"Only Shallow" is a song by the shoegazing band My Bloody Valentine. It is the opening track and second single from the band's second studio album, Loveless (1991), released on Creation Records. Written by Kevin Shields and Bilinda Butcher, "Only Shallow" features Shields' distinctive guitar sound—a technique known as "glide guitar"—characterized by heavy use of a tremolo bar while strumming.

"Only Shallow" was recorded during the recording sessions for Loveless, which took place over the course of three years in nineteen recording studios. Originally, producer Alan Moulder was hired for the sessions in 1989 and was the sole engineer frontman Kevin Shields trusted enough to perform tasks such as micing the amplifier. Shields has since stated that all of the engineers "with the exception of Alan Moulder and later Anjali Dutt—were all just the people who came with the studio [...] Everything we wanted to do was wrong, according to them." During the spring of 1990, Anjali Dutt was hired to replace Moulder and assisted in the recording of vocals and several guitar tracks. During this period, My Bloody Valentine recorded in various studios, often spending just one day at a studio before deciding that it was unsuitable. In May 1990, they began recording at Protocol in Holloway, London, which became their primary recording location. In July 1991, Creation agreed to relocate the production to Eastcoate studio and following the completion of the vocal tracks, "Only Shallow" was mixed by Kevin Shields and drummer Colm Ó Cíosóig with engineer Dick Meany at the Church in Crouch End during the autumn of 1991.

The vocal tracks for "Only Shallow" were recorded in Britannia Row and Protocol studios between May and June 1991. This was the first time vocalist Bilinda Butcher was involved in the recording of Loveless. Shields and Butcher hung curtains on the window between the studio control room and the vocal booth, and only communicated with the engineers when the duo would acknowledge a good take by opening the curtain and waving. According to engineer Guy Fixsen, "we weren't allowed to listen while either of them were doing a vocal. You'd have to watch the meters on the tape machine to see if anyone was singing. If it stopped, you knew you had to stop the tape and take it back to the top."

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