# Oh Sheila

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"**Oh Sheila**" is a song by American R&B band [Ready for the World](/source/Ready_for_the_World). Released as a single in 1985, it reached number one on the US [*Billboard* Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100), the *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))* [Hot Black Singles](/source/Hot_R%26B/Hip-Hop_Songs) chart, and the *Billboard* [Hot Dance/Disco Club Play](/source/Hot_Dance_Club_Songs) 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](/source/Love_You_Down)".

The song is commonly misattributed to [Prince](/source/Prince_(musician)), due to the similarities to his vocal and musical style, heavy use of the detuned [rimshot](/source/Rimshot) in courtesy of a [Linn](/source/Linn_Electronics) machine, and the belief that the song's lyrics allude to frequent Prince collaborator [Sheila E.](/source/Sheila_E.)[4][5]

The use of a faux [British accent](/source/British_English) 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."[6]

## Track listings

**7-inch vinyl version**

1. "Oh Sheila" (single version) – 3:36
1. "I'm the One Who Loves You" – 3:20

**12-inch vinyl version**

1. "Oh Sheila" (extended version) – 6:48
1. "Oh Sheila" (Dubstramental) – 4:00
1. "Oh Sheila" (a cappella)" – 3:54

## Charts

### Weekly charts

Chart (1985) Peak position Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 14 US Billboard Hot 100[8] 1 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[8] 6 US Hot Black Singles (Billboard)[8] 1 US Hot Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[8] 1 US Cash Box[9] 3

### Year-end charts

Chart (1985) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 27 US Billboard Hot 100[11] 31 US Cash Box[12] 40

## Angel City version

In 1999, Dutch [dance](/source/Electronic_dance_music) duo [Angel City](/source/Zentveld_%26_Oomen) covered the song, featuring vocals by British singer [Lara McAllen](/source/Lara_McAllen). The song was first released in 1999 and again in 2003. It is the lead single from the band's 2005 debut album, *[Love Me Right](/source/Love_Me_Right_(Angel_City_album))*. Angel City's version retains the verses from the original song but changes the chorus.

"Love Me Right (Oh Sheila)" reached number 11 on the [UK Singles Chart](/source/UK_Singles_Chart) and number 95 on the U.S. [*Billboard* Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100), becoming their first charting single in the latter. The single also charted in Belgium and the Netherlands.

### Charts

#### Weekly charts

Chart (1999) Peak position

Chart (2003–2004) Peak position Hungary (Editors' Choice Top 40)[13] 35 US Billboard Hot 100[14] 95 US Dance Radio Airplay (Billboard)[15] 1

#### Year-end charts

Chart (2003) Position UK Singles (OCC)[16] 174

Chart (2004) Position US Dance Radio Airplay (Billboard)[17] 9

## See also

- [List of *Billboard* Hot 100 number-one singles of 1985](/source/List_of_Billboard_Hot_100_number-one_singles_of_1985)
- [List of number-one dance singles of 1985 (U.S.)](/source/List_of_number-one_dance_singles_of_1985_(U.S.))
- [List of number-one R&B singles of 1985 (U.S.)](/source/List_of_number-one_R%26B_singles_of_1985_(U.S.))
- [List of number-one singles of 1985 (Canada)](/source/List_of_number-one_singles_of_1985_(Canada))
- [List of number-one dance airplay hits of 2004 (U.S.)](/source/List_of_number-one_dance_airplay_hits_of_2004_(U.S.))

## References

1. Breihan, Tom (28 October 2020). ["The Number Ones: Ready for the World's "Oh Sheila""](https://www.stereogum.com/2103717/the-number-ones-ready-for-the-worlds-oh-sheila/columns/the-number-ones). *[Stereogum](/source/Stereogum)*. Retrieved 27 October 2022.

1. Smith, Troy L. (13 May 2021). ["Every No. 1 song of the 1980s ranked from worst to best"](https://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/2021/05/every-no-1-song-of-the-1980s-ranked-from-mad-bogus-to-totally-bodacious.html). *[Cleveland.com](/source/Cleveland.com)*. Retrieved 30 January 2023.

1. Slomowicz, DJ Ron. ["Lara McAllen/Angel City Interview"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110927085632/http://dancemusic.about.com/cs/interviews/a/LaraMcAllenInt.htm). *[About.com](/source/About.com)*. Archived from [the original](http://dancemusic.about.com/cs/interviews/a/LaraMcAllenInt.htm) on September 27, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2014.

1. ["The Prince Hit That Wasn't a Prince Hit"](http://www.grammy365.com/news/prince-hit-wasnt-prince-hit). [Grammy.com](/source/Grammy_Award). [The Recording Academy](/source/National_Academy_of_Recording_Arts_and_Sciences). May 12, 2011. Retrieved November 19, 2013.

1. DeKnock, Jan (October 13, 1985). ["Ready For the World on Top with Prince-like 'Oh Sheila'"](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1985/10/13/ready-for-the-world-on-top-with-prince-like-oh-sheila/). *[The Orlando Sentinel](/source/The_Orlando_Sentinel)*. Retrieved November 19, 2013.

1. Jackson, Dana (December 5, 1985). ["This Group's Finally Ready for the World"](https://www.chicagotribune.com/1985/12/05/this-groups-finally-ready-for-the-world/). *[Chicago Tribune](/source/Chicago_Tribune)*. Retrieved June 5, 2018.

1. Kent, David (1993). *Australian Chart Book 1970–1992*. illustrated ed. [St Ives, N.S.W.](/source/St_Ives,_New_South_Wales): Australian Chart Book. p. 247. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.

1. ["Ready for the World – Awards"](http://www.allmusic.com/album/ready-for-the-world-mw0000650673/awards). [AllMusic](/source/AllMusic). Retrieved August 1, 2013.

1. ["CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending OCTOBER 12, 1985"](http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19851012.html). *[Cash Box](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121001214444/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/19851012.html) October 1, 2012 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["RPM's Top 100 Singles of 1985"](http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/image.aspx?Image=nlc008388.0619&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fwww.collectionscanada.gc.ca%2fobj%2f028020%2ff4%2fnlc008388.0619.gif&Ecopy=nlc008388.0619). *[RPM](/source/RPM_(magazine))*. [Library and Archives Canada](/source/Library_and_Archives_Canada). Retrieved March 1, 2018.

1. ["Top 100 Hits for 1985"](http://longboredsurfer.com/charts/1985). *The Longbored Surfer*. Retrieved April 23, 2014.

1. ["The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1985"](http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html). *[Cash Box](/source/Cashbox_(magazine))*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20121001214739/http://cashboxmagazine.com/archives/80s_files/1985YESP.html) October 1, 2012 at the Wayback Machine.

1. ["2004/16. heti Editors' Choice Top 40 slágerlista"](https://slagerlistak.hu/editors-choice-radios-jatszasi-lista/2004/16) (in Hungarian). [MAHASZ](/source/Association_of_Hungarian_Record_Companies). Retrieved April 30, 2025.

1. ["Billboard Hot 100"](https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100/2004-03-27/). *[Billboard](/source/Billboard_(magazine))*. March 27, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.

1. ["Dance/Mix Show Airplay"](https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-dance-airplay/2004-04-03/). *Billboard*. April 3, 2004. Retrieved February 1, 2024.

1. ["The Official UK Singles Chart 2003"](http://www.ukchartsplus.co.uk/ChartsPlusYE2003.pdf). *[UKChartsPlus](/source/UKChartsPlus)*. Retrieved December 3, 2021.

1. "2004 The Year in Music: Hot Dance Airplay". *Billboard*. Vol. 116, no. 52. December 25, 2004. p. YE-61.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Oh Sheila](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Sheila) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oh_Sheila?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.