Sheila

Album: Sheila (1962)
Charted: 3 1
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Songfacts®:

  • Tommy Roe wrote this innocent song about young love when he was 14 years old, and first recorded it in 1960 with his group The Satins. The song was influenced by Buddy Holly's hit "Peggy Sue."
  • This was originally recorded in 1960 for a small label called Judd Records, which was run by Jud Phillips, the brother of Sam Phillips of Sun Records. When Roe accepted a deal with ABC-Paramount, the song was rerecorded with a different arrangement, and released as the B-side to "Save Your Kisses." When DJs flipped the record and started playing "Sheila" instead, the song took off, giving Roe the first of his 11 Top 40 American hits. He scored another #1 in 1969 with "Dizzy."
  • The hit version of this song was recorded at RCA Studios in Nashville with producer Felton Jarvis. On guitar was Jerry Reed, who later became a Country star as a solo act. The other musicians were Buddy Harman (drums), Wayne Moss (guitar), and Bob Moore (bass). The backup singers were The Jordanaires, who sang behind Elvis Presley on many of his hits.

Comments: 10

  • David Roadman from Hyannis, MassachusettsWhy isn't Tommy Roe in the Rock n Roll Hall of SHAME!
  • Carolyn from GaI heard that tommy Rowe billy joe royal and frank Cabral did this song in Sylvia high school as teenagers first also Ronnie milsap any comments back
  • Sheila from MarylandI lived near Reading in 1962 and was at a party with Marianne Faithful there. We both went to St Josephs' Convent in Reading. There were some musicians and singers and agents from America there. One person I met was a singer and song writer, and he took me for a ride in his car. He said that he would write a song about me. I laughed and thought he was joking. My father was very strict I and I was not allowed to see him again. I had a pony tail and blue eyes!! May be a coincidence. I wonder if this song is a coincidence. My name is Sheila !!! I often joke about a producer at that same party saying he could make me a famous singer as well, and I told him I can't keep a tune and he said that didn't matter!! Also my father would never allow it! I have since lived in America for many years!
  • Sheila from Wa StateI was named after this song, 20 years after it came out.
  • Marcia from Modesto, CaI was 14 and going wild with my friend Donna who had a song that included her name..then came Sheila. I was so jealous. Now over 5 decades later I entertain my man of 25 years with the do woo lyrics to these 50s and 60s hits. He's w0 years younger than I am, and we both love 80s and mostly metal stuff. But I feel so young just hearing those old 60s hits remembering young love when if you wanted to know "Everything" you had to find a college library or a medical book. I always checked out the neighbors' books when I babysat too. Those songs made me feel all funny inside too Tommy..it drove me insane! Thanks for the memories.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyAnd from the 'For What It's Worth' department; the record that replaced "Sheila" at #1 was a record that also contained a one-word girl's name that began with the letter 'S', "Sherry" by the Four Seasons...
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn August 13th 1962, Tommy Roe performed "Sheila" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time of this appearance on 'Bandstand' the song was at #12 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; two weeks later on August 26th it peaked at #1 {for two weeks}...
    {See next post below}.
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn July 22nd 1962, "Sheila" by Tommy Roe entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #73; and on August 26th, 1962 it peaked at #1 (for 2 weeks) and spent 14 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 6 of those 14 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
    And on September 22nd, 1962 it also reached #1 (for 3 weeks) in Australia...
    Between 1962 and 1973 he had twenty-two Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with two reaching #1, his other #1 record was "Dizzy" for 4 weeks in 1969...
    Mr. Roe celebrated his 72nd birthday two months ago on May 9th, 2014.
  • Andy from Halesowen, West Midlands, United KingdomMusic from a different age, an age of innocence, or at least innocence on the surface. Still love all this old rock and roll stuff. (First time I heard it I thought he was singing "her nagging drives me insane" but realised that did not fit with the rest of the song!)
  • J from Toronto, CanadaThe original Judd release did NOT have the "Peggy Sue" intro. That was only on the ABC-Paramount version and certainly made the tune more popular.
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