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
The Worst Part of a Broken Heart
Shannon McNally Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She tossed her bouquet down the court house steps
Little girl caught it, caught it as it fell
She looked up at her sister and said I don't hear the bells
Aren't they supposed to ring?
Aren't they supposed to sound?
Don't we have a party now
And we'll make it through
The first part of a broken heart
Yes we'll make it through
What's this notion of forever for
If not to save you from one more slamming door?
So she called her best friend just to bitch for a while
Some how she always turns her tears into smiles
She said honey don't cry
he don't deserve you anyway
If it was that easy for him
To just walk away
And you'll make it through
The first part of a broken heart
Yes you'll make it through
She lit a candle for her heart, a joint for her head
She poured herself a drink and she got back in bed
And she dreamed herself away, dreamed herself back
Dreamed herself in circles didn't have no heart attack
And when she woke up in the morning
She went right back to school
She didn't feel like some loser
She wasn't anybody's fool
And she made it through
Yes she made it through
In Shannon McNally's song The Worst Part of a Broken Heart, the lyrics speak about a woman who has just gotten married quickly after being proposed to. However, not everything is going according to plan as the singer tosses her bouquet down the courthouse steps, and instead of feeling elated, is left feeling numb. She doesn't hear the bells ringing or feel the excitement that is supposed to come with getting married. The singer then questions what this notion of forever is supposed to mean if it can't even save her from more pain.
The song then takes a turn as the singer calls her best friend for some support, who tells her not to cry as the man she married didn't deserve her anyway. The singer then decides to take some time for herself by lighting a candle for her heart, smoking a joint for her head, having a drink and dreaming herself away. In the morning, she wakes up feeling strong and ready to take on the world again, feeling like she's made it through the worst part of a broken heart.
The song is about the unpredictability of love and the emotions that come with it. The singer went through a whirlwind romance, got married quickly, only to realize that things weren't as perfect as she thought they would be. However, she still managed to find the strength to carry on, showing the power of resilience and self-love.
Line by Line Meaning
He proposed on a Wednesday they were married by Friday
They got engaged out of nowhere and married in a rush
She tossed her bouquet down the court house steps
She didn't care about the usual traditions
Little girl caught it, caught it as it fell
Someone young caught the bouquet that symbolized marriage and love
She looked up at her sister and said I don't hear the bells
She didn't feel love or any special connection at the moment of catching the bouquet
Aren't they supposed to ring?
Shouldn't there be some kind of sign or feeling of love?
Aren't they supposed to sound?
Shouldn't there be some kind of notification like wedding bells?
Don't we have a party now
Shouldn't there be some kind of celebration?
Hasn't something just been found?
Haven't they just found true love or something special?
And we'll make it through
We'll survive this difficult time
The first part of a broken heart
The beginning stages of grief after a heartbreak
What's this notion of forever for
What's the point of a commitment if it doesn't last?
If not to save you from one more slamming door?
If not to prevent another painful breakup
So she called her best friend just to bitch for a while
She vented her frustrations to her friend
Some how she always turns her tears into smiles
Her friend has a way of cheering her up in tough times
She said honey don't cry
She comforted her friend and told her not to cry
he don't deserve you anyway
He wasn't worth her tears or time
If it was that easy for him to just walk away
If he could leave so easily, it wasn't real love or worth fighting for
And you'll make it through
You'll survive your heartbreak, too
She lit a candle for her heart, a joint for her head
She found ways to cope with her heartbreak, through spirituality or drugs
She poured herself a drink and she got back in bed
She drowned her sorrows in alcohol and went to bed
And she dreamed herself away, dreamed herself back
She found comfort in her dreams to forget her heartbreak
Dreamed herself in circles didn't have no heart attack
She didn't let her emotions consume her or cause her physical harm
And when she woke up in the morning
She survived the night and challenges of heartbreak
She went right back to school
She resumed her normal life and responsibilities
She didn't feel like some loser
She didn't let her heartbreak define her worth as a person
She wasn't anybody's fool
She didn't let herself be taken advantage of or manipulated by anyone
Yes she made it through
She survived the challenges of heartbreak
Contributed by Eli S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.