I was 15 years old and working on a sunburn at West Enfield Pool with my wild and glorious friend Nicole Emmons when she put her headphones over my ears, said, “Listen to this!” and pressed play on her cassette tape. This song blew my life open; I have never been the same grrrl since. Thanks, Nicole.
Lyrics to Sheela-Na-Gig at the jump…
Songwriters: Harvey, Polly Jean
I’ve been trying to show you over and over
Look at these my child-bearing hips
Look at these my ruby red ruby lips
Look at these my work strong arms and
You’ve got to see my bottle full of charm
I lay it all at your feet
You turn around and say back to me
He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Just like the first time he said he didn’t care
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before, no more
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Turn the corner another one there
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before
He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Put money in your idle hole
Put money in your idle hole
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Just like the first time he said he didn’t care
Gonna wash that man right out of my hair
Heard it before, no more
Gonna take my hips to a man who cares
Turn the corner another one there
Gonna take my hips to a man who cares
Heard it before
He said
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Sheela-na-gig, sheela-na-gig
You exhibitionist
Put money in your idle hole
Put money in your idle hole
He said ‘wash your breasts, I don’t want to be unclean’
He said ‘please take those dirty pillows away from me’
He said ‘wash your breasts, I don’t want to be unclean’
He said ‘please take those dirty pillows away from me’
He said ‘wash your breasts, I don’t want to be unclean’
He said ‘please take those dirty pillows away from me’
He said ‘wash your breasts, I don’t want to be unclean’
He said ‘please take those dirty pillows away from me’
I was 19 or 20 in a literature class in college when my new friend Mary put on some PJ Harvey for me to listen to. The combined power of Mary and PJ shattered my world and launched me on a new trajectory. Thanks Mary.
Anytime, Dave. World shattering and new trajectories are two of my specialties.
FWIW, Sheela na Gigs were Celtic figures — usually believed to be fertility goddesses — that are found in Norman and Romanesque churches in Britain and Ireland.
Awesome!