THE HIT HAMMER: Tommy Roe's "Sheila"

(The Hit Hammer is where I'm reviewing each #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100. Starting from when the chart started in 1958 and eventually working my way to the present. To see my inspiration and more information about this blog, please refer to the "Poor Little Fool" post.)

Tommy Roe - "Sheila"

Hit Number 1: September 1, 1962

Stay at Number 1: 2 Weeks

The year was 1959, and three young men with promising futures ahead of them boarded a plane. However, shortly after takeoff, the plane crashed due to a heavy blizzard in the area they were flying in, killing everyone on board including the pilot. This was the plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. Richardson, better known as "the Big Bopper". Even though it cut the lives of all of the musicians on board far too short, it gave each of them a lasting legacy, especially Buddy Holly. Holly is still known today as one of the true pioneers of rock and roll, and had he not died in that plane crash, might have stolen the title of the King of Rock and Roll away from Elvis Presley. The guy was certainly on his way, and he inspired a large amount of musicians.

Well, I think it's safe to say that a young man from Atlanta, Georgia by the name of Tommy Roe was certainly inspired by him. His first of his two #1 hits "Sheila" is clearly a subtle ripoff of Holly, especially Holly's very own "Peggy Sue". ("Peggy Sue" is a 9 by the way) "Sheila" sounds so much like something Holly would have done, all the way from the fast strumming, yet soft guitar playing, to the trademark hiccup sounds that Holly would sometimes throw into his music. In fact if I wasn't wiser, I might have totally mistaken "Sheila" for being a Holly song.

The song was written by Roe himself, but was instead titled "Frita" based off a girl that went to high school with Roe. Roe showed his song to a record producer from Judd Records, and even though he got a great reaction, the producer thought that the name should be changed. Of all things, Roe's aunt happened to be visiting at the time, and her name was Sheila, and Roe thought the name really worked, so alas, the song became "Sheila". (It must have been awkward singing a love song with your aunt's name) But even though the song took a while to take off, it eventually did after he rerecorded it in 1962. He first recorded the song in 1960 for Judd, but that version never charted. Instead, his version in 1962 was recorded for ABC, and according to Wikipedia, that was the version where Roe first experimented with the "Lubbock Sound", the sound that Holly was known for. His first version apparently had girl background singers, but I'm not sure what that version might have sounded like.

It's very easy to look at "Sheila" as a complete ripoff of Holly, and you'd be somewhat right. His recording of "Sheila" is 100% something of Holly's material. But it's a very nice song, and I actually see it as a song that could only extend Holly's legacy. It's rock and roll, with a nice steady up-tempo drumbeat, and Roe has a quiet, unintimidating voice. There's no great story with the song, but it's pretty simple, it's catchy, and it's just a cute song about a guy who clearly enjoys being around his girl "Sheila". I have to think that Buddy Holly would have been proud.

GRADE: 8/10

JUST MISSED:

Ray Charles almost hit #1 for a 4th time, but was kept off the top spot by "Sheila" with his song "You Don't Know Me". It's an 8.