Skip to content

Doriano Carta

Renaissance 2.0

  • Home
  • About
  • Writing
  • Art
  • Favorites
  • Library
  • Toggle search form

Shayla

Posted on December 3, 2008 By Doriano 8 Comments on Shayla

I’ve always been a fan of Blondie and love all of their well-known songs such as Heart of Glass, Dreaming, Atomic, and many more. However, there’s this one obscure song that really captivates me still to this day. It’s called Shayla and it’s about a woman who loses her job at a factory. The music is hauntingly wonderful and atmospheric. Deborah Harry’s vocals are magnificent and she looks radiant. The lyrics are spellbinding and artistically cryptic all at the same time. I might have interpreted it incorrectly but it seems to indicate that Shayla commits suicide which is a heartbreaking conclusion to the story of course. I always thought it would make a great movie too.

Listen to the song and read the lyrics and tell me what you think it all means. I could be way off base and I hope I am!
Still, either way, it’s a beautiful and memorable song in my book.

Lyric of the song “Shayla” of Blondie

Shayla worked in a factory
She wasn’t history. She’s just a number
One day she gets her final pay
And she goes far away
Green trees call to me
I am free but life is so cheap
Scenery is still outside of me
All alone, trapped by its beauty

Shayla turned to run away
To leave in peace and end her stay
Years of fear were in her way
Lost in space and down she came

Suddenly some subtle entity
Some cosmic energy brushed her like shadows
Down here we stop to wonder
Cars on the freeway. Bright lights and thunder

Music Tags:Blondie, Music, Shayla

Post navigation

Previous Post: When Technology Spoils Things like Football
Next Post: The Sixth Photo Meme

Related Posts

I Didn’t Know Music
All American Girl Music
Haven’t Met You Yet Music
Wonderful World Life
Why Not? Music
Tell Her This Music

Comments (8) on “Shayla”

  1. Miiko Mentz says:
    December 4, 2008 at 8:17 am

    That music is hauntingly wonderful and the lyrics melancholy. I don’t think you’re off base. The lyrics do seem to imply she commits suicide, which is always a tragedy (I personally have been impacted by suicide and it is always so sad and tragic).

    Sad, but beautiful song. I love Debby Harry.

    Thanks for sharing. It was a nice break to my very LONG work day.
    🙂

  2. Miiko Mentz says:
    December 4, 2008 at 4:17 am

    That music is hauntingly wonderful and the lyrics melancholy. I don’t think you’re off base. The lyrics do seem to imply she commits suicide, which is always a tragedy (I personally have been impacted by suicide and it is always so sad and tragic).

    Sad, but beautiful song. I love Debby Harry.

    Thanks for sharing. It was a nice break to my very LONG work day.
    🙂

  3. Chaz says:
    December 4, 2008 at 11:22 pm

    I love Shayla, @Merlene pointed me to your post thanks for sharing, I haven’t seen that video in years.

    Chaz

  4. Chaz says:
    December 4, 2008 at 7:22 pm

    I love Shayla, @Merlene pointed me to your post thanks for sharing, I haven’t seen that video in years.

    Chaz

  5. Catherine says:
    August 16, 2009 at 7:01 pm

    I loved Blondie but not really enamoured of this one. I think we skipped 'Eat to the Beat', not one of her (and their) best imo. Didn't really like Union City Blues I suppose either. I'm more of a One Way or Another kinda gal. :-)I suppose the lyrics for Shayla and the lyrics of Marianne Faithfulls 'Ballad of Lucy Jordan' lend themselves to a debate about whether they are about suicide or not. For me, the BofLJ is definately about suicide whereas my husband disagrees.

  6. Catherine says:
    August 16, 2009 at 2:01 pm

    I loved Blondie but not really enamoured of this one. I think we skipped 'Eat to the Beat', not one of her (and their) best imo. Didn't really like Union City Blues I suppose either. I'm more of a One Way or Another kinda gal. 🙂

    I suppose the lyrics for Shayla and the lyrics of Marianne Faithfulls 'Ballad of Lucy Jordan' lend themselves to a debate about whether they are about suicide or not. For me, the BofLJ is definately about suicide whereas my husband disagrees.

  7. Catherine says:
    August 16, 2009 at 11:01 pm

    I loved Blondie but not really enamoured of this one. I think we skipped 'Eat to the Beat', not one of her (and their) best imo. Didn't really like Union City Blues I suppose either. I'm more of a One Way or Another kinda gal. :-)I suppose the lyrics for Shayla and the lyrics of Marianne Faithfulls 'Ballad of Lucy Jordan' lend themselves to a debate about whether they are about suicide or not. For me, the BofLJ is definately about suicide whereas my husband disagrees.

  8. Catherine says:
    August 16, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    I loved Blondie but not really enamoured of this one. I think we skipped 'Eat to the Beat', not one of her (and their) best imo. Didn't really like Union City Blues I suppose either. I'm more of a One Way or Another kinda gal. 🙂

    I suppose the lyrics for Shayla and the lyrics of Marianne Faithfulls 'Ballad of Lucy Jordan' lend themselves to a debate about whether they are about suicide or not. For me, the BofLJ is definately about suicide whereas my husband disagrees.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Tick Tick Boom!
  • Italy Wins 2021 EuroCup!
  • It’s OK
  • Guess Who Belongs in the Rock Hall of Fame!
  • Upload

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Doriano Carta.

Powered by PressBook Masonry Dark