Beginning as a big-haired, black-clad garage punk outfit and soon morphing … Read Full Bio ↴Beginning as a big-haired, black-clad garage punk outfit and soon morphing into something more experimental, the Horrors featured singer Faris Badwan, bassist Tom Furse, guitarist Joshua Hayward, drummer Joe Spurgeon, and keyboardist Rhys Webb. The Horrors formed in the summer of 2005 and quickly gained notoriety around London for their look, sound, and brief but frantic live shows. Loog soon signed them, and the Horrors released their official debut single, "Sheena Is a Parasite/Jack the Ripper," in spring 2006. That summer the Horrors released their second single, Death at the Chapel. They also reissued "Sheena Is a Parasite" as a limited-edition DVD single. The song's startling video was directed by Chris Cunningham and featured actress Samantha Morton as Sheena. Late that summer, the band signed to Stolen Transmission in the U.S. and released a self-titled EP that fall. They also issued the Count in Fives single in the U.K. around that time.

The Gloves single arrived early in 2007, heralding the release of the Horrors' full-length debut, Strange House, which arrived in the U.K. that March and in the U.S. in May. In 2008, Webb and Furse formed the analog synth project Spider & the Flies, and released the album Something Clockwork This Way Comes. For 2009's Primary Colours, the band worked with Cunningham and Portishead's Geoff Barrow as co-producers, opting for a very different sound that mixed shoegaze, post-punk, and goth; the album was released by XL that spring and earned several critical raves, including NME's Album of the Year. In between albums, Badwan teamed with Canadian opera singer Rachel Zeffira for the hazy pop project Cat's Eyes, which released its self-titled debut in early 2011. The Horrors self-produced their follow-up, 2011's Skying, which featured a lighter yet still atmospheric sound that drew comparisons to My Bloody Valentine and the Psychedelic Furs. In 2012, they released the remix companion album Higher and embarked on an extensive tour. In 2013, they began recording new material with producer Craig Silvey. Early the following year, the single "I See You" reflected the more expansive direction of their fourth album, Luminous, which arrived in May 2014. The Horrors began work on their next full-length with Paul Epworth at London's Church Studios in 2015, and forged a darker, rawer yet still danceable sound that borrowed from '80s post-punk, synth-pop, and '90s dance. The result was V, which arrived in September 2017.

Biography by Heather Phares

There are other artists with the same name:

2) A garage rock/punk band from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which formed in 1997 and broke up in 2003. They released two albums, The Horrors (2000) and Vent (2003). Singer/guitarist Paul Cary recently released his debut album, Ghost of a Man, on Candy Dinner Records in 2010.

3) An American psychedelic rock group active in the 1960s, best known for their single "Briar Patch".

For much more information, go to the band's official forum, "The Horum", and official Myspace.

Sheena Is A Parasite
The Horrors Lyrics

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Sheena is a champion of self-reliance
As soon as she needs it she knows just where the knife is
Her fingers aren't so fast anymore
It's been 29 years since she came to these shores

Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite

Sheena is a parasite

Send her back to the sea, they cried
But Sheena spat bile 'til they let her lie
She claims she's working for the Lord
But you know what she's looking for

Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite

Sheena's ambition sneers at your routine
And behind that glass she sits, cold
If Sheena was buried, no one would care
She hates everyone, she knows no one

Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a parasite

Send her back across the sea
Back across the sea

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of The Horrors' song "Sheena Is A Parasite" contain a critique of individuals who come to certain countries only to exploit them for their own gain. The song paints a picture of someone named Sheena who has been living in a foreign land for 29 years and has become a champion of self-reliance. She knows how to get what she wants, and she does not let anything get in her way. Her "fingers aren't so fast anymore," suggesting a decline in her ability to manipulate others, but her cunning remains intact. The lyrics describe her as a parasite, someone who takes advantage of her host country's resources and people without ever giving back.

The song's chorus repeats the phrase "Sheena is a parasite" over and over, driving home the message of the lyrics. The verses describe the negative effect Sheena has on those around her. She has a reputation for spitting bile, and people have had enough of her. They want her sent back to the sea, but Sheena fights back, claiming to be working for the Lord while looking for something else entirely. The lyrics also suggest that Sheena is isolated and bitter, hating everyone and knowing no one. She has no compassion for those around her, and if she were to die, no one would care.

Overall, "Sheena Is A Parasite" is an indictment of those who exploit others for personal gain. It describes the negative impact such people can have on a community and the importance of self-reliance, hard work, and empathy.

Line by Line Meaning

Sheena is a champion of self-reliance
Sheena prides herself on being independent and self-sufficient

As soon as she needs it she knows just where the knife is
Sheena is prepared to defend herself and knows exactly where her weapon is

Her fingers aren't so fast anymore
Sheena is getting older and is not as quick and nimble as she used to be

It's been 29 years since she came to these shores
Sheena has been living in this place for almost 3 decades

Sheena is a parasite
Sheena is a leech who takes advantage of others for her own benefit

Send her back to the sea, they cried
People want Sheena to leave and go back where she came from

But Sheena spat bile 'til they let her lie
Sheena refused to leave and insulted those who wanted her to go

She claims she's working for the Lord
Sheena says she's doing God's work

But you know what she's looking for
But in reality, Sheena has ulterior motives

Sheena's ambition sneers at your routine
Sheena looks down upon people living mundane lives and craves excitement

And behind that glass she sits, cold
Sheena appears emotionless and uncaring, like someone behind a glass wall

If Sheena was buried, no one would care
If Sheena were to die, nobody would miss her or even notice her absence

She hates everyone, she knows no one
Sheena harbors ill will towards everyone and has no genuine relationships

Send her back across the sea
Once again, people want Sheena to leave and go back where she came from

Back across the sea
Reiteration of the previous line

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FARIS BADWAN, JOSEPH SPURGEON, JOSHUA HAYWARD, RHYS WEBB, THOMAS COWAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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