L.A. Guns - The ballad of Jayne - Meaning of the song
Bass player Kelly Nickels and lead singer Phil Lewis wrote this song, although it's credited to the entire band because they split songwriting credits evenly. Lewis explained:
"When we wrote that song, Kelly was thinking about Jayne Mansfield and I was thinking about every unsuccessful actress that was becoming a waitress and fading into Hollywood."
This sensitive ballad is an outlier for the rock band L.A. Guns, but it's by far their most popular song. Released on their second album, Cocked & Loaded, it was issued as a single after "Rip And Tear," a song that was much more in form for the band but went nowhere. "The Ballad of Jayne" came at a time when hair metal bands were scoring with power ballads, and it followed that trend, getting a big boost from MTV. The video, shot on the grounds of a mansion of the kind Jayne Mansfield used to live in, did well on the network.
The ballad of Jayne - Lyrics
She was always something special
A diamond shining bright in the rain
Everybody dreams of angels
No one will ever know
How much I loved you so
Now it all seems funny
Kinda like a dream
Things ain't always what they seem
What a shame
What happened to Jayne
You were always on my mind
Childlike summer days in the sun
Slowly wishes turn to sadness
Time don't heal a broken gun
I wish I'd never let you go
Hear me now 'cause I want you to know
That it all seems funny
Kinda like a dream
Things ain't always what they seem
What a shame
What happened to Jayne
Now she's breakin' hearts in heaven
Shining bright in the sky
I still hear her voice in the wind
I still think of you in the night, oh yeah
Well, I guess she'll never know
How much I need her so
Now it all seems funny
Kinda like a dream
Things ain't always what they seem
What a shame
What a shame
What happened to Jayne
Now it all seems funny
Kinda like a dream
Things ain't always what they seem
What a shame
What happened to Jayne
What happened to Jayne
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