Shadow Of The Season

Screaming Trees' song 'Shadow Of The Season' delves into themes of despair, searching for meaning, and the struggle to find a reason to continue amidst life's hardships. The lyrics paint a picture of a person grappling with the end of an era or a significant moment in their life, symbolized by 'the hour is ending.' This sense of finality is compounded by the feeling of being trapped, as expressed in the line 'There is no way now, to get free.' The 'shadow of the season' metaphorically represents a period of darkness or difficulty, where the protagonist struggles to find motivation or purpose.

The song's imagery spans various landscapes, from the 'north woods' to the 'valley,' and from the 'lighthouse' to the 'ocean,' suggesting a journey through different emotional states and physical spaces. Despite these vast and varied settings, the protagonist feels a pervasive sense of pain and misery, as highlighted in the plea to the Lord for relief, only to be told that suffering is inevitable. The mention of 'sweet oblivion' hints at a desire for escape or numbness, a temporary reprieve from the relentless pain.

In the latter part of the song, there is a glimmer of hope as the protagonist hears a call to 'find a reason to carry on.' This call, possibly from a loved one or an inner voice, suggests that even in the darkest times, there is a potential for finding purpose and continuing the journey. The repetition of the phrase 'to find a reason to carry on' underscores the central theme of the song: the relentless search for meaning and the resilience to keep moving forward despite overwhelming odds.