Gene Vincent – She She Little Sheila

A true rock and roll pioneer. I don’t have to be coaxed to listen to Gene Vincent but I watched the 1969 bio of him doing a UK tour in 1969 (at the bottom of the post). He radiated star but you could tell he was in pain probably from all directions. I always liked him because of his attitude while singing but I noticed…very late…but I saw what a great unusual voice he had. He could go from ballad to rocker in a split second.

Vincent was injured in a car accident on April 16, 1960…with Eddie Cochran in a taxi which killed Cochran. Vincent whose leg was weak due to a wound incurred in a motorcycle accident in Virginia during the Korean War. He walked with a noticeable limp for the rest of his life. In 1962 he was in Hamburg and played on the same bill as the Beatles.

The 50s revival had started in the UK and Vincent did around 24 shows altogether on that tour. The bio is a fascinating look into the UK in 1969. The music is there of course but it gives a lesson on how touring is not always glamorous and 5-star hotels.

Vincent’s energetic performance and dynamic vocals make this song a standout track. It was written by Whitey Pullen and Jerry Merritt. The song was released in 1960 and it peaked at #22 in the UK charts. By this time the UK is where all of the 50’s rock stars went because America was too busy listening to Paul Anka, Fabion,  and Pat Boone. It was a sad state of music at that time for rock and roll. The parents probably loved the no soul no trouble singers. Then thankfully…the British invasion and Motown were coming up.

The Beatles, Stones, Who, and other bands made America wake up to the blues and rock artists they had been ignoring.

Gene Vincent would die only two years after this tour in 1971 after recording an album called The Day the World Turned Blue at 36 years old. He was the first inductee into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame upon its formation in 1997. The following year he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He would die of a ruptured ulcer, internal hemorrhage and heart failure.

She She Little Sheila

Well, she, she, she little Sheila
Best lookin’ gal in town
Well now, she, she, she little Sheila
With your hair so long and brown
Well, you never-never know what my Sheila’s puttin’ down

Well now, Dick Clark said you’re the best lookin’ girl
On his big bandstand
I know it too and I love you true
And honey, I’m your man
Well, you never-never know what my Sheila’s puttin’ down

Yeah, she, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
Well, you never-never know what my Sheila’s gonna put down

Well, she, she, she little Sheila
Best lookin’ gal around
Well, she, she, she little Sheila
With your hair so long and brown
Well, you never-never know what my Sheila’s puttin’ down (aw)

Yeah, she, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
She, she, she little Sheila
Well, you never-never know what my Sheila’s puttin’ down

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball fan, old movie and tv show fan... and a songwriter, bass and guitar player.

39 thoughts on “Gene Vincent – She She Little Sheila”

  2. I’m 100% with you about Gene Vincent, Max – one of the great pioneers of rock & roll. That tune you picked is great. Also, thanks for including the documentary, which I haven’t watched yet – definitely something I’d like to do!

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      4. He was also a wild man…he introduced the Beatles to guns and all types of stuff. They liked him but were pretty much scared of him lol

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      3. A woman in a Chrysler ran a red light, hitting him while he was riding his brand-new Triumph motorcycle. I also read that this accident happened in Virginia, so the story is murky.

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  5. One of the first Rock ‘n’ Roll albums I bought (in the mid to late ’70s, this would have been) was ‘Twist Crazy Times! by Gene Vincent. It was a 1976, French re-pressing of the original 1960 LP recording.

    ‘She Little Sheila’ actually features on this LP…. track #2, Side 1. 🙂

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  6. Great post Max. I’m a long time fan and yet another tragic story. My understanding as stated the motorcycle accident was when he was serving in the Navy, the injury was exacerbated by the Cochran accident. If you like this stuff check out Robert Gordon he is Gene Vincent incarnate!

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      2. I just changed it to motorcycle accident…I think it did happen on a motorcycle…the question is…is where.

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      8. Like I tell everyone…tell me always if you see something wrong. My feelings don’t get hurt…I like things to be correct. Sometimes as you know…it depends on the source.

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    1. That doc on the bottom… really made me realize how great of a rock voice he had…you can also of course see the hurt he went through.

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      1. Yes. Just the way the world works sometimes. One of the originals scraping out a living while others make loads in the music biz.
        I watched that doc. We’ve talked the Catman and his guitarist Cliff Gallup before.

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  8. It is a shame he is seen by history as a ’50s slick-haired leather jacket early Elvis leftover- he was more than that by far, but as is proved time and time again in the music biz, Life is not fair.

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