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
In The Name of Us Honey
Shannon McNally Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's good to meet you
Though I am sure
That we've met before
I can't place your name
And your face is unfamiliar
But somethin' in your handshake or smile is similar
So don't tell my you're sorry
Don't tell me you tried
Don't confess to me your sins
Or reveal to me your lies
You never could hide nothin'
Though often you tried
I saw you comin'
When I saw you smile
And I already forgive you
For the crimes you will commit
In the name of love, in the name of money
In the name of song
In the name of you honey
And the big bad wolf
Is in the back seat
When you look at him
He's surprisingly slim and neat
He'll tell you, how he ate grandma
Why, he wears her hat
How the exit works
And where it's at
So if you're gonna go
You better go now
'Cause if you're still here
When I turn around
I'm gonna take you
Take you down to my senses
Where I promise
To render you defenseless
So please forgive me
For the crimes I will commit
In the name of love, in the name of money
In the name of song
In the name of thee, honey
Excuse me for thinkin'
Wide and freely
Though I tell you all
Still, you're left wonderin'
About the thought, the mystery
Behind the eye but what should I say?
What should I do? You're not lookin' for me
And I'm not lookin' for you
We must forgive us
Crimes we will commit
In the name of love, in the name of money
In the name of song
In the name of us, honey
The lyrics in Shannon McNally's song "In The Name of Us Honey" are reminiscent of a conversation between two people who know each other but can't place how or where they met. The song is a reflection of the universal human experience of forgiveness, where past actions are overlooked and the present and future are the focus. McNally sings of forgiving the crimes that her companion has committed and will commit in the name of love, money, and song. She recognizes that these actions are inevitable and forgives them in advance, rendering her companion "innocent" in her eyes.
In the second verse, McNally introduces the "big bad wolf" in the back seat, who speaks of eating grandma and wearing her hat. This metaphorical language illustrates how individuals can be deceitful and hide their true intentions, much like the wolf in the story of Little Red Riding Hood. McNally then reveals that she, too, will commit crimes in the name of love, money, and song, acknowledging that the forgiveness of oneself is just as important as forgiving others. The song concludes with a call for mutual forgiveness, where both companions must acknowledge their inevitable wrongdoings and forgive each other for the sake of their relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, hi, hello
A greeting to a new acquaintance
It's good to meet you
Expressing pleasure in meeting someone new
Though I am sure
Despite being confident
That we've met before
That they've encountered each other in some way previously
I can't place your name
Not able to recall the name of the person
And your face is unfamiliar
Unacquainted with the person's face
But somethin' in your handshake or smile is similar
Detecting a resemblance in some aspects of the person's personality
To that of my true companion
Compared to someone they know very well
So don't tell my you're sorry
Not wanting an apology
Don't tell me you tried
Not interested in excuses or attempts
Don't confess to me your sins
Not interested in hearing about their misdeeds
Or reveal to me your lies
Not interested in hearing about their falsehoods
You never could hide nothin'
Knowing the person very well and that they can't keep a secret
Though often you tried
Despite making efforts to conceal things
I saw you comin'
Anticipating the person's arrival
When I saw you smile
Knowing the person's intentions through their expression
And I already forgive you
Having compassion for the person's future mistakes
For the crimes you will commit
Referring to future wrongdoings
In the name of love, in the name of money
As a result of pursuing love or money
In the name of song
As a result of creating music
In the name of you honey
For your sake, or under the pretext of being kind
And the big bad wolf
Referring to a devious character
Is in the back seat
In the vehicle's rear seat
When you look at him
Observing his appearance
He's surprisingly slim and neat
Appearing more composed and clean than expected
He'll tell you, how he ate grandma
Describing horrific acts without remorse
Why, he wears her hat
Taking pride in his misdeeds
How the exit works
Having knowledge of how to escape difficult situations
And where it's at
Knowing exactly where to go for a quick getaway
So if you're gonna go
If you're planning to leave
You better go now
Advising to leave quickly
'Cause if you're still here
Because if you stay
When I turn around
When the artist looks back
I'm gonna take you
The artist will take action against the person
Take you down to my senses
Confronting them emotionally and physically
Where I promise
Assuring that it will happen
To render you defenseless
Disarming the person
So please forgive me
Asking for forgiveness from the person
For the crimes I will commit
Future wrongdoings
In the name of thee honey
For the person's sake
Excuse me for thinkin'
Asking for pardon for free-thinking
Wide and freely
Without being limited or restrained
Though I tell you all
Despite being open with them
Still, you're left wonderin'
Creating curiosity or uncertainty in the person
About the thought, the mystery
Questioning the artist's motives or ideas
Behind the eye but what should I say?
Hesitant or unsure of what to say
What should I do? You're not lookin' for me
Being uncertain of what to do as the person is disinterested
And I'm not lookin' for you
Feeling indifferent towards the person
We must forgive us
Emphasizing the need for self-forgiveness
Crimes we will commit
Referring to future mistakes or wrongdoings
In the name of love, in the name of money
Resulting from the pursuit of love or money
In the name of song
In the process of creating music
In the name of us, honey
For the sake of the artist and the person
Contributed by Owen T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.