Album: The Stone Roses
Year: 1989
. . .
One of my long-held theories is that a great album needs a great second song. Like, even — or actually, especially — if the opener is an all-time banger, then following it up with a song that also slays is the first indication that particular album will be in your head for the rest of your life.
And so as Murmur had “Pilgrimage,” Whos next had “Bargain,” Boys and Girls in America had “Chips Ahoy,” The Stone Roses has “She Bangs The Drums,” which is as pitch-perfect of a psychedelic power pop song that’s ever been recorded and yet also could have been better.
Starting up just after “I Wanna Be Adored” has faded away, “She Bangs The Drums” comes rumbling out of your speakers, led by Mani’s bassline and John Squire’s guitar, already heading for the stratosphere, which is where the rest of the song is going to reside, as Ian Brown starts singing about his love — OK, lust — for a female drummer.
I can feel the earth begin to move
I hear my needle hit the groove
And spiral through another day
I hear my song begin to say
Kiss me where the sun don’t shine
The past was yours
But the future’s mine
You’re all out of time
The couplet about the past being yours and the future’s his is a oft-quoted bit of of Ian Brown arrogance, but I love how John Squire lays off when he declares “you’re all out of time.” And speaking of arrogance, rather than heading straight into the all-time all-time chorus, they makes us wait through a second verse.
I don’t feel too steady on my feet
I feel hollow I feel weak
Passion fruit and holy bread
Fill my guts and ease my head
Through the early morning sun
I can see her, here she comes
She bangs the drums
And then with no warning, they glide into what is easily one of the all-time greatest power pop choruses: up there with “A Million Miles Away,” or “Starry Eyes” or “The Kids Are Alright” or anything that human beings have ever devised. It’s that good, that gorgeous, that life-affirming, even — or once again, especially — if it’s about wanting to bang the drum-banger.
Have you seen her
have you heard
The way she plays? There are no words
To describe the way I feel
How could it ever come to pass?
She’ll be the first, she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel
With both John Squire and Reni on the harmonies — Reni had also been doing harmonies on the verses — I’ve heard that chorus a zillion times in the past 30 years, and it’s never failed to affect me; never failed to make me smile if not sing. And in fact, having unleashed it, they never go back to the verses, knowing that there are no other words possible.
Instead, there’s a long guitar break by John Squire, who solos and riffs and lays off and slams on and gives you just enough time to miss that chorus before setting it up once again.
Have you seen her, have you heard
The way she plays? There are no words
To describe the way I feel
How could it ever come to pass?
She’ll be the first, she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel
And then they do it again, with Ian Brown holding out one last “the way I feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel”, and here is where The Stone Roses miss making their utterly transcendent song that much more transcendent. All they had to do is for Brown, Squire and Reni do a “la-la-la-la-la-la” chorus at the fade, and this utterly perfect thing on god’s green Earth could have been perfecter.
But that’s just a quibble, “She Bangs The Drums” remains beyond belief on every level, and if it was the only great song on The Stone Roses, that would be enough for me. But wasn’t, not by a long shot.
“She Bangs The Drums”
“She Bangs The Drums” Official Video
“She Bangs The Drums” Live in Blackpool, 1989
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