Goes out with her mate stella,
its gets poured all over her fella
cos she says he aint no better than
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk she stumbles down by the river
screams calling london, (london)
none of us heard her coming,
i guess the carpet wernt rolled out
poetry insert:
[Oh when my love, my darling,
You've left me here alone,
I'll walk the streets of London
Which once seemed all our own.
The vast suburban churches
Together we have found:
The ones which smelt of gaslight
The ones in incense drown'd]
Her lingo went from the cockney to the gringo
Any time she sing a song the other girls sing along
And tell all the fellas that the lady is single
Fickle way to tickle on my young man’s tickle
She’s up for doing what she like
Any day more like the night
She drowned drunk sorrows that she stole bought borrowed
She didn’t like fights but at the same time understood
Fellas will be fellas til the end of time
(heavens what a noise, cold blooded murder of the english tongue)
Blut! (Jeej explains it wisely in the comments)
Jack had a gang that he called the many grams,
he was known as smack jack the cracker man
in life he was dealt some shit hands
but the boys got the back now
And jay went the same way as mickey and dan
A pen to mans upon the arrow wans
And man lisa had a baby with sam,
and now jack on his own man,
Well done Jack glug down that cider
You’re right she’s a slut and you never fucking liked her
Not like what he stopped so shocked
Coz it turns out the last laugh dance killed the pied piper
Tough little big man friends with your daughters
Only coz they drive him to pick up on his quarters
brawler, lager lout rawlers
Fall to the floor think they’re free
but they aint near the border
Too young gunned now by your hell fire corner
Always did a favour, but never took an order
Behave young scallywag a fine young Galahad
Glad-ragged up but only ever getting fag hags
Hung on his shoulder, cheap price shop tags
Slag better understand he came for the glamour
But this sounds original superficial the issue
For one dear Jack there 35 dopplegangers
Sheila Goes out with her mate stella,
its gets poured all over her fella,
cos shes says he aint no better than
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk she stumbles down by the river
screams calling london,
none of us heard her coming,
i guess the carpet wernt rolled out
(its over, man its over) (get out, GET OUT)
So this a short story ’bout the girl Georgina
Never seen a worse clean young mess
Under stress at best ah but she pleased to see ya
With love God bless we lay her body to rest
Now it all dear started with Daddy’s alcoholic
A lightweight chinking down numbing his brain
And the doctor said he couldn’t get the heart dear started
Now beat up, drugged up she feeling the strain
She says ‘In a rut, what the fuck I sposed to do?’
Suck it out, start, stop, keep running through
True, but you try it aint easy to do
She been buckle belt beaten from the bat like a brat
Don’t know where she going but she know where she at
So Georgey, it’s time to chain react
But the truth is y’nah she’ll probably fall back
Tears streamed down her face she screamed away:
‘When I fall, no-one catch me
alone, lonely I’ll overdose slowly, get scared
I’ll scream and shout’
But you know it won’t matter she’ll be passing out
I said gibbitybiggityupah just another day
Another sad story this tragedy
paramedic announced death at 10.30
Rip it up, kick it, spit up the views
Sheila Goes out with her mate stella,
its gets poured all over her fella,
cos shes says man he aint no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk she stumbles down by the river
screams calling london,
none of us heard her coming,
i guess the carpet wernt rolled out
Sheila Goes out with her mate stella,
it gets poured all over her fella,
cos she says man he aint no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk she stumbles down by the river
screams calling london, (london)
none of us heard her coming,
i guess the carpet wernt rolled out
you can thank these guys here
- big up the vernacular specialist du jour, Kim
- additional contributions from Jaz, Simon, Jeej and Jordan
- PS.. The two verses after the first chorus are an excerpt from
The Cockney Amorist by John Betjeman
Additional Note as some people seem to be confused – we’re trying to grasp what Jamie T’s saying on the demo version of Sheila (and I stand by my opinion that it’s better than the single) – you can download the mp3 and compare and contrast, it’s still up here.
72 Comments
June 20, 2006 at 7:26 pm
paramedic anounced…(death at 10.30)
Only a small input… but hope it helps!
xxxxxx
June 20, 2006 at 9:20 pm
‘Course it helps! It helps all the people who wound up on this blog looking for Jamie T lyrics.
Sort of a desperate act on my part really
June 21, 2006 at 10:54 am
alone lonely, i love a (?) slowly
alone lonely, i’ll overdose slowly……??
June 21, 2006 at 3:29 pm
The voice near the beginning about London says…
Oh when my love, my darling,
You’ve left me here alone,
I’ll walk the streets of London
Which once seemed all our own.
The vast suburban churches
Together we have found:
The ones which smelt of gaslight
The ones in incense drown’d;
June 25, 2006 at 3:42 am
I think it’s ‘heavens, you boys’ not ‘heavens, what a noise’ but I’m not sure…
June 25, 2006 at 3:56 am
And…
She didn’t like fights or she didn’t like fags?
Blue-blooded murder or cold-blooded murder?
June 25, 2006 at 5:52 am
I think…
Heavens, what a noise.
She didn’t like fags.
Cold blooded murder.
June 25, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Rox, it’s definately heavens, what a noise on the demo version. Have you heard the single version? There’s a whole bloody verse missing!
June 25, 2006 at 9:13 pm
arm round his shoulder
after that I think it says cheap rags shop tags but I’m not particularly sure!
June 25, 2006 at 9:51 pm
ta Jordan, you might be on to something there. yep folks this is the demo version we’re analysing here.
also, since Jamie T’s major label now, there are gonna be restrictions to make his music radio-friendly, singles are always shorter than album versions to fit peoples’ short attention spans. damn shame in this case, but it probably pains the artist more than it does us.
June 26, 2006 at 3:18 am
Hopefully there’ll be an extended version somewhere though. I know there a couple of remixes as b-sides to the single so one may pop up there.
Saw Jamie T live last week and was blown away…so if anyones reading this and isn’t sure whether to see him or not – it’s only £7 so you’ve no excuses really! You won’t regret it!
June 26, 2006 at 9:02 pm
He is ace live…I think I have already put that somewhere but yes, do go see him old chaps!
June 29, 2006 at 8:29 pm
June 30, 2006 at 1:08 am
Small contrubution but you missed out the Blurgh! after the murder of the english tongue bit..
June 30, 2006 at 3:55 am
BLUT! Yardie speak (or sound) for a gunshot!
June 30, 2006 at 1:24 pm
i wonder if sheila’s mate stella is stella form the interpol song..
June 30, 2006 at 3:23 pm
I thought Sheila’s friend Stella was as in Stella Artois…
June 30, 2006 at 3:24 pm
Oh!! At the beginning it carries on before the poetry insert bit
drunk she stumbles down by the river
screams calling london,
none of us heard her coming,
i guess the carpet wernt rolled out
June 30, 2006 at 3:30 pm
arm round his shoulder cheap rag shop tags(?)
After that it says
You slags better understand he came for the glamour
But this sounds original, superficial’s the issue
But for one dear Jack there’s (?) doppelgangers
Sorry I know I keep leaving comments!
June 30, 2006 at 3:45 pm
that’s ok Jordan you’ve reached premiership contributor status anyway – I can edit it into one big comment for you if you like
June 30, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Sheila goes out with her mate Stella,
It gets poured all over her fella,
cos she says, man he ain’t no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk, she stumbles down by a river
screams calling London,
none of us heard her coming,
I guess the carpet weren’t rolled out
(Oh when my love, my darling,
You’ve left me here alone,
I’ll walk the streets of London
Which once seemed all our own.
The vast suburban churches
Together we have found:
The ones which smelt of gaslight
The ones in incense drown’d)
Her lingo went from the cockney to the gringo
any time she sing a song, the other girls sing along
and tell all the fellas that that lady is single
a fickle way to tickle on my young mans ting
She’s up for doing what she like any day more like the night
she ground drunk the soles that she stole/brought/borrowed
She didn’t like fights, but at the same time understood that
fellas will be fellas till the end of time
(heavens what a noise, cold blooded murder of the English tongue)
Jack had a gang that he called the many grams,
he was known as smack jack the cracker man
in life he was dealt some shit hands
but the boys got the back now
and jay went the same way as Mickey and Dan
a pen to mans upon the arrow wans
and man Lisa had a baby with Sam,
and now Jack’s on his own man,
well done Jack, glug down that cider,
your right she’s a slut and you never fucking liked her
not like what he stopped so shocked
cos it turns out the last dance killed the pied piper
tough little big man friends with your daughters
only cos they drive him to pick up all his quarters
brawler, larger lout rawness
alter the fourth from their three
but they isn’t near the border
two young guns are by your hell fire corner
always need a favour, they never took a order,
behave young scally wag, a fine young Galahad
glad ragged up but only ever getting fag hags,
arm on his shoulder, cheeked by some type
slag better understand he chained to the glamour
But this time it’s original, superficial the issue
but one me and jack, dirty 5 doppelgangers
Sheila Goes out with her mate Stella,
it gets poured all over her fella,
cos she says, man he isn’t no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk, she stumbles down by a river
screams calling London,
none of us heard her coming,
I guess the carpet weren’t rolled out
(its over man, its over) (get out, GET OUT)
So this a short story bout the girl Georgina
never seen a worse, clean young mess
under stress at best, but she pleased to see ya,
with love, god bless, we lay her body to rest,
now it all dear started with daddy’s alcoholic
light weights chinking down, numbing his brain,
and the doctor said he couldn’t the heart their started
now beat up, drugged up she feeling the strain
she says in a rap what the fuck I’m s’pose to do
fuck it I’ll start stop keep running through,
true but you try ain’t easy to do,
she been buckle belt beaten from the bat like a brat,
dunno where she goin but she know where she at,
so Georgy its like a chain react,
but the truth is you know she probably fought back,
tears stream down her face,
she screamed away,
when I fall, no one catch me
alone lonely, I’ll overdose slowly
get scared, I’ll scream and shout
but you know it wont matter she’ll be passing out
I say giggidibigidiup just another day
another sad story, that’s tragedy,
paramedic announced death at 10.30
rip it up kick it to spit up the views
Sheila Goes out with her mate Stella,
it gets poured all over her fella,
cos she says, man he ain’t no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk, she stumbles down by a river
screams calling London,
none of us heard her coming,
I guess the carpet weren’t rolled
Sheila Goes out with her mate Stella,
it gets poured all over her fella,
cos she says, man he ain’t no better
than the next man kicking up fuss
drunk, she stumbles down by a river
screams calling London, (London)
None of us heard her coming,
I guess the carpet weren’t rolled out
July 1, 2006 at 3:50 am
Diana, as Jordan said, Stella in this instance is most definitely the beer.
July 1, 2006 at 6:44 pm
yerrr stella gets poured all over her fella. drinks get poured.
or he could mean that she goes out with her mate stella AND stella gets poured all over her fella. or something ergh I dunno
yea let’s all just say it’s the drink.
July 1, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Like any pun on words (and this is a magistral example at that), this being poetry, there’s no definite answer. Everyone’s right! And that’s what any songwriter would tell you.
July 2, 2006 at 4:23 am
I cant be dealing with that. Definitive answers or I’ll smash my skull into the wall.
July 2, 2006 at 5:17 pm
If you ask me it’s clear that Stella is the beer, there is an argument, and it gets poured over her boyfriend. From here she goes off and does her thing.
Really stupid question this, but this is the first time I’ve heard the song (on XFM) and can someone clarify the artist and title for me?
At a guess it’s “Sheila” by “Eardrums shall fail” but I really havent a clue. Cant find band info anywhere!
All help appreciated.
July 2, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Stevie if you look at the categories of this post (underneath the title) there’s “Jamie T” there too. He’s your man. There’s also a post about him in general on this blog, Eardrums Shall Fail.
I’m sorry if it was confusing to name the post Sheila, I didn’t think of people who just heard this on the radio without knowing the artist. At least it’s on the radio, hot damn!
To sum up. Song: Sheila. Artist: Jamie T
July 2, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Just wondering if the spoken poetry was written by Jamie T aswell, if not who is the poet cos I really like it!!
July 2, 2006 at 10:32 pm
Hey Katya. Right at the end of the post, after the lyrics, your question has an answer and a link to the whole poem.
July 3, 2006 at 12:32 am
Linda you’re a star, bought the single earlier on.
Thanks very much.
July 5, 2006 at 1:16 am
Still not sure some of those lyrics are right…
def: Good heavens you boys, blue blooded murder of the English tongue
(Jay went the same way as Mickey and Dan)
by pinnin the muders (up)on the other ones
???
July 5, 2006 at 4:28 am
No way is it “Good heavens you boys, blue blooded murder of the English tongue”. Listen to it with headphones on, it is definitely…
Heaven’s what a noise, cold blooded murder of the English tongue.
July 5, 2006 at 3:31 pm
He has changed those lyrics, it now says blue blooded on the single version.
I love this song, I really hope it doesn’t get overplayed and annoying!
July 5, 2006 at 9:26 pm
Yeah sorry, didnt know there were 2 versions, heard them both now. Anyway, quality tune.
July 5, 2006 at 11:20 pm
[...] Bass Guitar If youve got the money So lonely was the ballad Livin with betty Sheila (lyrics) Calm down dearest Back in the game [...]
July 5, 2006 at 11:40 pm
jamie’s label is annoying me! his lyrics keep changing, there are about 4 different versions of Sheila.
July 7, 2006 at 7:19 pm
DB – nah it definitely ain’t “by pinnin the murders (up)on the other ones” because I’ve an acoustic version which you can pretty much hear all the lyrics. I’m not sure what it is but it def ain’t that or “a pen to mans upon the arrow wans” because that don’t really make no sense does it?
July 8, 2006 at 6:49 pm
Jamie T – bloody superb!
re the debate above – LOL
July 8, 2006 at 11:59 pm
i think it’s
but the truth is you know she probably fall back,
instead of…
but the truth is you know she probably fought back,
July 10, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Oh right, maybe it’s different on the radio edit? I’ve only heard that one lol…
July 12, 2006 at 6:22 pm
She drowned drunk sorrows that she stole bought borrowed
July 12, 2006 at 7:44 pm
I’ve been listening to various versions and this is what I came up with.. you may be able to use it to change some lines:
Her lingo went from the cockney to the gringo
Any time she sing a song the other girls sing along
And tell all the fellas that the lady is single
Fickle way to tickle on my young man’s tickle
She’s up for doing what she like
Any day more like the night
She drowned drunk sorrows that she stole bought borrowed
She didn’t like fights but at the same time understood
Fellas will be fellas til the end of time
Blut!
Jack had a gang that he called the many grams
He was known as smack Jack the cracker man
In life he was dealt some shit hands
But the boys got the back now
And Jay went the same way as Mickey and Dan
Depend the mans upon the other ones
And mad Lisa had a baby with Sam
And now Jack’s on his own man
Well done Jack glug down that cider
You’re right she’s a slut and you never fucking liked her
Not like what he stopped so shocked
Coz it turns out the last dance killed the pied piper
Tough little big man friends with your daughters
Only coz they drive him to pick up on his quarters
brawler, lager lout rawlers
Fall to the floor think they’re free
but they aint near the border
Too young gunned now by your hell fire corner
Always did a favour, but never took an order
Behave young scallywag a fine young Galahad
Glad-ragged up but only ever getting fag hags
Hung on his shoulder, cheap price shop tags
Slag better understand he came for the glamour
But this sounds original superficial the issue
For one dear Jack there 35 dopplegangers
So this a short story ’bout the girl Georgina
Never seen a worse clean young mess
Under stress at best ah but she pleased to see ya
With love God bless we lay her body to rest
Now it all dear started with Daddy’s alcoholic
A lightweight chinking down numbing his brain
And the doctor said he couldn’t get the heart dear started
Now beat up, drugged up she feeling the strain
She says ‘In a rut, what the fuck I sposed to do?’
Suck it out, start, stop, keep running through
True, but you try it aint easy to do
She been buckle belt beaten from the bat like a brat
Don’t know where she going but she know where she at
So Georgey, it’s time to chain react
But the truth is y’nah she’ll probably fall back
Tears streamed down her face she screamed away:
‘When I fall, no-one catch me
alone, lonely I’ll overdose slowly, get scared
I’ll scream and shout’
But you know it won’t matter she’ll be passing out
I said gibbitybiggityupah just another day
Another sad story this tragedy
paramedic announced death at 10.30
Rip it up, kick it, spit up the views
July 12, 2006 at 10:01 pm
Change that to
“too young gunned down by your hell fire corner”
I’m starting to get obsessed by this song!
July 13, 2006 at 4:20 am
Not 100%, but reckon “a pen to mans upon the arrow wans” could be yardie for “happens to people when they are on heroin”? And on the version I heard it sounds like “you boys” and “blue blooded murder”
July 14, 2006 at 11:01 am
hi howz ya ?
July 15, 2006 at 11:02 am
wat a song this is. e has got sum writing talent has jamie t if e writes his own songs ant e the lad
July 16, 2006 at 12:04 pm
Kim your contribution is priceless. I bow to you
July 16, 2006 at 2:29 pm
“Coz it turns out the last laugh/dance(?) killed the pied piper”
I’m pretty sure its ‘last dance’.
July 19, 2006 at 10:53 pm
is it her mate stella or home made stella? it seems to change.
July 21, 2006 at 7:12 pm
its definetly her mate stella on all da versions and jack had a gang he called da many grams shud be jack had a gang he called the milligrams coz it makes more sense coz of drugs but i gotta say this ladz a mint artist and he shud create more like this fat m8!!!!!!
a pen to mans upon the arrow wans. im sure this is slang for being on heroin and .good heavens u boys. sounds a lot better and clearer
July 21, 2006 at 9:51 pm
no, it’s the many grams – because Jamie’s a poet and poets use creative discourse and various figures of speech. a gang called the many grams calls on irony and malapropism stuff like that.
July 31, 2006 at 7:34 pm
K gayboys it ses ” blue blooded murder of the English tongue”
August 4, 2006 at 2:58 am
Oh man, I’m officially a vernacular specialist. Glad to be of help.
I thought I should say though, that at no point can I hear “GET OUT”
It just sounds like “London” again, to me.
August 4, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Can I just add, because loads of people are going on about it, the single version says “blue-blooded murder” because he couldn’t get clearance to use “cold-blooded murder” as it’s a line from My Fair Lady.
August 11, 2006 at 11:20 pm
does any body have the song cos i wanna listen to it
August 15, 2006 at 6:45 am
http://rapidshare.de/files/29439979/Jamie_T_-_Sheila.mp3.html
August 17, 2006 at 3:49 am
It’s “depend the mans upon the heroins”
August 20, 2006 at 11:25 pm
NANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAa jamie is fuckin ellish man
August 22, 2006 at 2:55 am
this song is a beast aint stopped listening to it am i rite or am i rite my fav it is bout Georgina
When I fall, no-one catch me
alone, lonely I’ll overdose slowly, get scared
I’ll scream and shout’
But you know it won’t matter she’ll be passing out
September 6, 2006 at 12:54 pm
good call josh, that verse is amazing. does anyone have a prospective release date for the album? it’s funny how many people his brand of music appeals to, with the rap/indie elements. ace.
September 15, 2006 at 12:17 am
It’s not ‘heart dear started’ it’s ‘heart gear started’ isn’t it?
September 27, 2006 at 10:37 pm
Lauren: He says, “dere,” (pronounced dare) in quite a few of his songs as a Cockney colloquialism for, “there”.
September 27, 2006 at 10:42 pm
If you would like a little help on what the lyrics mean, I think I pretty much nailed it back in July.
(http://www.mp3-easy.com/mp3blog/2006/07/jamie-t-sheila-single-review.html)
I must admit to being a little bit shocked when I first seen Jamie T. After hearing a couple of his tunes my minds eye painted a very different picture, but as soon as I seen the, “Sheila / Stella”, video it seemed that the voice couldn’t possibly have come from any other person, such is his presence.
Sheila goes out with her mate Stella proceeds to tell a rather heart wrenching woeful tale of three entirely separate, tragic stories, but all with an undercurrent of despair and hopelessness inextricably running through them.
Firstly, we have the songs namesake, Sheila. It quickly transpires that Sheila is something of a good time girl. (Maybes alcoholic, who are we to judge?) Who after getting hammered staggers down to the local river (which geographically I assume to be the Thames) and pitifully screams into the darkness.
Then we have Jack whom we can safely assume is a supplier of Class A’s. This is a sad tale in itself. Telling as it does of Jack –and his gangs- bleak existence living on the fringes of social acceptability and his self-destructive dysfunctional lifestyle.
And last but by no means least we have, “Georgie”, disturbingly an all too familiar product of the dark and seedy underbelly of Britain’s inner suburbia. After a tortuous home life at the hands of an abusive drink-fuelled father she then proceeds to follow in his drunken drug-induced footsteps until an overdose (a cry for help?) results tragically in her un-timely demise.
The result is a tale of modern inner city life (with a radio friendly chorus) as seen and chronicled so eloquently by Jamie-T. His modern take on the English language typifying the diverse, ever increasing influx of different cultures into the London melting pot, and what is poured back out is an up to date, colloquialism rich, hybrid street-speak, which is so rarely made readily available in such a raw and un-diluted form as this.
There is also a couple of verses of poetry provided by John Betjeman and titled “The Cockney Amorist”. Although it is easier to hear once you know it is there, it somehow adds to the overall urban feel.
And with the chorus being coupled with the hopeless screams of Sheila screaming, “London”. It leaves the listener hoping that this isn’t truly representative of a modern-day suburban Britain.
It’s staggering to think that this was reportedly only the second song he wrote. At only 20 years old and quoting influences such as Rancid and The Clash, he has already toured London’s Pub scene armed only with a bass guitar.
The pedigree is evident for all to see, already wise beyond his years I’m looking forward to see what the future holds for Jamie-T, and more importantly what plans Jamie-T holds for the future.
And for a couple of more recent posts,
http://www.mp3-easy.com/mp3blog/2006/09/jamie-t-online-media-watch-jamie-t.html
October 3, 2006 at 12:16 am
amazing song, great artist too. but forgive me for sounding stupid, but what exactly does ‘giggidibigidiup’ mean? unless its just gibberish! not being from london myself, it was a bit of a challenge understanding some of the colloquialisms, but n awesome song all the same. any albums out?
cheers.
October 3, 2006 at 12:27 am
i’d say it’s a variation of giddy up, booze-induced stammering, but i’m not from the UK nevermind london, so maybe someone else might care to enlighten.
Album news? Quite the issue.
December 11, 2006 at 3:27 pm
i think hes great i love him
February 13, 2007 at 12:26 am
sorry if you people have already sorted this out but i reckon the third line of the chorus is ’cause she say money ain’t no better’ with the word money saying about the ‘reassuringly expensive’ slogan of stella lager, and how money doesn’t buy happyness
me and a couple of mates made some acoustic version of this i like, ill try and get it recorded sometime and put it up somewhere
February 13, 2007 at 12:40 am
i also reckon on the fourth line of the second verse is ‘but the boys got his back now’ the same way your friends have got your back in a fight – Jack’s been through some bad stuff but he’s come out of it with hard friends
i was thinking about the song today and i reckon before the story about georgina it should have a verse something like
‘its over man, its over get out
you can stop with all the jump and shout
you know all it’ll do is make me pout
you can stop now you’re at the top of the mount’
but Jamie’s better than me so its maybe better as it is.
I reckon when he says giggidibigidiup its about how we hear storys and see people who’ve got harder lives than us but we block them out so all we can hear is ‘giggidibigidiup’ and jamie don’t reckon it should be like this, its a sad story, a tragedy, that things are
March 29, 2007 at 10:58 am
What is “chinking down”? I think it appears on one of the other songs on Panic Prevention.
April 20, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Have been listening to the song non-stop for the last couple of hours, pure poetry. Thanks to all the posters for helping me understand the lyrics. Where can I watch the video?
May 31, 2007 at 11:25 am
By the way, if you would like the full song then go to Jamie-t.com its all there under tracks, just put ‘SHEILA’ into the record machine and you’re away!!!!!! thebn all the apparent lyrical mistakes are infact correct ont the full song! wohoooo!!!!
September 22, 2009 at 2:01 am
hey guys
it sounds like
paramedic announced death at 7.30
..not 10.30??
really love the song though