session)
29871
Music video[]
Chester Bennington in the music video.
The music video was directed by Joe Hahn[1].
The music video was released to the internet on October 15. The video shows Chester Bennington waking up. His alarm clock reads 11:55, the current Doomsday Clock time, referencing the album title Minutes to Midnight and the song which is the 5th song on the album. The video is over four minutes long, meaning that the time at the end would be 11:59 PM, or one minute to midnight. Chester then watches the news, washes up, gets dressed, and goes outside. We then see that the video takes place in a war torn world, where mass chaos is ensuing on the streets of the city. There is a lot of violence going on with many police and gunshots. Near the end of the video, a car is set on fire and bursts into flames in one of the most intense shots of the video. Chester then stands in front of the burning car, while looking hopelessly at the carnage that surrounds him. He then turns towards the flames, and the video fades to black.
This is the only video so far with only Chester appearing as Brad, Rob, Mike, Joe and Phoenix are absent in it. The video isn't completely dubbed by the song, meaning sound effects taking place in the video can be heard. It is also interesting to note when the music video was released on the internet, during the scene where a person sets a car on fire, the sound effects of the glass bottle he threw shattering on the car and igniting on fire is out of sync with the video. This problem was however fixed on the band's official YouTube page.
The video is slightly similar to From the Inside; another riot-based video by the band. There is also a painting of a whale in the video which is a reference to the In the End music video.
Linkin Park - Shadow of The Day
Chart performance[]
The song charted before its release on the Polish Singles Chart, and the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart. It debuted on the U.S. Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart at #18, which is equivalent to #118. It has also so far reached #17 on the Modern Rock Chart and #34 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The week "Shadow of the Day" jumped to the top twenty of the Modern Rock Chart, it made Linkin Park one of only three acts to simultaneously have three songs in the top twenty of the chart, since "Bleed It Out" was at #2, and "What I've Done" was at #13. U2 and R.E.M. are the other two bands to accomplish this feat. U2 did so in 1988 and 1992 and R.E.M. did so in 1988. [2]
| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles | 18 |
| Billboard Pop 100 | 94 |
| Billboard Modern Rock Tracks | 17 |
| Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks | 34 |
| Billboard Adult Top 40 | 34 |
| Brazilian Hot 100 [3] | 65 |
| Polish Singles Chart [4] | 54 |
Lyrics[]
I Close both locks below the window
I Close both blinds and turn away
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way
Oh...
And the sun will set for you
The sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plead for you to stay
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way
Oh...
And the sun will set for you
the sun will set for you
and the shadow of the day
will embrace the world in gray
And the sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
Trivia[]
- There is a video on the internet showing an alternate ending of the video, after Chester finishes singing he starts to walk away and a cop starts shooting. Chester's backpack goes flying to the ground, Chester dies.
External links[]
- Shadow of The Day official lyrics
- Shadow of The Day music video on YouTube
- "Alternate end video" on YouTube
- Chords of this Song at tabfan.com
References[]
Template:Reflist
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