Neil Diamond: Shiloh Meaning

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   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Nov 13th 2012 !⃝

   "Shiloh" tells the story of a shy, lonely little boy whose only friend was an imaginary playmate named Shiloh. When no one else wanted him around, Shiloh was always around to keep him company and make him happy.
   
   YEars went by, the boy grew up, and he gradually forgot about Shiloh. He met and fell deeply in love with a wonderful woman, one who inspired him. He hoped they'd be together forever, but she left him.
   
   Now that he's heartbroken, as alone and depressed as he was in his childhood, he remembers Shiloh and wishes he still had his old imaginary friend to comfort him.
2. anonymous

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   Nov 23rd 2020 !⃝

   Nonsense. This isn't a song about an "imaginary" friend, but about an entity from the unseen realm he's channeling as a "spirit guide." Read the message behind the words rather than covering them over with your own meaning..
3. anonymous

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   May 31st 2020 !⃝

   The name Shiloh is of Hebrew origin. It is a boys name and is translated “He Who It Is”. It means “HIS gift” a prophetic name for the Messiah. Often lonely children seek the company of their higher power because as Neil sings, “when no one else would come, Shiloh you always came.” Obviously Neil is a very Spiritual person who has a one on one relationship with his higher power. This is reflected in many of his songs. Shiloh can be very soothing to a lonely scared child and if you let HIM in HE never leaves you or forsakes you as the Bible promises, and I have found this to be true all my life. As long as there is breath in you, it's never to late to call on JESUS.
4. anonymous

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   Apr 14th 2020 !⃝

   I love this song it never fails to make me cry. I don't know but Shilo feels like a horse. The part where he sings about flying and Shilo made him feel like he could.
5. anonymous

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   Apr 6th 2020 !⃝

   Shilo means Messiah, I do not think he was trying to do this purposefully in writing this song however: Maybe he was saying that when he was young he would cry out to a divine being, a “Shilo,” for help. Then when he was older, he lost love and again cried out to his “imaginary” friend Shilo. I am not an atheist but often times when I cry out like he did at the end of his black and white live performance - I feel like I’m unheard. Shilo...Shilo...Shiloh.
6. anonymous

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   Jul 14th 2019 !⃝

   This song is an artist's bitter response to blogs that claim "We have the answer" when they do not. It was especially bitter because they even spelled the name wrong by adding an "h" to the name that he wrote. Sort of like the classic Woody Allen bit in his movie when he had an author behind people heading into a movie he had written and he claimed the people were wrong about what they claimed his movie meant.
7. anonymous

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   Oct 19th 2017 !⃝

   I think the friend he's talking about (Shiloh) was a girl and he eventually fell in love with her and she "had other plans" and he still longed for his childhood friend even after she left.
8. Meanings

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   Mar 13th 2017 !⃝

   I believe Shiloh was his imaginary playmate. Someone he beckoned when he needed a loyal, loving friend. This song has special meaning for me. My siblings and I had a very troubled childhood. My brother ended his journey by hanging himself at a place called Shiloh Ridge not far from where we lived. I believe he went to the "only friend he could find" (his maker) he is finally at peace. I just came from a drive in the country on a beautiful warm spring day, playing Shiloh on cd and bawling my eyes out. Something in Neil's words in that song and his soothing voice gets me every time.
9. anonymous

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   Nov 17th 2015 !⃝

   Shilo was his dog. The best friend a boy could have. Always there when you need him(her). God bless
10. anonymous

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    Sep 20th 2014 !⃝

    Shiloh was his puppy.

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