Stewart's music career began in 1962 when he took up busking with a harmonica. In 1963, he joined The Dimensions as a harmonica player and vocalist. In 1964, Stewart joined Long John Baldry and the All Stars before moving to the Jeff Beck Group in 1967. Joining Faces in 1969, he also maintained a solo career releasing his debut album that year. Stewart's early albums were a fusion of rock, folk music, soul music, and R&B. His third album, 1971's Every Picture Tells a Story, was his breakthrough, topping the charts in the UK, US, Canada and Australia, as did its ballad "Maggie May". His 1972 follow-up album, Never a Dull Moment, also reached number one in the UK and Australia, while going top three in the US and Canada. Its single, "You Wear It Well", topped the chart in the UK and was a moderate hit elsewhere.
After Stewart had a handful more UK top ten hits, the Faces broke up in 1975. Stewart's next few hit singles were ballads with "Sailing", off the 1975 UK and Australian number-one album, Atlantic Crossing, becoming a hit in the UK and the Netherlands (number one), Germany (number four) and other countries, but barely charting in North America. A Night on the Town (1976), his fifth straight chart-topper in the UK, began a three-album run of going number one or top three in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia with each release. That album's "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" spent almost two months at number one in the US and Canada, and made the top five in other countries. Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977) contained the hit "You're in My Heart (The Final Acclaim)" as well as the rocker "Hot Legs". Blondes Have More Fun (1978) and its disco-tinged "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" both went to number one in Canada, Australia and the US, with "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" also hitting number one in the UK and the top ten in other countries. Stewart's albums regularly hit the upper rungs of the charts in the Netherlands throughout the 70s and in Sweden from 1975 onward.
After a disco and new wave period in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Stewart's music turned to a soft rock/middle-of-the-road style, with most of his albums reaching the top ten in the UK, Germany and Sweden, but faring less well in the US. The single "Rhythm of My Heart" was a top five hit in the UK, US and other countries, with its source album, 1991's Vagabond Heart, becoming, at number ten in the US and number two in the UK, his highest-charting album in a decade. In 1993, he collaborated with Bryan Adams and Sting on the power ballad "All for Love", which went to number one in many countries. In the early 2000s, he released a series of successful albums interpreting the Great American Songbook.
In 2008, Billboard magazine ranked him the 17th most successful artist on the "Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists". A Grammy and Brit Award recipient, he was voted at No. 33 in Q Magazine's list of the Top 100 Greatest Singers of all time. As a solo artist, Stewart was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2006, and he was inducted a second time into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012 as a member of Faces.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Stewart
Studio albums
An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down (1969)
Gasoline Alley (1970)
Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Never a Dull Moment (1972)
Smiler (1974)
Atlantic Crossing (1975)
A Night on the Town (1976)
Foot Loose & Fancy Free (1977)
Blondes Have More Fun (1978)
Foolish Behaviour (1980)
Tonight I'm Yours (1981)
Body Wishes (1983)
Camouflage (1984)
Every Beat of My Heart (1986)
Out of Order (1988)
Vagabond Heart (1991)
A Spanner in the Works (1995)
When We Were the New Boys (1998)
Human (2001)
It Had to Be You: The Great American Songbook (2002)
As Time Goes By: The Great American Songbook, Volume II (2003)
Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Volume III (2004)
Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Volume IV (2005)
Still the Same... Great Rock Classics of Our Time (2006)
Soulbook (2009)
Once in a Blue Moon: The Lost Album (2010)
Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook Volume V (2010)
Merry Christmas, Baby (2012)
Time (2013)
Another Country (2015)
Blood Red Roses (2018)
The Tears of Hercules (2021)
Shelly My Love
Rod Stewart Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I only long to be where you are
Shelly my love
Now and forevermore
Shelly my love
When I see you I catch fire
And soon I'm all aflame
I feel it start
All around I feel a passion
That thrills my very soul
I put it down
To that I love you so
Shelly my love
I only long to be where you are
Shelly my love
Now and forevermore
Shelly my love
Oh Shelly my love
All around I feel a passion
That thrills my very soul
I put it down
To that I love you so
Oh Shelly my love
If this time I'm into somethin'
That is not of this world
The love I've got
It's supernatural, girl
Shelly my love
I only long to be where you are
Shelly my love
Now and forevermore
Shelly my love
Shelly, my love
Shelly, my love
Shelly, my love
In "Shelly My Love," Rod Stewart yearns to be with his love interest, Shelly. The first stanza describes how much he desires her, comparing it to catching fire and feeling aflame. The second stanza emphasizes his deep passion for her, which he believes is supernatural. Through the chorus, he repeats his desire to be with Shelly now and forevermore, calling out to her by name.
The song's theme of longing and passion for a romantic interest is a common subject in music, and Stewart's use of similes and metaphors create an image of intense emotions. The repeated chorus and call to the subject by name give the song a personal feel, as if Stewart is directly confessing his love to Shelly. The line "If this time I'm into somethin'/That is not of this world" adds a mystical element, emphasizing how out of this world his love for Shelly is.
Overall, "Shelly My Love" is a classic love song that captures the intensity and longing of a romantic obsession.
Line by Line Meaning
Shelly my love
Rod Stewart is addressing his beloved Shelly with affection.
I only long to be where you are
Rod Stewart wants to be with Shelly always and forever.
Now and forevermore
The love Rod Stewart has for Shelly is eternal and everlasting.
When I see you I catch fire
Rod Stewart feels an intense attraction and passion towards Shelly whenever he sees her.
And soon I'm all aflame
His intense passion for Shelly quickly grows and becomes all-consuming.
I feel it start
Rod Stewart senses the beginning of his love for Shelly.
Whenever you call my name
Rod Stewart feels a deep emotional pull towards Shelly whenever she says his name.
All around I feel a passion
Rod Stewart experiences a general feeling of intense emotion and attraction towards Shelly.
That thrills my very soul
The passion Rod Stewart feels towards Shelly is so strong that it affects him deeply on a spiritual level.
I put it down
Rod Stewart attributes his overwhelming passion to the love he has for Shelly.
To that I love you so
Rod Stewart loves Shelly so much that it fuels the intensity of his passion towards her.
Oh Shelly my love
Rod Stewart reaffirms his love and affection towards Shelly.
If this time I'm into somethin'
Rod Stewart acknowledges that the love he has for Shelly feels otherworldly and beyond his control.
That is not of this world
The love Rod Stewart feels for Shelly is so powerful that it transcends normal human experience.
The love I've got
Rod Stewart has an intense and powerful love for Shelly.
It's supernatural, girl
The love Rod Stewart has for Shelly feels supernatural and beyond human explanation.
Shelly, my love
Rod Stewart addresses Shelly with affection and reiterates his love for her.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: NICK LOWE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Shelly Blair
This has to be one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard:) Thanks ROD
Shelly Rene
A song with my name in it & so romantic. Love Rod Stewart.💘
Ashishkumar Sikdar
Shelly Sikdar
Anne Johnston
What a song! Nick Lowe's simplicity is genius. He turns everything 'cool!'
Beautiful.
Rod's versions of songs are always always great.
Global Comercio e Serviços
amo essa cançao muita linda
Ingrid Gustafsson
I love this song! Love Rod's version! 🎵🎼💕💞Uddevalla🇸🇪
Shelly Zaman Khan
I’m Shelly! My Dad gave me this name after the famous British poet PB Shelly. Now whenever I heard this song I always feel so much loved! Thanks a lot Rod, for this lovely song. Love you!
Traveling Gemini
Love this song
Otto Greenleaf
I had to read Nick Lowe's biography "Cruel To Be Kind" to find this Rod Stewart version of Nick's song. Rod's pretty good at covering other people's songs. Ex. Twistin' The Night Away, Angel. Mama, You've Been On My Mind and this one's no exception. Cheers!
CrisBo Bo
I love you Rod Stewart ❤️🙏 Thank you 😘