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
I Ain't Gonna Stand for It
Shannon McNally Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Somebody's been pickin' in my cherry tree
Don't wanna mistrust nobody by mistake
But somebody's been diggin' 'round in my cave
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
Now (now)
Don't wanna believe what somebody said
Somebody said somebody shoes was under my bed
Don't wanna cause nobody no bodily harm
But somebody's been rubbin' on my good luck charm
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
Now (now)
Woah, my my my my my my
Well and I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I ain't gonna stand for it
Now (now)
In Shannon McNally's song "I Ain't Gonna Stand for It," the lyrics seem to convey a message of defiance against someone who has been invading the singer's personal space and belongings. The use of metaphors, such as "pickin' in my cherry tree" and "diggin' 'round in my cave," suggest that the singer's privacy has been violated. The line "somebody's been rubbin' on my good luck charm" also implies that the intruder has trespassed on the singer's sentimental spaces. However, despite the frustration conveyed in the song, the singer also expresses a reluctance to misunderstand or harm anyone due to suspicions.
The chorus, repeated several times, emphasizes the singer's determination not to tolerate this intrusion. The use of repetition "I ain't gonna stand for it" also adds to the defiant tone of the song. The abrupt pauses in the chorus after "now" seem to serve as a wake-up call to the intruder, signaling that the singer has had enough and is prepared to take action.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't wanna believe what they're tellin' me
I don't want to believe the rumors that are being spread about me.
Somebody's been pickin' in my cherry tree
Someone has been invading my privacy and taking things that belong to me.
Don't wanna mistrust nobody by mistake
I don't want to wrongly accuse anyone of doing something they didn't do.
But somebody's been diggin' 'round in my cave
Someone has been going through my personal belongings without my permission.
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I refuse to tolerate this behavior any longer.
I ain't gonna stand for it
I won't put up with this.
Now (now)
Right now.
Don't wanna believe what somebody said
I don't want to believe the rumors that are being spread about me.
Somebody said somebody shoes was under my bed
Someone claimed to have found evidence of someone else being in my private space.
Don't wanna cause nobody no bodily harm
I don't want to physically harm anyone as a result of their actions.
But somebody's been rubbin' on my good luck charm
Someone has been touching something that is very personal and meaningful to me without my consent.
Woah, my my my my my my
Exclamation of frustration and annoyance.
Well and I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I will not tolerate this behavior any longer.
I ain't gonna stand for it
I will not put up with this.
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I refuse to tolerate this behavior any longer.
I ain't gonna stand for it
I will not put up with this behavior.
I ain't gonna stand for it, baby
I will not allow this behavior to continue.
I ain't gonna stand for it
I will not tolerate this behavior any longer.
Now (now)
Right now.
Writer(s): Wonder Stevie
Contributed by Brooklyn Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Kendall Braziel
Love your version! Awesome!
Sean Sweeney
Great tune!
M3NTAL MAGIC
SPECTACULAR REMAKE---good job. The background vocals actually enhance the song ten fold.
ricmarc
no it is not. stevie sang and played most of the instruments including the drums. NOTHING can come close to that.
ricmarc
seems to me if you cover a stevie wonder song you should play every single instrument he did. including the drums.
Dong Kong
So is she fkn rodnet mcdowel so he paid for the studio?
SP
🤣it's Rodney Crowell