| "Shadow Of The Day" | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||||
| Single by Linkin Park | |||||||
| from the album Minutes To Midnight | |||||||
| Working title: | Shadow Of The Day | ||||||
| Recorded: | 2006-2007 | ||||||
| Released: | November 12, 2007 | ||||||
| Format: | CD, Vinyl, Digital | ||||||
| Length: | 04:49 | ||||||
| Stems: | Rock Band 3 (DLC) Neko Keyboard Sounds and Samples[1] | ||||||
| Time signature: | 4/4 | ||||||
| Tempo: | 110 | ||||||
| Key: | B Major | ||||||
| Live debut: | July 25, 2007 | ||||||
| Last performed: | October 27, 2017 June 30, 2016 (LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent) | ||||||
| Writer: | Linkin Park | ||||||
| Producer: | Mike Shinoda, Rick Rubin | ||||||
| Label: | Warner Bros. | ||||||
| |||||||
| Minutes To Midnight tracklist | |||||||
"Shadow Of The Day" is the fifth track off of Linkin Park's third studio album, Minutes To Midnight. It was released as the album's third single on November 12, 2007.
Background
In an interview with Kerrang! in 2007, Brad Delson said "This was probably the most difficult arrangement to nail. It sounded very derivative at first but then we kept kept replacing different elements on it. We put an acoustic guitar on it, then an electric banjo and then a marimba. It's definitely one of the best songs we've written."[2][3] The limited edition booklet for Minutes To Midnight reaffirms this, stating "The keyboard loop in “Shadow Of The Day” went through many different changes during the song’s creation. For months, the song’s place on the album remained undecided; the band agreed that it wouldn’t make the album unless the right introductory sound was discovered. Dozens of options were created on piano, acoustic guitar, marimba, xylophone, and even electric banjo before finally writing the reversed/edited keyboard version that appears here."
At the Minutes To Midnight album listening event with Stryker, Chester said that he feels the song shows an emotional maturity and an insightfulness that Linkin Park did not have before. The song drew comparison with U2's "With Or Without You" from fans and the media.[4][5]
Chester Bennington assisted Brad on the creation of a guitar part for the song as explained in an interview with Ultimate Guitar in 2009. "There are some pretty serious musicians in Linkin Park. There are moments during a Linkin Park session where I'll say, Hey, can we change this part? On Shadow of the Day, there is a guitar part that's at the end of the song. I walked into the studio, and Brad had been there two days straight. I said, How you're doing? He said, I can't do this. I can't break the code on this one. I said, Play it for me. I want to hear what you're working on. He played it and I go, I've got an idea. I go in the other room, played the part on the piano, and I go, Play this. He played it, and that's what we kept. That's what we do. That's what being in a band is about. Brad said, Ah! Why couldn't have you been here two days ago? I go, Because it was supposed to happen right now."[6]
At the end of the Minutes To Midnight recording sessions, Linkin Park invited composer David Campbell back, who they previously worked with on Meteora, to add string arrangements to six songs, four of which made the album outright - "Leave Out All The Rest", "Shadow Of The Day", "Hands Held High", "The Little Things Give You Away", bonus track "No Roads Left", and outtake "Blackbirds". David Campbell, Mike, and Brad wrote the string arrangements, with David conducting the violin, viola, cello, and bass performances which are highlighted on the album's DVD.[7]
Alternate Mix
A new version of "Shadow Of The Day" appeared in 2012 in the HDTracks 24-bit edition of Minutes To Midnight, and was later slightly revised and released in the video game Rock Band 3. The HDTracks version appeared again in 2013 on the mastered for iTunes version of Minutes To Midnight and in 2017 on the picture vinyl release of the album. It was later discovered that the alternate version released in 2013 was also included on a promotional instrumental CD for radio. This new version has additional strings, one less synth track, and the palm-muted guitar in the first two choruses and second verse was removed. In addition, the synthesized bass is replaced with the real bass earlier in the track, with the switch happening on the second verse, rather than the first guitar solo.
This version of the track was also included on the 2017 Minutes to Midnight picture vinyl release, along with the alternate version of "No Roads Left." The alternate mix was again included on the Wal-Mart exclusive yellow vinyl pressing of Minutes to Midnight in fall 2021.
The Rock Band 3 version has different strings added than the iTunes and promo instrumental versions.
In total, the three songs affected from the Minutes To Midnight era with different versions are "Shadow Of The Day", "No Roads Left", and "Across The Line." It is assumed that the label accidentally switched the masters for the album at some point, which is why the wrong versions are being included on releases.
In fall 2021, Linkin Park updated all three songs on digital streaming platforms to the correct versions. "Shadow Of The Day" featured a re-recorded guitar part in the choruses for an unknown reason, and the part has a wrong note on the "...and the shadow of the day" line where it is supposed to follow the bass and go down to a G instead of going up to a D like it does on every other time through the progression, but it goes up to a D in that spot on this recording.
Tracklist
CD Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Of The Day | Linkin Park | 4:16 |
| 2 | Bleed It Out (Live From Projekt Revolution, Holmdel NJ, AUG. 29 '07) | Linkin Park | 6:07 |
| 3 | No More Sorrow (Third Encore Session) | Linkin Park | 3:45 |
Vinyl Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Of The Day | Linkin Park | 4:16 |
| 2 | No More Sorrow (Third Encore Session) | Linkin Park | 3:45 |
iTunes Single
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shadow Of The Day (Video) | Linkin Park | 4:17 |
| 2 | Shadow Of The Day (Making Of The Video) | 3:01 |
Music Video
Music video news website Video Static announced the videoshoot for "Shadow Of The Day" was booked on September 5, 2007.[8] The video was directed by Joe Hahn over the weekend of September 28 in collaboration with Radical Media and the Seventh Letter Crew.[9] It premiered online on October 15 through 94.5 The Buzz and had its TV premiere on October 17 during MTV Germany's "Rockzone" program.[10]
The video takes place during a riot scene that is occurring in the streets and only features one band member: Chester Bennington. Due to censorship, there are four different cuts of the video which drastically change the perception of the narrative.
"Shadow Of The Day" won Best Rock Video at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards and was also nominated for Best Direction in the "Professional Categories," losing to "Honey" by Erykah Badu.[11][12] MTV's description of the video read: "The world has a lot of problems, Chester has a lot of feelings."[13]
Artist Name: Linkin Park
Song Name: Shadow Of The Day
Director: Joe Hahn
Production Company: Radical Media
Producers: Bill Boyd
Video Commissioner: Devin Sarno
Record Label: Warner Bros. Records
Censored Video
MTV aired a version of the music video on which scenes with gunfire and bottle smashing were removed and replaced with different riot scenes.
Alternate Ending
An "alternate ending" version of "Shadow Of The Day" was aired in Europe. Instead of ending with Chester Bennington standing in front of the fire and turning around, it shows Chester begin to walk away from the flames and the police open fire. The video ends with a shot of his bag falling to the ground.[15]
Director's Cut
A "Director's Cut" version of the "Shadow Of The Day" music video was posted on Joe Hahn's LPNetwork profile and was discovered by fans in March 2008. This version of the video features several scenes not present in other versions.[15] Chester is seen carrying a bag which he drops on the ground around 3:18 into the song. A few seconds later, the video returns to his house and zooms in on a table containing many wires and other electronics. There are also several blueprints and video monitors for security cameras displaying a certain building. After about 30 seconds, there is a giant explosion destroying the building that the video monitors were displaying. The ending shows Chester staring at the flames as they are reflected on his eyes.
Live Video
A live music video for "Shadow Of The Day" was used to promote the live album Road To Revolution: Live At Milton Keynes. While the video itself is taken from the show, the audio is mostly the studio version of the song with some portions of the live audio mixed in: the talking at the beginning, Chester saying "yes, it will" before the solo and the crowd noise at the end.
Versions
Note: Only the date of the very first release of each version is listed.
Studio
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Of The Day | Minutes To Midnight | 4:49 | 2006-2007 | May 14, 2007 | |
| Shadow Of The Day | Shadow Of The Day | 4:17 | 2006-2007 | October 16, 2007 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day | Minutes To Midnight | 4:49 | 2007 | May 29, 2012 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day | Rock Band 3 (Linkin Park 02 DLC) | 4:17 | 2007 | September 4, 2012 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day | Minutes To Midnight | 4:49 | 2007 | November 10, 2021 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day | Minutes To Midnight Instrumentals
Radio Publishing Instrumentals CD |
4:23 | 2006-2007 |
|
Live
| Title | Album | Length | Recorded | Released | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadow Of The Day (Live) | Live From SoHo (iTunes Exclusive EP) | 4:16 | February 21, 2008 | March 4, 2008 | |
| Shadow Of The Day | Road To Revolution: Live At Milton Keynes | 4:16 | June 29, 2008 | November 21, 2008 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day | Live In Madrid | 5:14 | November 07, 2010 | April 1, 2011 |
|
| Shadow Of The Day (Live From Melbourne, 2010) | Minutes To Midnight - Live Around The World | 5:33 | December 13, 2010 | June 12, 2012 | |
| LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent | Live At Admiralspalast Berlin, Germany | June 05, 2012 | March 29, 2013 |
|
Live
"Shadow Of The Day" was a main part of many of the Minutes To Midnight touring cycle setlists. It was one of few songs that Chester performs guitar on with Linkin Park. It saw its live debut on Projekt Revolution 2007, being featured mid-set in Set A and Set B, and nearer the end of the main set in Set C. The song saw very little consistent variation throughout it's live history, though there is an exception: at the band's show in Mansfield, Massachuesetts, Brad began his guitar solo two frets higher than it is played by accident, causing him to improvise a solo instead of performing the regular solo. Due to Chester breaking his wrist at the second night in Melbourne, Victoria, the song was dropped from the setlist at that show. At the following show, the song returned to the setlist but Mike's guitar tech, Kurt Schneck, played Chester's parts instead. Chester returned to his guitar duty three days later. In 2008, with the introduction of three new sets on the Minutes To Midnight European Tour, "Shadow Of The Day" was featured mid-set in Set R and Set S, and late in the main set in Set T. Three new sets were introduced again on the second European Tour of that year: the song was featured late in the main set in Set X and mid-set in Set Z. The song was completely omitted from Set Y, but was added late in the mid-set to this setlist on Projekt Revolution 2008. In 2009, "Shadow Of The Day" preceded "Hands Held High".
On the A Thousand Suns touring cycle, "Shadow Of The Day"was performed late in the main set. When the band introduced a second setlist on the A Thousand Suns Australian Tour, "Shadow Of The Day" was late in the main set in that setlist, too. In 2011, the song was featured late in the main set in Set A-1 and Set B-13, and was featured in the encore for the first time in Set C-6. The song was omitted from Set A, Set B, and Set D during the band's summer touring, but was still found in Set C and Set E.
The full version of "Shadow Of The Day" did not live on after that cycle, but the song still made its way into the setlists for the Living Things touring cycle. The song was featured in the "LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent" medley in a new piano version. The medley always followed "Breaking The Habit" until the second half of the touring cycle, where it then followed "Castle Of Glass".
Things did not change much for the medley on The Hunting Party touring cycle. The medley returned, but continued to follow "Castle Of Glass", except for the fact that the new version of the song (dubbed the "Experience Version") included a piano transition outro that led into the medley.
As the Ballad Medley was dropped on the One More Light cycle, the song was not performed for the main part of the tour. However, the band performed a completely restructured version of the song at the Hollywood Bowl tribute show with Yellowcard's Ryan Key, who was one of the first musicians to perform a live tribute to Chester. He performed an acoustic cover of "Shadow Of The Day" at one of his solo sets, which Mike explained was the reason they played the song with him. Barring Jon Green, who played for the entire show and on this song, this song was the first one to feature a guest that night. The band mashed up the ending of the song with U2's "With Or Without You." The song was also performed with a live orchestra. Mike performed bass, while Brad, Phoenix, and Jon Green performed the new guitar parts.
Variations
Last Updated: August 25, 2018
| Type | Description | First Played | Last Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge | w/ U2's "With Or Without You" | October 27, 2017 | October 27, 2017 |
| Alternative | Improvised Guitar Solo | August 24, 2007 | August 24, 2007 |
| Alternative | Ballad Medley (LOATR/SOTD/Iridescent) | May 18, 2012 | November 14, 2015 |
| Alternative | Hollywood Bowl Version | October 27, 2017 | October 27, 2017 |
Live Guests
Last Updated: August 25, 2018
- Jon Green (The Bonfires)
- Kurt Schneck (replacing Chester Bennington on guitar)
- Ryan Key (Yellowcard)
Promotion
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Rock Video | Won |
| 2008 | MTV Video Music Awards | Best Direction | Nominated |
| 2008 | Teen Choice Awards | Choice Rock Track | Nominated |
Personnel
- Chester Bennington
- Mike Shinoda
- Brad Delson
- Dave "Phoenix" Farrell
- Joseph Hahn
- Rob Bourdon
Orchestra
- Arrangements: David Campbell, Mike Shinoda, and Brad Delson
- Conducting: David Campbell
- Violin: Charlie Bisharat, Mario DeLeon, Armen Garabedian, Julian Hallmark, Gerry Hilera, Songa Lee-Kitto, Natalie Leggett, Josefina Vergara, and Sara Parkins
- Viola: Matt Funes and Andrew Picken
- Cello: Larry Corbett and Suzie Katayama
- Bass: Oscar Hidalgo
Track 1
- Produced by Rick Rubin and Mike Shinoda
- Mixed by Neal Avron
- Mastered by Dave Collins
- Worldwide Representation: Rob McDermott for Mad Mac Entertainment
- Management Team: Ryan DeMarti and Trish Evangelista
- From The Warner Bros. / Machine Shop Recordings Album Minutes To Midnight
- Cover Photographs: James Minchin III and Frank Maddocks
- Photo Manipulation: Frank Maddocks
- Art Direction & Design: Frank Maddocks
Track 2
- Recorded and Mixed by: Ken "Pooch" Van Druten
- Mastered by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner
Track 3
- Recorded by Ken "Pooch" Van Druten and Dylan Ely
- Mixed by Ethan Mates
- Mastered by Brian "Big Bass" Gardner
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
And the sun will set for you
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
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
Ah ah ah
And the sun will set for you
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
And the shadow of the day
Will embrace the world in grey
And the sun will set for you
Gallery
-
Parental Advisory label
-
Non-PA
-
![Alternate cover from Linkin Park's website[16]](/w/images/thumb/4/43/SOTD-alt.jpg/120px-SOTD-alt.jpg)
Alternate cover from Linkin Park's website[16]
-
Vinyl Side A
-
Vinyl Side B
-
DVD artwork
-
Now: The Hits Of Winter 2008
![Alternate cover from Linkin Park's website[16]](/wiki/File:SOTD-alt.jpg)
In Other Media
- An alternate version of "Shadow Of The Day" was released in 2012 as part of a DLC for the 2010 videogame Rock Band 3.
Cover Versions
American pop rock band Boyce Avenue recorded a piano acoustic version of "Shadow Of The Day" for their Acoustic Sessions, Vol. 1 EP which was released in 2008. The song was recorded live in studio and had a video uploaded to the band's YouTube channel.[17]
Thomas Godoj, winner of season 5 of the German singing competition television series Deutschland sucht den Superstar, covered "Shadow Of The Day" on the TV show on April 19, 2008. He later went on to perform the song live on his tour.
Ryan Key of Yellowcard performed an acoustic version of "Shadow Of The Day" as a tribute to Chester Bennington at the Emo Night Brooklyn in New York on July 20, 2017.[18][19] On Instagram, he said, "In 2007, Yellowcard got a call asking if we were interested in touring Japan with Linkin Park. Our minds were blown to say the least. We were given the honor of sharing the stage with one of the most influential bands of our generation. In 2014, I got an email asking if I would like to be a part of a special Vans Warped Tour appearance with them. It was like an out of body experience. I remember just before the set Chester Bennington could tell I was pretty nervous. He just threw his arm around me and said he knew I was going to kill it. Each of the few times I got to hang with him, he was such a positive and encouraging force. He always had a smile on his face. I know he struggled with a darkness inside of him, but I also know those smiles were real. He loved rock and roll. He loved his band. The space he has left behind in music will never be filled. Chester, I hope you can find some peace now, man. My thoughts are with your family. I'll be banging my head to your music for as long as my head will bang. Thank you for allowing me to step into your life, if even for a brief moment. I'll never forget it. RIP Chester"[20]
Other Uses
- This song was sampled by Rosa de Saron in the song "Folhas do Chão" on the album "Horizonte Vivo Distante" released in 2008.
External Links
References
- ↑ Linkin Park Fans: A Rare Opportunity to Own a Piece of | Reverb News, April 02, 2018
- ↑ Kerrang!, April 2007
- ↑ The Linkin Park Times - Interviews & Articles, April 4, 2007
- ↑ U2 - Shadow Of The Day | LP Association Forums, May 23, 2007
- ↑ Linkin Park's 'Catalyst' Video: The Key Scene | News | MTV, August 26, 2010
- ↑ Ultimate Guitar, October 2009
- ↑ The Making of Minutes to Midnight (Minutes to Midnight DVD) - Linkin Park - YouTube, May 15, 2021
- ↑ Video Static: Music Video News: September 2, 2007 - September 8, 2007, September 05, 2007
- ↑ Slam X Hype!!!, September 28, 2007
- ↑ Shadow of the Day Video Premiere | LP Association Forums, October 15, 2007
- ↑ Linkin Park Cancel China Tour, Las Vegas Show Due To Chester Bennington's Back Injury | News | MTV, October 08, 2008
- ↑ Kanye West, Gnarls Barkley, White Stripes Clips Pick Up VMAs In 2008 'Professional Categories' | News | MTV, September 04, 2008
- ↑ Daily VMA Update: Best Rock Video Nominees Revealed! | News | MTV, August 15, 2008
- ↑ Linkin Park - Shadow Of The Day (2007) | IMVDb
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Shadow of the Day: Director's Cut video | LP Association Forums, March 15, 2008
- ↑ Music - Linkin Park
- ↑ Linkin Park - Shadow of the Day (Boyce Avenue piano acoustic cover) on Apple & Spotify - YouTube, February 05, 2008
- ↑ Ryan Key no Twitter: "Tickets almost gone for @EmoNight_BK at @TheRebelPHX. Come find some light celebrating music with us on this dark day. #RIPChesterBennington" ., July 20, 2017
- ↑ Emo Night Brooklyn no Twitter: "Last night @williamryankey paid tribute to @ChesterBe at @EmoNight_BK in PHX w/ Shadow of the Day. RIP Chester, you were an incredible human https://t.co/t5uu9OLW8B" ., July 21, 2017
- ↑ Ryan Key (@williamryankey) on Instagram: “In 2007, Yellowcard got a call asking if we were interested in touring Japan with @linkinpark. Our…”, July 20, 2017
