While studying anthropology at Franklin and Marshall College, McNally began singing and playing guitar in clubs. After graduating and honing her skills on the streets of Paris as a busker, she secured a deal with Capitol Records in 1997. McNally was intent on making an acoustic record and entered the studio with studio professionals including Jim Keltner, Benmont Tench, and Greg Leisz. The resulting album Jukebox Sparrows was not released at the time.
In the interim, McNally opened for Stevie Nicks and Ryan Adams, and was part of the 1999 Girl's Room tour with Tara MacLean, Kendall Payne, and Amy Correia. She also modeled for Urban Decay cosmetics. In 2000, McNally issued the holdover EP Bolder Than Paradise. When Capitol finally issued Jukebox Sparrows in January 2002, it did so into a market that had already embraced such roots-flavored material as Ryan Adams and the O Brother, Where Art Thou soundtrack. McNally embarked on a press tour, and spent the summer of that year supporting John Mellencamp. In late 2002, she released the Ran on Pure Lightning EP, a collaboration with songwriter Neal Casal.
In 2005, McNally returned with the country, blues, and soul influences on the album Geronimo. The album's June release was accompanied by a summer's worth of live dates. Early 2006 saw the release of McNally's third album, North American Ghost Music. Tour dates with Son Volt also coincided its release.
McNally took off most of 2008 and 2009 after the birth of her first child. She has resumed performing and recording and toured with Dave Alvin & The Guilty Women. In 2009 she released the album Coldwater with her band Hot Sauce. McNally currently resides near Oxford, Mississippi.
In 2013, McNally released Small Town Talk, a tribute album to the songs of Bobby Charles. In an interview, McNally said that she was a longtime friend of Bobby Charles and Small Town Talk was inspired by Charles' first, self-titled album from 1973
Bury My Heart On The Jersey Shore
Shannon McNally Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cast my body to the sea
But bury my heart on the Jersey Shore
And every time you think of me
Know my mother was a beauty queen
My father tended bar
And they made me beneath Leo's rising star
With Elvis on the radio singing love me tender, love me true
[Chorus]
Bury my heart on the Jersey Shore
Bury my heart yeah
Bury my heart no matter where I run
Bury my heart yeah
As soon as I could walk I ran
Stayed about as still as sand
And when I stopped and turned around
Said man oh man how far I've come
Look at all these things I've done
Now you know I just want to go home
[Chorus]
Sha la la la la la
I never have stood still in the sun or the rain
Like that old littering pine tree
When time moves on
I move along but the images will always be
With each passing year the lines will grow deeper
My memories will grow sweeter
The laughter will grow fainter
And I'll remain the painter of a love song from 1973
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Shannon McNally's song "Bury My Heart on the Jersey Shore" have several layers that weave beautifully into a poignant story. The song starts with "When I die and lay me down, cast my body to the sea, but bury my heart on the Jersey Shore." This opening line sets the tone for the narrative, essentially detailing the singer's request for her final resting place. She wants her heart buried on the Jersey Shore, which she considers home, while her body is cast into the sea. This particular line is evocative and speaks to the sense of home we all have and the attachment one has to the place they call home. The song continues to unravel a story about the singer's life and the memories that she wants to be remembered.
The second verse picks up the story by detailing the singer's background, saying, "Know my mother was a beauty queen, my father tended bar, and they made me beneath Leo's rising star, with Elvis on the radio singing love me tender, love me true." This verse paints a picture of her early life and her family, setting the foundation for the later-referenced memories. The most striking aspect of this verse is the reference to Elvis—a motif throughout the song. This particular line speaks to how music has been a companion to her and reveals how the singer sees music as a metaphor for life.
The chorus repeats the line "Bury my heart on the Jersey Shore" repeatedly, emphasizing the importance of the singer's connection to the place she calls home. It's an invitation to remember and celebrate the richness of her life, with all its ups and downs. The song closes with the line "And I'll remain the painter of a love song from 1973," tying back to the earlier reference to Elvis on the radio.
Line by Line Meaning
When I die and lay me down
When I die, bury me in a way that I lay down forever.
Cast my body to the sea
Dispose of my body as per your choice in the sea.
But bury my heart on the Jersey Shore
Despite my body being disposed of in a different way, bury my heart in the Jersey Shore place, which is close to my heart.
And every time you think of me
In every case you remember me.
Know my mother was a beauty queen
Understand the fact that my mother was a person who participated and won in beauty contests.
My father tended bar
My father owned a bar as his profession.
And they made me beneath Leo's rising star
My birth happened during the time of Leo's rising star constellation.
With Elvis on the radio singing love me tender, love me true
During my birth, Elvis was singing a melodious song called 'Love me tender, love me true' on the radio.
[Chorus] Bury my heart on the Jersey Shore, Bury my heart yeah, Bury my heart no matter where I run, Bury my heart yeah
The chorus is the repetition of the 3rd and 4th lines of the song indicating that the singer wants his heart to be buried in the Jersey shore place irrespective of wherever he travels post-death.
As soon as I could walk I ran
Right from the time I started walking, I have been running around here and there.
Stayed about as still as sand
I was hardly stable or stationary like sand.
And when I stopped and turned around
When I stopped running and turned back to see what was going on around me.
Said man oh man how far I've come
I looked at myself and said, 'Wow, I have come so far in my life'.
Look at all these things I've done
I realized how much I have achieved in my life so far.
Now you know I just want to go home
After having accomplished so much, I just want to go back to my hometown.
[Chorus]
Repetition of the 3rd and 4th line of the song.
Sha la la la la la
Non-word sounds, having no meaning.
I never have stood still in the sun or the rain
I have never been one to stay stationary, whether it be under the sun or the rain.
Like that old littering pine tree
Unlike the old pine tree that stands still at one place no matter what happens around it.
When time moves on I move along
I don't stay back in one place, I move on with time.
But the images will always be
Despite moving on with time, the images or the memories of the past would always remain with me.
With each passing year the lines will grow deeper
As time passes, the memories would become clearer and stronger.
My memories will grow sweeter
The memories of mine would keep getting better and happier as time passes.
The laughter will grow fainter
Although memories get sweeter, it might not necessarily impact the laughter that took place in them. They might become weaker over time.
And I'll remain the painter of a love song from 1973
I'll always be the artist who wrote a love song in 1973.
[Chorus]
Repetition of the 3rd and 4th line of the song.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind