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
Miracle Mile
Shannon McNally Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna sing it river flow
I've been thinking 'bout it in my thoughts alone
When I hear that voice it's like soup to the hungry
Wanna be the teacher, gonna be the kid
I'm gonna get inside
Find out where it's hid
'Cause, baby this is it babe
We're on the miracle mile
Trying to give it up and do it with a smile
'Cause, I'm not alone and I'm not giving in
Till I find out where this miracle begins
Some days I get so mad, still I get out of bed
Put my shoes on and push on ahead
L look for something good to say
Gone are the days that I'm surprised or bewildered
By what they're calling quality
Most of it sounds like bullshit to me
Someday is here and tomorrow never comes
'Cause, this is it baby
We're on the miracle mile
Trying to give it up and do it with a smile
'Cause, I'm not alone and I'm not giving in
Till I find out where this miracle begins
Throw your old skin to the curb
Go and get a match
It's time to light it up and let it burn, oh yeah now
Bet you got a woman to keep you warm
Don't mind me, I'm over here trying not to do anything wrong
My enthusiasm tends to come on too strong
Everybody's shakin' it for the camera
Yeah, you're beautiful but isn't there anything else to say uh
Like how does it feel now?
'Cause, this is it baby
We're on the miracle mile
Trying to give it up and do it with a smile
'Cause, I'm not alone and I'm not giving in
Till I find out where this miracle begins
Oh, we're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
We're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
We're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
In Shannon McNally's song "Miracle Mile," the singer speaks of her determination to discover something meaningful in life. She talks about how hearing certain voices can feel nourishing to the soul, as though the voice is soup to the hungry. She wants to learn and grow, and become both the student and the teacher, and to do this, she needs to dig deeper into herself and the world around her.
The song's optimistic message is clear: although there are difficult days, Shannon McNally chooses to be positive and look for the good in every situation. McNally mocks modern entertainment and media, calling it worthless bullshit that lacks substance. She encourages her listeners to cast away their old selves and start fresh. She tells them to throw their old skins to the curb, light a match, and "let it burn".
Despite her occasional frustration and zeal, McNally knows there's more to life than vanity and beauty. She demands that others dig deeper and look for meaning instead of simply performing for the camera. The singer's clearly on a mission to find her own sacred path, and she can't do it alone. She invites others along for the journey – we're all here, she says, on the "miracle mile" – searching for the miracle that will change us and the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna sing it like a song, sing it mountain high
I am going to sing my heart out and give it my all
Gonna sing it river flow
I am going to let the music guide and inspire me
I've been thinking 'bout it in my thoughts alone
I have been contemplating this on my own
When I hear that voice it's like soup to the hungry
Hearing that voice is a source of nourishment and comfort to me
Wanna be the teacher, gonna be the kid
I want to both learn and impart knowledge
I'm gonna get inside
Find out where it's hid
I am determined to understand it fully
'Cause, baby this is it babe
We're on the miracle mile
Trying to give it up and do it with a smile
This is our chance to make a change and we are staying optimistic
'Cause, I'm not alone and I'm not giving in
Till I find out where this miracle begins
I am not giving up until I discover the source of this miraculous feeling
Some days I get so mad, still I get out of bed
Put my shoes on and push on ahead
L look for something good to say
Even when I am upset, I try to stay positive and keep moving forward
Gone are the days that I'm surprised or bewildered
By what they're calling quality
Most of it sounds like bullshit to me
I am no longer impressed by what is considered 'quality' and see it as superficial
Someday is here and tomorrow never comes
I am taking action now because there is no guarantee of tomorrow
Throw your old skin to the curb
Go and get a match
It's time to light it up and let it burn, oh yeah now
Let go of your past and start fresh, it's time for change
Bet you got a woman to keep you warm
Don't mind me, I'm over here trying not to do anything wrong
My enthusiasm tends to come on too strong
You have someone to support you, I don't want to interfere, I can be too passionate
Everybody's shakin' it for the camera
Yeah, you're beautiful but isn't there anything else to say uh
Like how does it feel now?
People are too focused on their outward appearance, what about their true emotions?
'Cause, this is it baby
We're on the miracle mile
Trying to give it up and do it with a smile
We are on this path of transformation and are trying to maintain a positive attitude
Oh, we're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
We are in the midst of a miraculous journey
We're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
We're on the miracle
We're on the miracle mile
We are experiencing a powerful and transformative experience
Lyrics © THE ROYALTY NETWORK INC., Royalty Network
Written by: ANTHONY KRIZAN, JOHN GINTY, SHANNON MCNALLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind