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)
We All Have Problems
The Sheila Divine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
all i have is greed
where's this life that
you promised me?
where's my self worth
oh, bankruptcy
i'd like to buy you things
like you do for me
we all have problems
these are mine
i worry too much about my life
we all have problems
these are mine
i feel invisible most of the time
where's my solace?
i'm a nervous wreck
where's my place in this world?
i feel like a speck
who holds the answers?
i thought long and hard
about tomorrow
and on and on and on and on
we all have problems
these are mine
i worry too much about my life
we all have problems
these are mine
i feel invisible most of the time
"We All Have Problems" is a reflective and melancholic track about the struggles and uncertainties of life. The song highlights some of the difficulties that the singer has faced, including a lack of success, overwhelming greed, feelings of invisibility, and a constant search for solace and purpose. The lyrics capture a sense of frustration and disillusionment with life that many people can relate to.
One of the most poignant lines in the song is "where's this life that you promised me?", which speaks to the expectations that we often have for ourselves and the disappointment we feel when we fall short. The singer also expresses a desire to reciprocate the love and generosity that they have received from others, which adds a layer of guilt and self-doubt to the song.
Overall, "We All Have Problems" is a thoughtful and introspective track that invites listeners to reflect on their own lives and the challenges that they face. The lyrics are raw and honest, and the simple instrumentation adds to the sense of vulnerability that the song conveys.
Line by Line Meaning
where's my success?
I feel like I haven't achieved anything significant.
all i have is greed
I always want more and it's never enough for me.
where's this life that you promised me?
I feel like life has let me down and I'm not where I thought I would be.
where's my self worth oh, bankruptcy
I feel like I have no value and that I am worth nothing.
i'd like to buy you things like you do for me
I wish I could give to others the way they give to me.
we all have problems these are mine
I recognize that everyone has their own struggles and these are the ones that I face.
i worry too much about my life
I am constantly anxious and concerned about my own life and what it holds.
i feel invisible most of the time
I don't feel seen or acknowledged by others.
where's my solace?
I don't have a safe place or source of comfort to turn to.
i'm a nervous wreck
I am highly anxious and stressed out.
where's my place in this world?
I don't feel like I belong anywhere or have a purpose.
i feel like a speck
I feel insignificant and small in the grand scheme of things.
who holds the answers?
I don't know where to turn or who can help me find the solutions I need.
i thought long and hard about tomorrow
I've spent a lot of time worrying about the future.
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.