nervus rex - "the god sheila" (1980)

Posted on December 10th, 2006 by Scraps.
Categories: Music, Songs.

(song #1 in the Song Project)

Sometimes a great song dies for no good reason. Not weird, not eclectic, not difficult, not offensive, not even ahead of its time; just unlucky. "The God Sheila" by Nervus Rex is such a song. Of all my favorite poppy pop songs in the world, this is the most obscure, and I don't know why. Perhaps because Nervus Rex were a lighthearted pop band who wore silly costumes in New York in 1980 when everyone was Very Very Serious. "The God Sheila" has a bouncy "Walking on Sunshine"-type beat, an incredibly catchy melodic progression with a couple of oddball minor-key (I think) changes and cold, machine-like (until the sultry singing on the bridge) female backing vocals, and a general approach that sounds straight out of the early B-52s songbook. To my ears, it should have been a hit, and should be played on nostalgia stations with affection today. I've never tired of it.

I haven't even had the chance to tire of it since our turntable died. It's never been released on cd or on any compilation, it's never turned up on a file-sharing network or on the web; it vanished from the world, for all I could tell. So thoroughly had I given up on ever finding it that it took me three weeks after Velma showed me the existence of a huge network of websites devoted to uploading out-of-print vinyl for it to occur to me that of course there would be obsessive power pop fans uploading stuff; within an hour of that realization last night, I found it (on Powerpoplovers, naturally).

Listening to it again: Man, this song has great drumming.

And now for the overanalytical part of the post:

My friend Donald Keller and I have been arguing cheerfully about music as long as we've known each other, which is about twenty-three years. We've lived in the same place a few times, and are both passionate about music and cross over on perhaps twenty percent of it, so there's been a lot of opportunity for argument. Donald is good at provoking me into writing more than I had intended to.

rmjwell over on Livejournal said that "The God Sheila" didn't resolve to his ears. I wondered what he meant by that. Here's Donald, and my response:

I understand the objection: the song doesn't either progress or resolve in the sense that it starts at one point and pretty much stays there the whole time, then just stops. This is a description, not an objection; the Smiths' great "How Soon Is Now?" does the same thing.

I'm not much struck by "The God Sheila": the fast 2/4 beat (which =never= alters) is not my favorite, and though the main part of the song is in the minor and there are some interesting changes to the major in the other parts, I don't find the progressions or harmonies that catchy.

However, I love "How Soon Is Now?"—the slower, more syncopated beat never palls, and the guitar slide and chorus are delicious no matter how often repeated.

Another vote for the single-song idea.

Good to see you, Donald!

You're wrong about the song not changing, though. First, yes, the fast two-four doesn't change its absolute rhythm -- the beat underlying everything -- or its tempo, but few songs do. It's nice when they do -- I'll go so far as to say I almost always like it when songs do that -- but is not something I count as a demerit when it isn't there. But the rhythm around the rhythm changes quite a bit: listen to the differences in the beats the drummer is playing from part to part.

Also, the quick call-and-response vocals are a nice use of the fast two-four beat, and I think you'd have difficulty pointing to many other songs that have used that trick at this rhythm and tempo.

But also, Donald, the song isn't the same from beginning to end, not remotely the way "How Soon Is Now" is, unless you're talking about mood (in both cases). (And "How Soon Is Now" isn't the same from beginning to end, either. Sure it repeats that guitar figure over and over, but it has a chorus.) "The God Sheila" is oddly enough structured that it's difficult to say what the chorus or bridge might be, but there a bunch of different parts. Here's the way it sounds to me:

intro, guitar playing same figure over ascending keyboard chords, first 33 seconds.
0:33 - 0:50 full verse A part
0:50 - 0:57 b part ("but I like Sheila") with response vocals
0:57 - 1:13 full verse A part adding response vocals
1:13 - 1:29 chorus
1:30 - 1:36 half verse A part
1:37 - 1:44 bridge, sliding into intro reprise ("I believe in herrrrr")
1:44 - 2:00 intro reprise
2:00 - 2:16 full verse A part
2:16 - 2:24 b part
2:24 - 2:40 chorus, more spare, with spoken response vocals
2:40 - 2:48 half verse A part
2:48 - 2:58 bridge, sliding into intro reprise
2:58 - 3:30 intro reprise, with snares on the 2 in the second half propelling the song to a closing guitar chord at 3:30 that I don't know if it occurs previously in the song; it's an odd resolution, an unexpected one but not attention-grabbingly dissonant, either.

Now, that looks like an admirably built song to me. Not just not the same all the way through, but not precisely like any common pop song model. Whether the listener finds it catchy or not is of course a matter of personal taste; but it's an excellent piece of craftsmanship.

I agree that the whole song is in the same mood/style/feel, and that it's easy to hear it as variations on a theme. But to me, that's a strength, if you like the theme. And if you like the theme, of course the variations separate themselves the more often you listen to the song. I am so used to admiring the way this song is put together that I admit my initial emotional reaction to "it starts at one point and pretty much stays there the whole time, then just stops" is a stuttering, "but- but- !" There is so much in that song for the pattern and variation lover in me that I could write a couple more pages on specific things changing from part to part. I resist doing so because it would look like a dry technical analysis -- I'm afraid what I've written above already looks that way -- when in fact all those changes and pattern and variation give me great emotional pleasure, and the analysis follows (I know you, Donald, understand that). Those pleasures are different in kind but not in strength from the pleasures I get from swings of mood or style in a song. (And both pleasures are visceral -- different in what kind of emotional response they generate in me, but still, both are pre-conscious reactions.)

23 comments.

ethan

Comment on December 28th, 2006.

Please don't stop doing the music project because no one's commented. The God Sheila is my new favorite song, I love your essay about it, and if you've got more of that up your sleeve that you're holding back on because of some perceived lack of interest, well, boo. Pretty pretty please.

Scraps

Comment on December 28th, 2006.

Thank you! Very much!

I haven't finished any more Song Project pieces, but I'll be putting up more within a couple days. I wasn't bothered by the lack of comments -- it's a new blog -- but I'm happy to get such a nice comment, and am even happier that you like the song!

ethan

Comment on December 29th, 2006.

Oh, goody. I'd say more but I'm about to go to bed. Just didn't want to forget to say, oh, goody.

Gerry

Comment on January 3rd, 2007.

I haven't heard "The God Sheila" since I was in college in the early 80s and am absolutely thrilled to hear it again today. I am by no means a music critic, or expert in music construction, but this is a fine tune. You've made my day.

Scraps

Comment on January 3rd, 2007.

And you've made mine!

CJ

Comment on January 8th, 2007.

Funny, I was just digitizing this album when I was struck by the urge to see if anyone remembered Nervus Rex, and came across this post by Googling. I bought the album specifically for The God Sheila, which I'd heard working at a radio station back then. It stands the test of time well and the rest is fun too! Nice to know someone else felt the same way.

Scraps

Comment on January 8th, 2007.

Thanks for coming here to comment! I always figured that there must be at least a few dozen of us.

chris

Comment on October 10th, 2007.

I love this song. I always felt however, that The Nervus Rex and recoding just didn't go together. I saw them live maybe 9 times back then (they were my favorite local band) and when the album finally came out, I felt it seemed too, um... nervous. Seriously, it lacks cohesion to me. However, some of these songs are so well written that shaky performance can hardly detract. I still have the single of "Don't Look." Remember that one?

Scraps

Comment on October 10th, 2007.

Oh, yeah! On the album, it's the song right after "The God Sheila". I never got to see them live, but it doesn't surprise me that something got lost in the transition.

Shawn Brighton

Comment on October 21st, 2007.

Thank you for the compliments. It's nice to know some of my songs aren't completely forgotten. This message is from Shawn Brighton. I wrote The God Sheila when I was in Nervus Rex back in 1977. I wrote that piece a bit later, maybe 1979. The original Nervus Rex was quite different than what Mike Chapman's production techniques and especially song choices turned us into on the album. Originally our sound was quite forbidding and the whimsy was subtle and had a bite to it. As far as The God Sheila, if you break it down musically, it's quite complicated. I eliminated certain notes in each chord which made it hard to distinguish whether it was in a major or mnor key and had different instruments changing the chordal feel . From the first words - "Her name is Sheila" which, at first sound like it's obviously in a major key, try playing a full chord in major and you'll find it's actually in a minor key (can't remember which one right now). Chapman was confused about a lot of our songs as I employed the same technique on several others. Anyway, It was a real surprise to come across this web page. Thanks guys.

Scraps

Comment on October 21st, 2007.

This comment gives me more pleasure than anything else that's happened since starting this weblog. I'm delighted to be able to have communicated my love for the song to you, and to have learned something I had never noticed on my own, and will now listen for. Thank you very much! I had somehow not noticed or had forgotten that Mike Chapman was involved. I admire the Chinn and Chapman sound, but I'd rather have heard what you sounded like by your own preferences. Cheers!

kevinj

Comment on April 23rd, 2008.

thank you for the link to this great pop song. As they say, "back in the day" this was considered a wierd song. I collected many songs, and listened loudly when my buddies were around to the new wave. It really pissed them off. The thing that the guys in my group never caught onto was that the girls had better pop sensibilities, and loved this song - and baby I played it for them! Bongos, Plimsouls, Paul Collins Beat - then Pistols, Clash and Dolls for home anger management for myself. Knew that I had found the girl for me when she danced in the car to this casette tape. Been married 25yrs now - still go into the office, shut the door, and bomp a little with a grin. Dont really care who sees.

Lynne B

Comment on May 30th, 2008.

i saw Nervus Rex back in the early 80's (i think at Danceteria) and my roommate had the album. We used to dance around the apartment to it all the time. Recently, i got a craving to hear "The God Sheila" but all i could remember was that the band did "Venus." i was so happy when someone figured out the name of the band for me. i bought the album on Ebay and it is really starting my weekend off right!

Sue

Comment on September 26th, 2008.

Man, I thought I was the only one that had this album! Love it! I do have it on cassette although the quality is probably lacking. Will have to see if I can find it online.

Good times... & thank you for letting me listen :)

Anonymous

Comment on December 11th, 2008.

ahh but what about the FLIPside of "Don't Look''! To be found nowhere else but THERE! The one about listening to 'classical radio' and counting the stars above! And they actually start counting right there on the record! And the tune is tighter and more delirious-love invoking than a dryad's whatsit on whitsunday fullmoon on full tilt and falling directly to Earearth!

David Schwab

Comment on January 26th, 2009.

I still have this album on vinyl. I really liked it then, and it's great to hear Sheila again. I'll have to break down and buy a turn table one of these days to listen to all the vinyl I have that hasn't been issued on CD. Nice to see Shawn is still around! My old band The Jetsonz (the one from NJ, not AZ!) used to do Venus inspired by the Rex version.

Tunescout

Comment on February 5th, 2009.

I've enjoyed reading this thread. Back in 1981, I bought the LP 'Nervus Rex' at a local record store based on the snazzy new-wave cover alone, purely on a whim ... and I wasn't disappointed. I liked almost every song, but little mention is made of my personal favorite, "Spies." Just loved the driving rhythm of that number, and my dorm room roommate used to jam with it on his electric bass. I too googled the name of this band just to see if anything was out there about them ... and here I am.

Johnny V.

Comment on June 12th, 2009.

One of my favorite albums, from a great moment in NYC back in the day. I will never forget having seen Nervus Rex at a club - Danceteria? - and then, a few weeks later, running into them on the West 4th St. subway station platform. Hi, I said, and they were thrilled. And so was I! I still have the vinyl LP and recently sucked it into my computer. Thanks for the great discussion.

Eric

Comment on July 16th, 2009.

Actually ended up working with Jonathan Gildersleeve in Seattle for a short time around 1991 or so. He was an interesting cat who I think had seen better days. Anyway, he made me a cassette of the Nervous Rex record and I am trying to come up with it....most likely in my big box o tapes. Thanks for posting the tune!

Matthew Male

Comment on March 11th, 2010.

Lauren Agnelli is alive and well doing music in CT, withThe Small Town Concert Series
www.myspace.come/smalltownconcertseries
I have a cd of Nervus Rex.....

ross

Comment on March 17th, 2010.

Haha, I can't believe there's a whole thread for Nervus Rex. Ok so back in the day, they had opened for a very famous band which I can't remember anymore because it's been 30 years. I was one of those little adolescent nightclub denizens, working in Danceteria and Peppermint Lounge doing odd jobs like postering and elevator and coatcheck... anyway I had seen them several times, I had made friends with them, Lauren was always the hyperactive energetic self-promoter, and Sean was the quiet but friendly Artiste, but especially Jonathan and his girlfriend/ bass player Diane Athey, a tall blonde striking drink of water if ever there was one. Why she is never mentioned in their brief history is beyond me.
So, quick mini-story here, after one of their shows, I had Jonathan and Diane over to my place (actually it was my mom's) at 2am and I made them frozen pizza, (Ellio's) which they said was better than they expected, because I added American Cheese to it. (Really, I was a kid, that's all that happened. )
Ahh the memories... And my mom slept through this amazing brush with quasi-stardom.
I shared a cab with Iggy Pop once and that wasn't nearly as fun.

Ben

Comment on May 6th, 2010.

Yes it's on CD now. I just got it last week. I saw them Play at Queens College Cellar in NYC around 1980 with The Bongos and The Feelies. A wonderful night to be sure. http://www.amazon.com/Nervus-Rex/dp/B002QF325W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1273146683&sr=8-1

Sue

Comment on May 6th, 2010.

Awesome! Thanks for updating this post!

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