L.A. Guns - The Ballad Of Jayne

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