Shakespear's Sister are a pop/rock duo consisting of former Bananarama memb… Read Full Bio ↴Shakespear's Sister are a pop/rock duo consisting of former Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey and (from 1989 - 1996) singer/songwriter/guitarist Marcella Detroit (real name Marcy Levy). Detroit had previously performed with Eric Clapton, released a solo album in 1982, and has since released more solo material as well as a blues album with the Marcy Levy band. Fahey was born in Dublin, Ireland, and Detroit was born in Detroit, Michigan, USA, hence her stage name.

As a duo, Fahey and Detroit released two albums and are best-known for the song "Stay", a top five hit in the U.S. which spent eight weeks at number one in the U.K. Both "Stay" and the follow-up single "Hello (Turn your radio on)" are co-written by Dave Stewart under the pseudonym Jean Guiot. Detroit left the act after many quabbles with Fahey, and Shakespear's Sister's Third album #3, technically a Fahey solo album, was shelved by London Records. Years later, after wrangling the album rights from the label, Fahey released it independently.

After sporadically recording under her own name for a few years, Fahey reclaimed the Shakespear's Sister moniker for herself as a solo artist and independently released a new album, ''Songs from the Red Room'', in November 2009 accompanied by touring in the UK. A physical release of "Songs from the Red Room" in the U.S. went ahead on 12 April 2010, followed by a deluxe edition double-CD with 8 bonus tracks on 3 May in the UK.

You're History
Shakespear's Sister Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well
You made your bed
Better lie in it - get back to sleep !

You should see me when you're not around
I'm a genius in this town

I'm a queen bee when the coast is clear

Now I know I don't need you
Dear.
So leave your hand like a magic man and disappear !

You're history
Like a beat up car
No good for me
Like an old film star
You're history
That's what you are
Na na na na

You're history
You're history
No good for me
No good for me
You're history
You're history
Na na na na na

You should see me from your ivory tower
I'm the hero of the hour

I'm a close friend of destiny when you're not here to bother me.
Well
You made your bed
Better lie in it
Get back to sleep !

You're history
Like ancient Rome
No good for me
Like the Dead Sea Scrolls
You're history
Everybody knows
Na na na na

You're history
You're history
My enemy
My enemy
You're history
You're history
Na na na na na

So get on your bike and take a hike right out of here !
You're history
You're history
No good for me
No good for me
You're history
You're history
Na na na na

You're history
Like a worn-out shoe
My enemy
You're nothing new
You're history
You're history
Ooh-ooh-ooh

You're history
Like a beat up car
No good for me
Like an old film star
You're history
You're history
Na na na na

You're history
Sing it girl

Let me hear you
You're history

Overall Meaning

The Shakespear's Sister song "You're History" is an empowering break-up song about realizing one's worth and moving on from a toxic relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer's ex-partner is not worth their time, and that she is better off without them. The opening lines "Well, you made your bed, better lie in it - get back to sleep!" emphasize the singer's confidence and assertiveness in the situation. She then declares herself a "genius" and a "queen bee" - highlighting her independence and self-confidence.

The chorus, which repeats the phrase "You're history", serves as an effectively catchy hook to drive home the message that the ex-partner is no longer relevant. The similes "Like a beat up car" and "Like ancient Rome" emphasize the idea that the ex-partner is outdated and no longer useful. The line "Get on your bike and take a hike right out of here" reinforces the idea that the singer wants her ex-partner to leave her life completely.

Throughout the song, there is a sense of triumph and empowerment in leaving an unhealthy relationship. The lyrics suggest that the singer is now free to be the hero of her own story and revel in her newfound independence.

Line by Line Meaning

Well You made your bed Better lie in it - get back to sleep !
You created your situation, now deal with it and go back to sleep.

You should see me when you're not around I'm a genius in this town
I excel in every aspect when you are not present in my life.

I'm a queen bee when the coast is clear Now I know I don't need you Dear. So leave your hand like a magic man and disappear !
I am independent and self-sufficient, so disappear like a magician as I don't require you.

You're history Like a beat up car No good for me Like an old film star You're history That's what you are Na na na na
You no longer carry any significance in my life, like a junk car or a faded film star.

You should see me from your ivory tower I'm the hero of the hour
You should watch me from afar and acknowledge my achievements as I am currently a hero in my life.

I'm a close friend of destiny when you're not here to bother me. Well You made your bed Better lie in it Get back to sleep !
I am a firm believer in destiny and can balance life better without your interference, so go back to bed and deal with the consequences of your actions.

You're history Like ancient Rome No good for me Like the Dead Sea Scrolls You're history Everybody knows Na na na na
Everyone is aware that you are a thing of the past, as valuable as an ancient item like Rome or Dead Sea Scrolls.

So get on your bike and take a hike right out of here ! You're history You're history No good for me No good for me You're history You're history Na na na na
Leave immediately and don't look back as you have no place here anymore.

You're history Like a worn-out shoe My enemy You're nothing new You're history You're history Ooh-ooh-ooh
You are as useless as a worn-out shoe and I have encountered people like you before, so you are not new to me.

You're history Sing it girl Let me hear you You're history
You are a thing of the past and I confidently repeat that sentiment.

Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, BMG Rights Management, Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MARCELLA LEVY, PATRICK SEYMOUR, RICHARD FELDMAN, SIOBHAN MAIRE DEIRDRE FAHEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

@AtomikMedia

2y↑178

Pure genius. Siobhans lower register and Marcellas high register compliment each other like nothing else.

@theblackstridersofficial2562

1y↑7

These two hot ladies were so correctly pointed out as opposites yet despite this
Meshed so perfectly together and are very underrated - I loved their music then and still do - hard to imagine siobhan is in her 60s and marcella a little older now yet still key perfect together !!

@mrtumbleslookalike1385

1y↑3

Completely agree

@Liza-ry5cr

45w↑2

Was just thinking that. That guitar riff of the Scale ❤

@ellenchristie9608

34w

they're fucking wonderful alright, I remember dancing on the table at the night club to these wonderful women lol, ah those were the days, bring me a bourbon or tequila bitch ha x

@robwilliams6753

24w↑4

Back then it was described as a unique interplay between voices. #OldGuy

@mikeanthony777

1y↑194

I don't think Shakespeares Sister realize how good they actually were. They were/are phenomenal.

@kidwaryodproduction

1y↑11

They're remind me of Corinne Drewery (Swing Out Sister) but more darker, dark comedy tone.😆

@darkstarcoopz

39w↑1

💯

@ellenchristie9608

24w↑4

have you heard the stuff they released last yr, just as good, it's on youtube.

@johnbarbiero8034

18w

I'm shore they did! They were once Bananarama

@geoffgreen5201

17w↑2

@@johnbarbiero8034 only one if them was in bananarama

2 More Replies...

@speederbryan

28w↑16

Marcie wrote ‘Lay Down Sally’ for Clapton.. also a Beverly Hills mom for years that was in our group of friends.. always great when she turned up with a guitar., and serenaded the room.. beyond an amazing talent.. a very nice and cool person..

@auxiliary4023

2y↑16

I'm 60 now and only just realised after 40 years what an absolute babe Siobhan always was.

@sophiepooks2174

34w↑1

Doh!! Better late than never than goodness for YT

@Rdator35

3y↑82

This is a piece of art from the 80`s that everyone should like <3

@suzitunnicliffe-john6570

3y↑2

Sir Cliff Richard has joined the landmark group demanding greater accountability in the police and a shake-up of the watchdog that investigates misconduct by officers.

The 80-year-old has added his name to those of seven people who wrote to Boris Johnson last week demanding an overhaul of Scotland Yard's senior management team, 'urgent and long overdue' reform of the police complaints system and a revamp of the 'unfit for purpose' Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

The signatories, led by Stephen Lawrence's mother Doreen Lawrence and ex-home secretary Leon Brittan's widow Lady Brittan, also called for the head of Met Police chief Dame Cressida Dick.

@suzitunnicliffe-john6570

3y↑1

Suzi Tunnicliffe-John
0 seconds ago
dan and sarah seaton conway green ??? 33 dl39se n e uk shes taken him to kill him in the lock up in darlo at seatons ffunerals out the back on the trading estatte near westpark on the bus route to the crazzy hospital in darlo durham its almost over shes pumping him full of gases and metamoirific jucie

@manueldpmingopereznavales5109

3y↑6

The 90's

@UJSupanova

2y↑5

@@manueldpmingopereznavales5109 The album was released in 1989 so the song was recorded in the 80s.

@markwalsh9026

2y↑2

Except it was from the 90s and yes they should like no matter what decade

3 More Replies...

@Bubberts79

2y↑13

So ahead of their time. Even the video remains fresh.

@Toni-oy5gu

2y↑27

There are those moments when you are searching for a song and come across classics like this and think "ahh, I remember this song" and it's still as good as the first time 😍

@AaronOwenSmith

5y↑268

Everyone remembers Stay, but to me, this is their best record, very Prince influenced , even down to the Wendy Melvoin's chorus guitar.

@charlescormier8495

4y↑6

I love stay. But I do love the vocal stylings with this. They're both so talented!

@boofuls

4y↑7

Never thought 💭 about till you mentioned ..you may be on to something with the wendy and prince thing 🤔👻🤔

@RobinJusteEmery

4y↑15

@@charlescormier8495 The vocal balance of both Marcella and Siobhan is what makes this work. Truly amazing, and glad to hear them back together again, writing and singing!

@philiphalpenny9761

4y↑6

ALL their singles are great...

@NZT_48

3y↑5

Reminds me of Alphabet St. Still great in it’s own right though!

27 More Replies...

@thegreenmanofnorwich

1y↑41

Weirdly, this is one of my comfort songs. It was about 1996 and I'd just seen a bit of A Nightmare On Elm Street and it freaked me out (I had insomnia and felt under a lot of pressure from school, so probably wasn't in a good place psychologically) I switched to VH-1 and this was playing. It brought me back down to reality, as I had always liked it. It's remained one of my favourites, and almost like a good talisman ever since.

@melaniecrump8357

48w↑4

Wat a classic🎉

@garethbeare8741

28w↑3

I saw that film in the cinema in, I think, 1985. Or 1984. One or the other, in the long ago
I seem to remember it freaked out a few of the audience. Not extremely, but a few of them a little bit.

@LoriCiani

19w↑1

⁠⁠⁠@@garethbeare8741 I started as an usherette then became an ice cream girl at the Regal Cinema, Cambridge around the mid eighties. I watched Nightmare On Elm Street at a special midnight screening. I had to walk back to my then temporary digs at the time, walking through old, empty, silent streets. All the shops and restaurants were closed, it felt pretty creepy. By the time I got to bed I was so far from sleep. 😄

@ajs41

18w

Most of SS's songs are comfort songs, I find.

@chrisdude9641

3y↑40

This is all brilliant. Their voices compliment each other so well, what a duo. The production is top notch. The music video is awesome too.

@wakeupscreaming9883

2y↑47

I bought this as a cassette single back in the day. Nice to hear it again for the first time in probably 30 years!

@edster76

2y↑2

I did also, weird these days not only a single but a cassette one!

@user-ne3wj2fq4e

2y↑4

Life was better back then, yeah ?;)

@Neville60001

34w

I bought the whole album on cassette, and I worse that sucker out, playinit anearly all of the time.

@MorsMeld

Charisma off the charts!

@Luuuc

5y↑76

This video is actual history.

@akyllasvasilliou500

5y↑84

What a fantastic hit! Siobhan is amazing! This song is the answer why she left from Bananas. Dark creative pop music.😍

@JohannesNielsen

1y↑1

About countless poor choices no doubt 😊

@sophiepooks2174

34w↑1

Not that dark it's pop after all and quite liberating/uplifting.

@mike5661

1y↑10

My god I completely forgot about this song and just how good it is!

@CooChewGames

3y↑21

There are certain songs that immediately take you back to where you first heard, there are not many of them, but this is one. Is so good.

@stevieboy6286

2y↑3

Two beautiful and very talented women

@SqwarkParrotSpittingFeathers

3y↑6

How great is Shakespears Sister.

@lorrainecouch348

31w↑1

Gets better the more I play it...!!!!

@janiceward2169

4y↑52

2019 still sounds great..vocal range amazing..!!

@musicuniverse1356

4y↑4

Siobhan she has a contralto voice which is the deepest female voice but she has a lighter touch to her voice and Marcella she has a soprano voice which is the highest of the female voice. Those are all operatic terms but nonetheless their voices are incredible and the way they contrast wi5h each other is like different tones of color on a canvas.

@rakshanarajendiran6445

26w

Listening to it in 2023 still great!

@moniquegutierrez1756

3y↑12

Siobhan is soo cute when she’s dancing. I love this group!

@deanarmstrong2814

4y↑24

The first time I was introduced to the magic and sheer genius of Marcy and Shuv and I have never stopped admiring and lapping up the brilliance of two great artists

@markroskilly1097

12w↑2

Class pure class 🥰

@musicfriekje

5y↑37

One of their best songs! Love it, love it, love it! So glad they are back.

@parfecto7716

4y↑57

INXS vibe

@mihaelanegritu1709

INXS

@natureclips5849

Actually they ripped Inxs of video song structure every thing

@Hypagen

As soon as the track started I thought INXS...might be the same production team.

@Nerd4LifeTV

2y↑8

Holy Crap! I've not heard Shakespear's Sister since back in the day! I'd forgotten how damn good they were...and how sexy too, to a late teenager ;)

@TheWhitelady79

2y↑6

I love the way the drummer and the bass player are dancing in the background. I can’t stop watching them. Amazing song

@pelasgosath

3y↑4

30 years have gone by then... That's history indeed!

@tracyleach3446

3y↑15

Voices insane🙌🤪🖤Both gals mesmerising - and as for that guitar...’purple one’ would be proud💜🎸

@Captain_Rhodes

she actually plays it. shes not faking

@user-ne3wj2fq4e

2y↑1

Miss the 90's..

@ally7844

2y↑1

"Get back to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep... brrrrrrow"... love love love this absolute gem!!!!

@danielward67

2y↑1

If you like this, then I like you. Pure and simple.

@elliottprice6084

35w↑2

This song is brilliant. And I don't know why. But it doesn't matter. It's brilliant. Enough said

@yolbrennan859

4y↑75

wow Marcella vocal range, siobhans saucyness..

@romeosantos7249

3y↑1

Marcella's voice is annoying to me. Overdone flexing of a vocal range that's strains the ears. Ugh.

@yunyi5430

3y↑8

@@romeosantos7249 Then why bother listen to the song?

@romeosantos7249

3y↑1

@@yunyi5430 Curious about Shakespears Sister's other songs. When I heard this song, I just found Marcella's voice here iz soooo annoying.

@jasonking7736

3y↑6

I like it.. reminds me of Kate bush

@joehart7260

@@romeosantos7249 It's not her voice, it's mimed, neither of them could hit those notes.

6 More Replies...

@tobeydalle2887

4y↑10

Singing and dancing along to this at the 'Ride Again' tour was one of the most euphoric experiences of my entire life.

@Prettymapleleaf

2y↑1

Very INXS. Miss them! I completely forgot!

@andrewhamilton1526

4y↑8

Pure class so many happy memories

@goodrealm

45w↑4

it's a true crime that Shakespears Sister didn't last as long as they did

@amyforgacs2971

4y↑17

I love the feisty-ness of the words... I first heard it on a tape when I was younger and I particularly enjoyed it when I was in a bad mood (coz it said exactly how I felt)!

@saffyreid8790

3y↑2

Luv me sisters 💕👌this is the pioneer of the girl bands.

@jeppegotfredsen4071

3y↑10

The best 80th hit ever? I love this track. So far ahead of it´s time.

@mikekaraoke

Def one of the best 80's tunes!

@manueldpmingopereznavales5109

Wasn't it on the beginning 90's?

@mikekaraoke

3y↑1

@@manueldpmingopereznavales5109 Ummmm no, even says below the video-Taken from the album "Sacred Heart" released on August 21st 1989

My dad still has CD single from July of 89, was recorded in Feb of 1989!

@manueldpmingopereznavales5109

3y↑1

@@mikekaraoke wow they were ahead .

@mikekaraoke

@@manueldpmingopereznavales5109 Many hit singles/Music Videos, Albums of hte 80's were ahead or way ahead of their time!
Where you from??

2 More Replies...

@88feji

4y↑11

I heard this song frequently on the radio when it was released and many years later I suddenly recalled a vague incomplete semblance of the chorus out of nowhere and I never quite recall the song completely until I see this video and BAM, that mystery knot in my head is untangled with such a sense of relief that I have finally found the mystery song which kept lurking in the shadows of my mind....

@glennspunoff5140

3y↑7

OMG GIRLS, stay makes me tear up, history uplifts me,

@imjustsilleh

1y↑4

I LOVE this song !!! I guess there were some songs that were more popular at the time, but THIS ONE is timeless.

@temperancewitchway

5y↑23

Aren't they fabulous! :)

@hahatoldyouso

3y↑4

Obsessed with this song!

@sequentialable12

3y↑4

they made the 90s a warmer place

@hildrethbird

1y↑5

Absolutely fantasic track you two xxx

@miriamsteinhauser2544

3y↑7

Marvellous!

@pandemits

29w↑1

I believe they really enjoyed making this video. And they both liked each other at the time.

@ceriannejones4710

2y↑2

Bloody fantastic!!!!

@thomasfarmer1730

4y↑10

these two wimmen were brilliant

@BryceKatz

Were? Still are.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg8mVXmmmFs

@jaydenabdullah7017

3y↑2

Wimmen lol

@Nuessi62

3y↑3

They were revolutionary

@louisestapleton3546

4y↑8

So many memories ❤️

@emmacrozier5917

4y↑20

Really liked this at the time hot summer of 1989

@innamanjoubert9881

4y↑10

Thank you for a very good song that just get's better and better.

@bobrowers

43w↑2

Sioban looks hot af in black/gothic like this. =P 💥boom 💥

@bobbyserrato1949

23w

The real queens of music

@alphabetaxenonzzzcat

2y↑5

This is actually my favourite track from them.

@Liza-ry5cr

45w

Run silent run deep. Oooo loved that song. Manchester Airport hanging out as a teen with friends. Those days I knew how to be brave and be me.

@Mrgothvampireglenn

20w↑1

I love them

@beestonpoet

42w↑1

Thus is such a classic tune .love it

@motthepapa

23w

Super groove.

@littleogeechee223

27w

Siobhan!! I love you!! I love you forever!!

@pacmanmum

4y↑6

What a great song

@murphdrag2100

1y↑1

2 funky! naa- naa naa na

@TheKneedown1

4y↑76

Siobhan ....looks into the camera and literally captures you with her eyes

@garypeatling7927

3y↑2

You just know she would be hell to live with but the highs would be worth the trouble

@DanSmithBK

This is as foxy as it gets!

@dustinzaccaria7644

3y↑7

Ah ‘89, between this and FNM’s The Real Thing album, a fantastic year. As much as I love what came the following decade, they made some zany and fun film clips in the very end of the 80’s. Fantastic song.

@heathergossett3828

That’s when I heard it, my mom came back from touring London with this song and many others.

@paranoidpotatosmusicjam3692

4y↑3

Love love love this song

@kander46

3y↑3

totally under appreciated

@plerpplerp5599

4y↑40

I like the way siobhan says 'history'.

@thevanguardsofmanhood8463

4y↑3

Histowvee

@silverkitty2503

his story

@ProblematicTube

3y↑3

Early example of singing in cursive ;)

@musicuniverse1356

4y↑27

Shakespeare's Sister always had a certain darkness to their music that makes the back of the hair of my neck stand up. I can't put my finger on it.

@louisbates673

2y↑3

I feel it too ! The words are poetic in their songs, sort of elegiac/sad but freeing/uplifting also

@markstuart4719

35w

Almost gothic like?

@WillieWagglestick

4y↑4

So cool and timeless.

@brendangray

3y↑7

Their music aged well!!!!!!!!

@bulgariansuperhits9503

5y↑7

Fantastic video

@miriamsteinhauser2544

3y↑3

It means so much to me!

@avengingpenguin

1y↑1

Takes me back to Brief Encounters in London!

@markfleming.4334

2y↑1

Fantastic duo, & gifted too.

@tidalboxer

5y↑6

Love this song

@miriamsteinhauser2544

3y↑5

Still one of my favourite songs!

@margaretnesbeth593

31w

The music on this is amazing.

@DarkNemesis2311

4y↑2

Had me a little crush on Siobhan back in the day! Always loved her SS look 😍

@kittenimp

5y↑9

Keep on creating great history!

@kristywilkinson7982

5y↑6

Brilliantl

@miriamsteinhauser2544

3y↑4

And very stylish!

@katharsis3754

They actually ripped off prince and inxs in this lmao

@jamiefoyers2800

I like the way the two frontwomen just kick ass in this video...in a subtle way. Good track.

@joedean7964

3y↑2

Incredible voices.

@livmarlin4259

3y↑3

Great song!

@MiGrEeni100

4y↑3

that guitar solo (steve salas) is soooo great ART - i love it :)'

@donnahookem4262

2y↑1

Spin on that 😂😂😂

@AleakweAndOlivia

45w

still love and always will. great talents

@patrickmurphy5842

2y↑110

Siobhan was easily one of the most beautiful women in 80s pop

@RTassie22

2y↑8

Definitely! But that is icing on the top. Her gorgeous, sexy contralto voice is enough for me. Love how she says 'history'!

@harveyspector9368

2y↑5

Absolutely gorgeous.

@jamesstevens2362

2y↑7

Yep! They were both gorgeous. Marcella was cute, but Siobhan was smoking hot! Add her look and her voice, and she’s the complete package of pure sexiness.

@grahammcdonald

2y↑3

Both of them!

@tristanyoung1247

2y↑4

She s still hot and marcella.

12 More Replies...

@kerstenweltlich9999

30w

Absolut geile Band ❤🎉

@bingefeller

3y↑1

I was 9 years old when this song came out.

@jeesmiesjeesus

4y↑5

I love it!

@becksea

3y↑3

I love this song ❤️

@stuartmw8156

3y↑5

Siobhan was stunning

@calumanderson5617

This has been a favourite of mine from the 80's when I was a kid from poverty, good days and bad days and even now, I wish the bad things that happened to me we're history. From a really bad relationship recently bad break up of a girlfriend of fifteen years.