The band most often explained that they took the name from the Australian term "sheila", which denotes an effeminate man or wimp - thus making them in a literal sense, the sacred wimps. The name is also similar to that of the suicidal main character of the book Sheila Levine Is Dead and Living in New York. However, they took their name directly from a college friend named Sheila Devine. After changing the spelling and operating as Sheila Divine for several months the "The" was added to distinguish the band from such female artists as Fiona Apple.
The Sheila Divine formed in 1997 and played their first show on July 4 at The Middle East in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The lineup consisted of singer, songwriter, and guitarist Aaron Perrino, bassist Jim Gilbert, and drummer Shawn Sears. All three had met in college at State University of New York at Oneonta, but each had ended up in Boston independently. They were signed to local indie label Cherry Disc Records and released their self-titled five track EP in 1998. They gained a loyal local following and went on to win the 1999 WBCN Rock & Roll Rumble. Cherry Disc Records were bought out by Roadrunner Records, who released The Sheila Divine's first full length album New Parade in 1999. It received critical praise from local press and spawned the college radio hit Hum. The album featured re-recorded versions of songs that appeared on their first EP, as well as several brand new songs (the Japanese import edition featured two additional songs unavailable on the domestic release, "Secret Rendezvous" and "Weightless", the latter of which had also been released as the b-side to the then-titled "Criminal", the band's only released vinyl 7-inch).
In late 2000, the band was hard at work on their second album when they added Colin Decker as a second guitarist to broaden their sound. The band released their second album, Where Have My Countrymen Gone, in March 2001 on Co-Op Pop Records. Later that year in August, Shawn Sears left the band to spend more time with his recently born child. Following a handful of shows with fill-ins Pete Caldes (The Gravel Pit/The Gentlemen) and Paul Buckley (Orbit), drummer Ryan Dolan replaced Sears a month later; Dolan had previously been in the band Lincolnville with guitarist Colin Decker. The Sheila Divine continued to tour constantly and created a large fan base that included both people who would see them across the country and others who would record live shows to share. The band was always generous to bootleggers and allowed video and/or audio taping at all shows.
The band released the six track EP Secret Society in September 2002 (Arena Rock Recording Co.). They embarked on a non-stop world tour consisting of China, Europe, and then across the United States and back. This rigorous schedule would prove to be the band's undoing. While at a show in the mid-west a confrontation with Jim resulted in Aaron throwing his guitar down and announcing to the audience that the band was breaking up. Upon returning home, the band stated on their website they would not break up, but would instead take time off. Aaron Perrino went on to start recording songs in the studio by himself, which would end up on the War Chords EP, the debut release of his new solo project, Dear Leader. The Sheila Divine officially announced their demise on their website in April of 2003, and played two farewell shows in October at The Paradise in Boston, Massachusetts. The sold-out shows were attended by fans who had travelled from as far away as Oregon and Belgium.
Happily, original bandmates Aaron and Jim are still on friendly terms, as their respective new bands have played together several times. They still call Boston home. Shawn left Boston and now lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Ryan left Boston and moved to Maine, becoming a father for the first time. Colin Decker moved to San Francisco and is involved with television production.
On December 31, 2005 The Sheila Divine played a reunion show at Bill's Bar on Landsdowne Street in Boston. The band played as a three piece with Aaron, Jim, and Ryan. A second reunion show was played on Saint Patrick's Day March 17, 2007 at TT The Bear's Club with the same lineup.
The group continue their occasional efforts, the products of which can be seen at their Bandcamp page, http://thesheiladivine.bandcamp.com/, and their main web site: http://the-things-that-once-were.com/. In 2012 they released a new album, The Things That Once Were.
Albums:
New Parade (1999 · Roadrunner Records)
Where Have My Countrymen Gone (2001 · Co-Op Pop Records)
The Things That Once Were (2012)
EPs:
The Sheila Divine EP (1998 · Cherry Disc Records)
Secret Society EP (2002 · Arena Rock Recording Co.)
Singles:
Hum/I'm A Believer cassette promo (1999 · Roadrunner Records)
Hum radio promo CD (1999 · Roadrunner Records)
Like A Criminal 7" vinyl (1999 · Roadrunner Records)
Ostrich radio promo CD (2001 · Independent)
Compilations
Viva Noel - A Q Division Christmas : "O Holy Night" (1999 · Q-Division Records}
Then Covered Now : "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" (1999 · Hearbox Records)
In Our Lifetime: Vol. 3 : "New Landscape" (2002 · Fenway Recordings)
Hum
The Sheila Divine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
just let it out
on the radio a bunch of fakes
just shut them down
hum along
and regret it
cause you alone
god don't make the laws
when i get bored i use novocaine
to numb the sound
i'm the sixth spice, the heavyweight
i bring the frowns
hum along
and regret it
cause you alone
would get it
god don't make the laws
i'm the heavyweight
and i don't know why
i got the sixth sense
to make the girls cry
how unamerican
how unamerican
to leave em fainting
waiting for a breath
The lyrics of The Sheila Divine's song "Hum" are intriguing and thought-provoking. The song starts with the line, "In my mouth, there is a hurricane, just let it out," which could be interpreted as the singer having a lot to say, but struggling to articulate it due to the intensity of their emotions. The next line is, "On the radio, a bunch of fakes, just shut them down," which could be a comment on the music industry and the lack of authenticity in mainstream music.
The chorus of the song is, "Hum along and regret it, 'cause you alone would get it, god don't make the laws." This line could be interpreted as a warning to the listener to be careful about blindly following the crowd and falling into the traps of societal norms. The idea that "god don't make the laws" suggests that there are laws and rules in society that are arbitrary and created by humans, rather than being inherently moral or just.
The next verse talks about the singer using novocaine to numb the sound when they get bored. This could be a reference to the idea of self-medicating or avoiding emotions rather than dealing with them directly. The following lines, "I'm the sixth spice, the heavyweight, I bring the frowns," suggest that the singer is aware of their own power and impact on others, but may not always use it for good.
Overall, The Sheila Divine's song "Hum" is a complex and thought-provoking reflection on emotions, power, and societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
in my mouth there is a hurricane
I'm feeling very agitated and restless inside
just let it out
I need to release my pent-up emotions
on the radio a bunch of fakes
The music industry is filled with people who are pretending to be something they're not
just shut them down
I wish someone would call out these fake artists and expose them for their lack of authenticity
hum along
Sing with me
and regret it
You might not like this music, but I don't care
cause you alone
This song is not for everyone, only certain people will truly appreciate it
would get it
These lyrics are only meant to be understood by a select few
god don't make the laws
We often have to make our own rules for how we live our lives
when i get bored i use novocaine
Sometimes I need to numb myself to dull the pain of everyday life
to numb the sound
I want to block out everything around me
i'm the sixth spice, the heavyweight
I'm unique and powerful, even though I might not fit the norm
i bring the frowns
People might not always like my music, but that's okay with me
i'm the heavyweight
I'm important and significant, even if others might not see it
and i don't know why
I'm not sure why I have this impact on people, but I'm grateful for it
i got the sixth sense
I have a unique intuition and understanding of things that others might not see
to make the girls cry
I have a powerful emotional impact on people, especially women
how unamerican
Some might see my unconventional style as un-patriotic or going against the norm
to leave em fainting
My music has the power to deeply move and emotionally affect people
waiting for a breath
Listeners might be left breathless and caught up in the moment of the music
Contributed by Callie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@johnwagner7617
I'm a huge fan of 90s alternative and I just discovered this gem in 2020! I love moments like this! It's like that decade comes back to life for just a few minutes!
@SMQai
How is this not one of the biggest songs of all time?
@corhor8831
Commies.. probably
@habanero70
I get goosebumps when he hits the high registers. A good ole angst-ridden rock scream...ain't nothing like it.
@loungefly92
I enjoy this comment. Agreed, 100%.
@Libservative79
Three years later and I'm still listening to this song. Epic fucking vocals.
@BulletAgario
Missed the good days of music. This is far far better than whatever is on the radio nowadays.
@e82375
The greatest band to never make it big. This song alone is better than anything that is on the radio right now!
@gonzothegreat1317
Well John, that's still true today. But we had a pandemic... do better.
@jowston100
Can't get this song out of my head.