Heynderickx's music features a fingerstyle acoustic guitar technique inspired by Leo Kottke and John Fahey paired with introspective lyrics punctuated with "well-timed levity".
Oom Sha La La
Haley Heynderickx Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've barely been to college
And I've been out full
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And all that I have stuck to and all that I have clung to
I've felt like a dog
This world that I have trusted
Has been over and busted and rusted by an arbitrary sonogram
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And I've been out full
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
If you don't go outside
Well nothing's gonna happen
She'll never write her number on a crumpled up napkin
She'll never be your ego
She'll never be a bandit
She'll never get to eat you like your heart's a pomegranate
I'm throwing out the milk
The olives got old
I'm tired of my mind getting heavy with mold
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden!
Gonna start a garden in my backyard
I'm gonna start a garden in my backyard
'Cause making this song up is just as hard
'Cause making this song up is just as hard
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la
The song Oom Sha La La by Haley Heynderickx is a reflection on life and the challenges faced in it. The beginning of the song, "The milk is sour, I've barely been to college," sets a tone of disappointment and dissatisfaction. The singer expresses a feeling of being lost and not achieving what they had hoped for. The line "And all that I have stuck to and all that I have clung to, I've felt like a dog" portrays the singer's desperation and lack of agency. They feel like they have been chasing after something they cannot catch, similar to a dog chasing its tail.
The repetition of the phrase "Sha la la" adds a dreamy, almost otherworldly aspect to the song. The use of this phrase could signify a sense of escapism and a yearning for a better, less troubled reality. However, the final lines of the song, "Gonna start a garden in my backyard, 'Cause making this song up is just as hard," suggest that the solution to life's problems cannot be found in escapism. Rather, it can be found in something more concrete and slowly built, like a garden. The line, "If you don't go outside, Well nothing's gonna happen," reinforces this idea. The solution to the singer's problems lies in actively engaging with the world, not in retreating from it.
Line by Line Meaning
The milk is sour
Things aren't great right now
I've barely been to college
I don't have the life experience or knowledge to handle this well
And I've been out full
I've tried to live life to the fullest, but it's not working out
Of all that I have dreamed of
I had high hopes but they haven't panned out
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
My life seems like a joke
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The one thing I have going for me is that I can hold onto a physical attribute that is unique and defining
With olives on my thumbs
I'm stuck doing things that are frustrating and pointless
And all that I have stuck to and all that I have clung to
Even though my life isn't great, I'm still holding onto it because it's all I have
I've felt like a dog
I feel insignificant and unimportant
This world that I have trusted
I thought things would work out but they haven't
Has been over and busted and rusted by an arbitrary sonogram
The world seem broken and beyond repair
If you don't go outside
If you don't take risks and put yourself out there
Well nothing's gonna happen
You won't see any changes in your life
She'll never write her number on a crumpled up napkin
No one will take an interest in you
She'll never be your ego
You'll never feel good about yourself because of someone else
She'll never be a bandit
You won't find someone to be partners in crime and have fun with
She'll never get to eat you like your heart's a pomegranate
You won't feel a deep connection with someone
I'm throwing out the milk
I'm letting go of the bad things in my life
The olives got old
I'm tired of holding on to the things that don't matter
I'm tired of my mind getting heavy with mold
I'm ready for a mental refresh
I need to start a garden
I need to start fresh and create something new
Gonna start a garden in my backyard
I'm going to start something new in my own life
'Cause making this song up is just as hard
Life is hard, but creating art is also difficult
Sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Oom oom sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Sha la la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Sha la
A nonspecific indication of emotion
Contributed by Daniel J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@MrMarcos74658
The milk is sour
I've barely been to college
And I've been doubtful
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And all that I have stuck to and all that I have clung to
I've felt like a dog
This world that I have trusted
Has been over and busted and rusted by an arbitrary sonogram
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And I've been out full
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
If you don't go outside
Well nothing's gonna happen
She'll never write her number on a crumpled up napkin
She'll never be your ego
She'll never be a bandit
She'll never get to eat you like your heart's a pomegranate
I'm throwing out the milk
The olives got old
I'm tired of my mind getting heavy with mold
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden!
Gonna start a garden in my backyard
I'm gonna start a garden in my backyard
'Cause making this song up is just as hard
'Cause making this song up is just as hard
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la
@shelbymcfarland1757
Lawd forbid you read this Haley
I saw you wrote this one for a song contest
Dammit if there aren’t plenty of songs out there that lack the sheer volumes you are capable of producing
Fan from GA! By the way lol, some of us have decent taste 🥰 this song got me through a good bit, going back to school to complete my bachelors and so many other complexities
To throw myself into something
To go beyond what’s comfortable and build something for myself, to create something that can grow, to allow myself to not inhibit my intellect beyond what I might not deem to be perfect … and allow myself that growth
Much love!
@karlsebastiansollenhag8802
Rex
My home
is full of garden gnomes.
Lying along the floor
like viscid stones.
One for every mistake
I ever made.
And now
they are building an army
for a justified crusade.
I'm the trophy
of the safari,
said the rabid
gnome knight.
I'm going to suffocate
in my sleep
tonight.
@atklm1
I sail away in seas of doom
My shield is strong and I got no fear
I'm gonna face the enemy soon
The night is cold and the air is clear
The enemy could be anywhere (beware)
The serpent's eyes enlarge with fear
It's all about for those who dare
Thunder! Lighting! Fighting! Heavy Metal in the night!
Garden Gnomes! Are dying! By axes! Bleeding in the burning light!
Face to face with an army from hell
A sudden flash the battle is on
So swing the axe and cast the spell
Kill or be killed - dead and gone
The taste of Metal is the taste of blood
The enemies have got their reward
We buried them in seas of mud
They've felt the rage of my sword
@danielthompson1406
This song got me through grad school. I know that’s not such a big thing, but I lived in an underground apartment in northern Illinois and didn’t get a whole lot of sun. I’d sing it to myself while trying to find a parking spot on this massive campus before going in to study in this tepid, unwholesome environment. Today, a year after finishing, my wife and I planted our first vegetable garden in our backyard.
@thecasualfront7432
good lad
@aishwariyasweety2433
That's so beautiful :')
@johnsmith-ts9oc
Needed this.!!!! Ty for whatever you have done to get where you are.
@Phantastischphil
Haha! School’s for tools. Gardening is for scientists!
@juainott5281
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden!
I NEED TO START A GARDEN!!!!
God damn, I feel so empowered by yelling that.
@janee8973
:D yess!
@feathersoffancy8988
Same, it’s so fun!! I scream it everytime I hear it and I’m alone
@k-leb4671
That's my favourite part of the song. I feel like she really explored the expressive capabilities of her voice as opposed to every other part of the song.
@crateredcallisto2854
@@qcrew2938 nobody asked you