We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Lady of the Shadows

by E.G. Phillips

supported by
Tim Leehane
Tim Leehane thumbnail
michellelunastar
michellelunastar thumbnail
/

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    Purchasable with gift card

      $1 USD  or more

     

about

Who is the “Lady of the Shadows?” — well her inspiration was Luna Taylor, another singer songwriter I know from the Bay Area music scene (she’s subsequently moved down to San Diego). Luna has this lovely habit of taking photos of shadows and has a whole album of such pictures on her Facebook page. She is, by the way, responsible for the photo I’m using for the album artwork.

To say the song is at all an accurate portrait of Luna of course would be overstating the case. For instance, to my knowledge, Luna has never waltzed with a scarecrow around a frosty autumn field under the moonlight. This was more of an invention necessitated by (near) rhyme and my own whimsical tendencies.

An erudite and well-read woman with a penchant for fanciful notions and her own odd way of speaking, our eponymous lady appreciates the beauty of the world that can be found in the most mundane of places. Our lady also knows that the idea of capturing such ephemeral things is purely illusory — even if they themselves may need reminding of that so that they settle enough for her get some rendering of their likeness. Light and darkness are, after all, wild or barely tame creatures.

There may be the danger that people will regard this character as some sort of incarnation of the dreaded “Manic Pixie Dream Girl” trope, but I would reject this premise as all too reductionist, myopic and cynical. We love and appreciate the Lady of the Shadows because she sees the artistry in the dark silhouettes of our workaday world, and for that we are grateful, for now we can see it too.

This represents my first collaboration with Ben Osheroff as producer. There is more to come.

E.G. Phillips

lyrics

Waltzing atop the
Broken stalks of a
Moonlit field
Glossed with frost
Partnered with a raggedy scarecrow

She canters, sun fishes ‘n
Crow hops about to
Phantom chords
Played by a cloud for
Our Lovely Lady of the Shadows

She’s read all about
Plato’s Cave
Lancelot with his
Armor aflame
And the “Snows of Kilimanjaro”

Still earthbound shapes are what
Fascinates
All those sketches that
Street lamps trace for
Our Lovely Lady of the Shadows

Lovely Lady of the Shadows
Taking Photos of the Sha - dows

“You won’t stay caught
‘cause you can’t be owned
All light’s green-broke but
Barely so
And the dark was born an outlaw”

So she assures the
Silhouettes that
Cross her path and
Loom in the lens of
Our Lovely Lady of the Shadows

Lovely Lady of the Shadows
Taking Photos of the Sha - dows

They’ll ride you hard and
Bed you wet
Just to earn your
Daily bread
Make you do it all again tomorrow

With greater precision and
Faster yet, but
Remember as they
Crack the whip
Our Lovely Lady of the Shadows

Lovely Lady of the Shadows
Taking Photos of the Sha - dows

credits

released November 9, 2019
Vocals, Acoustic Guitar: E.G. Phillips
Backing Vocals: Louise Nalbandian, Shawn Byron
Bass: Shawn Miller
Accordion, Wurlizter, Percussion: Ben Osheroff

Words and Music: E.G. Phillips
Produced by Ben Osheroff
Mastered by Matt Boudreau, Working Class Audio

Photo: Luna Taylor

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

E.G. Phillips image

E.G. Phillips San Francisco, California

E.G. Phillips is a San Francisco based songwriter who creates lyric driven songs with his own special blend of whimsy and cinematic imagery which he uses to give a wry take on dealing with the longings of the heart and the madness of existence.

contact / help

Contact E.G. Phillips

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

If you like E.G. Phillips, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Fabiana Palladino stops by to talk about her mesmeric debut LP.
listen now