She Bangs The Drums

The Stone Roses

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

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

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

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

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


Lyrics submitted by Bo

She Bangs The Drums Lyrics as written by John Squire Ian George Brown

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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She Bangs The Drums song meanings
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33 Comments

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  • +8
    General Comment
    I always wondered what this song was about until one day on the way home from work, I was thinking about a woman who at the time I was madly in love with and my stomach was pounding and this song came on and then it clicked, She Bangs The Drums!
    jamiebassnetton May 10, 2004   Link
  • +5
    My Interpretation
    to me, it's a conversation with an ex. it starts off with: Kiss me where the sun don't shine The past was yours But the future's mine You're all out of time and ends up trying to describe what it feels like to be in a relationship with someone who just absolutely 'gets' you (soulmate - maybe). someone who just turns your head and internal organs into mush and you can literally feel your heart pounding in your chest when you see her or talk to her on the phone. but that's just my take on it.
    knightindullarmoron December 23, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    I used to really fancy a girl at college. Didn't see her for a while and thought she had left. On day she walked into the canteen and I swear I heard this song playing. Problem is this was in 1984, years before the song was even written. Perhaps when a song is this good it has always just sort of been there anyway, in the fabric of the universe,or something. She said "No", by the way.
    badgerboyon April 26, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    Okay, so I feel like I'm going to get in trouble for being too *out there* about this song, especially one which seems to have fairly straightforward lyrics but... I think the lyrics of this song seems to have a ton of innuendo...they seem simply to be an analogy between playing a song and being madly in love but when he talks about his 'needle hitting the grove' I think not just about the needle of a record player but also making a girl cry out while making love...especially since they're kissing where the sun don't shine... And why do you suppose he's unsteady on his feet? Why does he feel hollow and weak? Is he just dizzy from his heart going in circles or is he trying to get it up before she comes...yeah comes...? : \ I don't know...the song is straightforward in any case, it's obviously about a guy who's absolutely crazy for someone but I think the drums that she's banging aren't all just instruments...
    NPC3000on June 20, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    This could be about a smack induced experience! "I can feel the earth begin to move I hear my needle hit the groove (vein) And spiral through another day" and: "I don't feel too steady on my feet I feel hollow I feel weak" This interpretation is not nearly as romantic as jamiebassnett put it ;) ctid is probably correct tho'...
    pix101on December 01, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    My opinion has always been that she bangs the drums means she makes my heart race. Its about having a crush.
    lazyituson December 15, 2010   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation
    First verse is that feeling when you're young where you feel great and you're getting better everyday and nothing can stop you. Like "it's my time now". Saying to the generation before "the past is yours but the future's mine" get out of my way. Feels like someone going about to go out on a night out. Second verse sounds like coming home after an all-nighter knackered with a girl who then fucks your brains out. Never again will you be so in tune with someone. Even that person, it was a one off moment. That's my feeling anyway.
    Longpigon July 16, 2015   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    People have commented that it's about an ex, but theres a lot of the present tense in the lyrics, "here she comes, she bangs the drums" so it's not about an ex. the song is obviously about a woman, but i think it's also just a general song about feeling something, feeling love, feeling joy and happiness, it doesn't need to have some deep meaning.
    chris11796on June 05, 2021   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    jamiebassnett that's brilliant!
    clockworkon September 26, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I reckon Jamiebassnett still points at planes ! einstein or what
    Matt Parryon December 22, 2004   Link

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