Chasing Shadows
Deep Purple · Deep Purple [1969]
with myself hardly sleeping
Dwarfs and giants, twenty feet tall
fill the room with their creeping
Sounds of breathing sharpen my ears
then they fade into nothing
Someone's laughter out in the street
fills the night with their loving
I feel the ice in my head
Running its hands through my bed
Not even dreaming I seem to be dead
Colours of yellow and colours of red
All I'm asking some secret voice
is to lead me to darkness
Jon forgot the two last lines:
I'm so tired, dawn never comes
I just hide in the shadows
Chasing Shadows
Deep Purple's "Chasing Shadows" stands as a defining track from their 1969 debut album, capturing the band's early fusion of hard rock and blues-inflected psychedelia. Recorded during a pivotal era for the group, the song showcases the distinctive interplay between Ritchie Blackmore's soaring guitar work and the driving rhythm section that would become the band's signature sound. As one of the earliest recordings to feature the lineup that would define their career, it reflects the raw energy and experimental spirit of late 1960s progressive rock. The composition serves as a testament to the band's ability to blend complex time signatures with anthemic melodies, establishing a foundation for their future success in the hard rock genre.