Album: A New World Record (1976)
Play Video
  • Sitting here, waiting for,
    Someone calling at my door,
    Too bad,
    I'm getting out of love.

    What's the use of changing things,
    Wonder what tomorrow brings,
    Who knows,
    I'm getting out of love.

    CHORUS
    My Shangri-la has gone away,
    Faded like the Beatles on Hey Jude
    She seemed to drift out on the rain
    That came in somewhere softly from the blue

    Clouds roll by and hide the sun,
    Raindrops fall on everyone,
    So sad,
    I'm getting out of love.

    CHORUS -- repeat x2 Writer/s: JEFF LYNNE
    Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

  • Jim from Northern IrelandMy favourite ELO song. Brings back great memories as a 13 year old in 1976. I've been an ELO follower now for almost 50 years.
  • Lisa Stephens from CaliforniaI agree with everyone. I really love the whole thing, but the last 2 minutes is genius. Jeff Lynne is incredible.
  • Ken from Eugene, OregonI agree with Melissa 100%. The ending of Shangri-La is a stroke of musical genius! It has a feeling of overwhelming sadness, but a sense of hope when you hear the words "I will return to Shangri-La." ELO's finest moment!
  • Aidan from FloridaI love this song, the feeling of a desperate lover and the overall music of the song is amazing.
  • Sim from Cleveland RocksA musical masterpiece. Great guitar. Riffs by Jeff Lynn. A hauntingly delightful closing as well. This song pretty much covers all the bases. A true GEM.
  • Melissa from Windsor, CanadaI love this song so much! The last 2 minutes of this song are incredibly beautiful. The last 2 minutes are probably my favourite because of their sad and haunting beauty.
    As for the meaning of the song, to me it's about loss, and lament, but also hope despite everything. Perhaps at the end, there is also a hint not just of hope and the possibility for gaining what was lost, but also an inevitable struggle that might be necessary to regain what was lost.
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Benny Mardones

Benny MardonesSongwriter Interviews

His song "Into The Night" is one of the most-played of all time. For Benny, it took him to hell and back.

Bob Daisley

Bob DaisleySongwriter Interviews

Bob was the bass player and lyricist for the first two Ozzy Osbourne albums. Here's how he wrote songs like "Crazy Train" and "Mr. Crowley" with Ozzy and Randy Rhoads.

Peter Lord

Peter LordSongwriter Interviews

You may not recognize his name, but you will certainly recognize Peter Lord's songs. He wrote the bevy of hits from Paula Abdul's second album, Spellbound.

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The Kingdom

Gavin Rossdale On Lyric Inspirations and Bush's Album The KingdomSongwriter Interviews

The Bush frontman on where he finds inspiration for lyrics, if his "machine head" is a guitar tuner, and the stories behind songs from the album The Kingdom.

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song Titles

Spot The Real Red Hot Chili Peppers Song TitlesMusic Quiz

The Red Hot Chili Peppers have some rather unusual song titles - see if you can spot the real ones.

Hardy

HardySongwriter Interviews

The country hitmaker talks about his debut album, A Rock, and how a nursery rhyme inspired his hit single "One Beer."