1) UK-based electronica artist Khalid Rafique.<… Read Full Bio ↴Shells may refer to:
1) UK-based electronica artist Khalid Rafique.
2) A New York-based hip-hop artist formerly signed to J Records.
3) An Indie Garage Rock influenced, Folk and Country inspired power trio from Austin, TX.
4) Shelley Salant project http://ginkgorecords.bandcamp.com/album/shells-in-a-cloud
Jailbird
Shells Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm losing all control, I'm giving into desire
Climbing over restless limbs
All tied up in knots from loving him
I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self
Maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell
But all I know is I won't grow
Being captive to your control
I'm going crazy, been going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, jailbird
Ooh, thanks to my boy, I leave you now
Bye love
If we met again, I'd hold you dear
But bye for now, my love
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Oh, jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
The song Jailbird by Shells is about a woman who is trapped in a toxic relationship, unable to leave due to her strong feelings of love and desire but eventually reaches a breaking point where she decides to break free from her captivity. The lyrics "Someone call the guards, I think I might start a fire" depict her feelings of being out of control and desperately needing help to get out of the situation she has found herself in. The lines "Climbing over restless limbs, all tied up in knots from loving him" further emphasize her struggle and emotional entanglement.
The chorus lyrics "I'm going crazy, been going crazy, being a jailbird" shows her internal turmoil and dissatisfaction with her current situation. The lines "I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door, tearing down the holes to see the light once more" demonstrate her determination to escape her captivity and seek a better life for herself. The lyrics "I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self, maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell" show her willingness to let go of her past and move on, even if it means being alone.
In the final verse, she bids goodbye to her lover and accepts that they may meet again in the future, but for now, she needs to move on and leave their toxic relationship behind. The overall theme of the song is one of liberation, with a message that it's better to break free from a toxic relationship than to remain trapped and unhappy.
Line by Line Meaning
Someone call the guards, I think I might start a fire
I'm feeling overwhelmed with desire for someone and am considering breaking free from my current situation, even if it means causing chaos.
I'm losing all control, I'm giving into desire
My passions are taking over my sense of rationality, and I'm allowing myself to indulge in them.
Climbing over restless limbs
I'm working hard to overcome the obstacles in my way to be with the person I desire.
All tied up in knots from loving him
My emotions for this person are causing me great internal turmoil and confusion.
I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy
Being a jailbird
I feel trapped and confined in my current situation and it's causing me to feel unstable.
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I'm choosing to break free from my current situation, even if I have to destroy or leave behind everything behind, to finally live life on my own terms.
I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self
Maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell
But all I know is I won't grow
Being captive to your control
While leaving my former self behind may leave me feeling vulnerable, I know that staying under someone else's control would stunt my personal growth, and I need to break free to become my true self.
Ooh, thanks to my boy, I leave you now
Bye love
If we met again, I'd hold you dear
But bye for now, my love
I'm leaving the person I've been with, even though it's hard, because I need to live life on my own terms. I'll always remember them fondly, but it's time for me to move on.
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Oh, jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I'm once again reaffirming my decision to leave behind my past and break free from my previous confines, ready to live a life of freedom and self-determination.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: James Earp, Sarah Lillie Sheldrake
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@scenaria5237
SHELLS - Jailbird
Someone call the guards, I think I might start a fire
I'm losing all control, I'm giving into desire
Climbing over restless limbs
All tied up in knots from loving him
I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self
Maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell
But all I know is I won't grow
Being captive to your control
I'm going crazy, been going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, jailbird
Ooh, thanks to my boy, I leave you now
Bye love
If we met again, I'd hold you dear
But bye, for now, my love
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Oh, jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
@tallisausten342
Someone call the guards, I think I might start a fire
I'm losing all control, I'm giving into desire
Climbing over restless limbs
All tied up in knots from loving him
I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self
Maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell
But all I know is I won't grow
Being captive to your control
I'm going crazy, been going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, jailbird
Ooh, thanks to my boy, I leave you now
Bye love
If we met again, I'd hold you dear
But bye for now, my love
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Oh, jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
@kristihanzel637
this song deserves more credit i love it i knew about it because of free rein but its amazing idk why people don't know about it
@cherylrego4410
Family Hanzel THANK YOU!!! How is it not bigger?!
@aglidafusha7411
Right
@aglidafusha7411
I love this song
@bonnieowens3517
Same I knew about it cause of free rein too I love that show💖💖
@chey1782
I love this song it's so catchy the beats amazing and I learned of it from free rien to
@cherylrego4410
It’s such a calm relaxing song, but has a lot of meaning. Sometimes you don’t to be loud to be heard...
@cherylrego4410
We’re on lockdown now and this song is literally how I feel every second of the day! I feel like I’m in prison I can’t have any freedom anymore and the world is under a huge crisis. My family are all losing their jobs and apparently there’s going to be a recession. Stay strong everyone, soon we will all be free birds! Xx 😊
@scenaria5237
SHELLS - Jailbird
Someone call the guards, I think I might start a fire
I'm losing all control, I'm giving into desire
Climbing over restless limbs
All tied up in knots from loving him
I'm going crazy, I'm going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
I don't feel any bit of bad on my old dark self
Maybe I'll be cold without my protective shell
But all I know is I won't grow
Being captive to your control
I'm going crazy, been going crazy
Being a jailbird
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, jailbird
Ooh, thanks to my boy, I leave you now
Bye love
If we met again, I'd hold you dear
But bye, for now, my love
I'm burning down the walls to light up the front door
Tearing down the holes to see the light once more
Oh, jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
Jailbird, not gonna be a jailbird anymore
@therealsi-b1141
Not many people's voices have the ability to really carry you somewhere & there aren't that many female singers that really do it for me - but my gosh what a lovely lovely amazing sounding voice - she's really got something.