☝️ Key Points
- The song 'Shilo' is about an imaginary childhood friend of the singer, who was always there for him when he felt misunderstood and alone.
- In a later verse of the song, the singer falls in love with a real girl, allows himself to trust her, and shares his dreams with her.
- The real relationship ends abruptly when the girl moves away, leading the singer back to his imaginary friend Shilo.
- The song is about childhood, loneliness, growing up, and the search for understanding and connection with others.
- The main theme of the song is nostalgia and the return to the innocence and comforting potential of childhood.
Interpretation
The lyrics of 'Shilo' by
Neil Diamond are about an imaginary childhood friend of the singer. The singer feels lonely and misunderstood because his parents have little time for him. That's why he turns to his only refuge, his imaginary friend Shilo, whom he creates in his mind. 'Shilo, when I was young / I used to call your name / When no one else would come / Shilo, you always came / And we’d play' shows how important Shilo was to him and that she was always there for him when no one else was.