Oh Sheila

"Oh Sheila"
Artwork for US and some other territorial releases
Single by Ready for the World
from the album Ready for the World
B-side"I'm the One Who Loves You"
Released1985 (1985)
Genre
Length
  • 4:00 (album version)
  • 3:36 (single version)
LabelMCA
Songwriter(s)
  • Melvin Riley Jr.
  • Gordon Strozier
  • Gerald Valentine
Producer(s)Ready for the World
Ready for the World singles chronology
"Deep Inside Your Love"
(1985)
"Oh Sheila"
(1985)
"Digital Display"
(1985)
Music video
"Oh Sheila” on YouTube

"Oh Sheila" is a song by American R&B band Ready for the World. Released as a single in 1985, it reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, the Billboard Hot Black Singles chart, and the Billboard Hot Dance/Disco Club Play chart. It was the first of two chart toppers for the band on the Billboard R&B chart, preceding their 1986 number-one R&B hit "Love You Down".

The song is commonly misattributed to Prince, due to the similarities to his vocal and musical style, heavy use of the detuned rimshot sound of a drum machine, and the belief that the song's lyrics allude to frequent Prince collaborator Sheila E.[3][4]

The use of a faux British accent during parts of the song was the preference of singer Melvin Riley Jr., who said "I like that kind of accent, so I thought I'd use that sound."[5]

  1. ^ Breihan, Tom (28 October 2020). "The Number Ones: Ready for the World's "Oh Sheila"". Stereogum. Retrieved 27 October 2022.
  2. ^ Smith, Troy L. (13 May 2021). "Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best". Cleveland.com. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  3. ^ "The Prince Hit That Wasn't a Prince Hit". Grammy.com. The Recording Academy. May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  4. ^ DeKnock, Jan (October 13, 1985). "Ready For the World on Top with Prince-like 'Oh Sheila'". The Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved November 19, 2013.
  5. ^ Jackson, Dana (December 5, 1985). "This Group's Finally Ready for the World". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 5, 2018.