Oom Sha La La by Haley Heynderickx Lyrics Meaning – Unpicking the Layers of Existential Longing
Lyrics
I’ve barely been to college
And I’ve been out full
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And all that I have stuck to and all that I have clung to
I’ve felt like a dog
This world that I have trusted
Has been over and busted and rusted by an arbitrary sonogram
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
The milk is sour
With olives on my thumbs
And I’ve been out full
Of all that I have dreamed of
The brink of my existence essentially is a comedy
The gap in my teeth and all that I can cling to
The milk is sour
Sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
If you don’t go outside
Well nothing’s gonna happen
She’ll never write her number on a crumpled up napkin
She’ll never be your ego
She’ll never be a bandit
She’ll never get to eat you like your heart’s a pomegranate
I’m throwing out the milk
The olives got old
I’m tired of my mind getting heavy with mold
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden
I need to start a garden!
Gonna start a garden in my backyard
I’m gonna start a garden in my backyard
‘Cause making this song up is just as hard
‘Cause making this song up is just as hard
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Oom sha la la
Oom oom sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la la
Sha la
The soft strumming of a guitar is often the canvas upon which a soul paints its most naked truth. Haley Heynderickx’s ‘Oom Sha La La’ is a testament to this tradition, a hauntingly raw introspection wrapped in a seemingly whimsical tune. The Portland-based singer-songwriter taps into the universal vein of existential wonderings, all the while threading a needle of unique artistry that captures both the ear and the heart.
Navigating through the song’s quirky onomatopoeias and simplistic chorus, listeners find themselves on a journey through a landscape riddled with the sourness of dreams deferred and the yearning for something as simple and profound as starting a garden. This track is less about the garden itself and more about what the act of cultivating represents – growth, renewal, and the strength to confront life’s stale and moldy corners.
A Dive into the Dairy Metaphor: Sour Dreams and Curdled Realities
Starting off with a visceral image, ‘The milk is sour,’ Heynderickx isn’t just singing about a forgotten carton in the fridge. It’s the curdling of youthful hope, the moments when reality starts eating away at the edges of ambition. Verse by verse, she hints at the contemplation of life choices, just like the contemplation one might have upon discovering their milk has gone bad – unexpected, disappointing, but also commonplace.
In her endeavor to chase dreams, she faces the comedy of existence, where her gap teeth become symbolic of the imperfections one must embrace. Transitioning from this intimate contemplation, the ‘sha la las’ and ‘oom sha las’ serve as a playful interlude, juxtaposing life’s depth with the absurd simplicity of catchy phrases. It highlights music’s ability to transcend complexity with levity while maintaining meaning.
The Symbolism of Olives and Personal Clutter
The recurring motif of olives on thumbs paints a peculiar image, suggesting an attempt to hold onto something small and round, akin to trying to grasp at the elements of life that slip through our fingers. It’s a testament to our human desire to cling to anything familiar, even if it leaves us with an awkward, oily residue.
There’s a tangible frustration woven into the fabric of Heynderickx’s lyrics. The olives could be seen as those dreams and aspirations that once were savored but have now become burdens. It circles back to the idea of life’s clutter – the mental detritus that accumulates and the need to rid oneself of the rotten, the burdensome.
An Antidote to Stagnation: The Garden as a Symbol of Regeneration
Midway through the song, there’s a pivotal shout – ‘I need to start a garden!’ This refrain isn’t just a call for horticultural hobbies; it’s a metaphor for the internal work needed to refresh one’s spirit. It evokes an image of working with one’s hands, nurturing something from the soil up, a contrast to the mental stagnation highlighted earlier.
The choice to turn the sour milk and old olives into compost for new life suggests an alchemic transformation. The garden becomes a sanctum of potential and a commitment to beginning again. The repeated lines underscore the singer’s resolve, a rhythmic compulsion to cultivate a change, both literal and existential.
Unheard Pomegranates: Dissecting the Song’s Most Memorable Lines
Melding the mystical with the mundane, Heynderickx delivers a poignant account on missed connections: ‘She’ll never write her number on a crumpled up napkin.’ It’s the acknowledgment of missed opportunities that can only be seized by stepping outside one’s comfort zone. She continues with images of what the other will never be – ego, bandit or a devourer of one’s essence, a ‘pomegranate’.
This foray into what won’t happen is vividly sharp, piercing through the heart of the song’s melancholic truth. The emblematic pomegranate is both a symbol of life’s complexity and richness. The fruit is hard to eat, hard to get to, much like the core of one’s own identity or the fruition of one’s most cherished desires.
The Hidden Meaning: Crafting Art and the Authentic Self
By the end of ‘Oom Sha La La,’ when Heynderickx concedes that ‘making this song up is just as hard,’ listeners are treated to a raw insight into the creative process. It reflects the struggle of artistry and the vulnerability of the artist. The song itself becomes part of the metaphorical garden, a labor of love that from the bare earth of beginnings, pushes through to bring beauty and meaning.
It’s not just about the difficulty of songwriting, but the broader creative endeavor of staying true to oneself in expression. In stating that the song’s creation was a challenge, Heynderickx reminds us that authentic self-expression is never easy but always necessary. It’s a declaration of her unyielding spirit to create, much like a garden always striving towards the sun.
