"Sheena Is a Punk Rocker" is a song by the punk rock group Ramones. It first appeared on their third LP Rocket to Russia in 1977, and was also included on later pressings of the group's second album Leave Home (it replaced "Carbona Not Glue" on "Leave Home" due to complaints/threatened legal action by the manufacturers of Carbona cleaning fluid). It was released as a single, reaching #81 in the US, and #22 in the UK singles charts, backed with "I Don't Care", which was also included on Rocket to Russia.
The song was written by Joey Ramone, and is one of the Ramones' more popular and enduring songs, showing the band's surf rock influences.
The song is ranked #457 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The song appears in the Stephen King movie Pet Sematary. In the film, a truck driver about to run over a child is distracted by singing along to the tune. The Ramones also wrote and performed the theme song "Pet Sematary".
The song is adapted by The Horrors with their similarly titled song "Sheena Is a Parasite" and by The Cramps with "Sheena's in a Goth Gang".
"Danny Says" on the Ramones 1980 album End of the Century includes the lyrics "Listening to Sheena on the radio".
The song inspired a poem, also called "Sheena Is a Punk Rocker", by Robert Archambeau.
One of the Living Dead Dolls is named Sheena, and is depicted in punk clothing, a reference to the song.
Read more about Sheena Is A Punk Rocker: Cover Versions
Famous quotes containing the words punk and/or rocker:
“When there’s no future
How can there be sin
We’re the flowers in the dustbin
We’re the poison in your human machine
We’re the future
Your future
God Save the Queen”
—The Sex Pistols, British punk band (1976-1979)
“I’d been in Burbank for three days, trying to suffuse a really dull-looking rocker with charisma.... It is possible to photograph what isn’t there; it’s damned hard to do, and consequently a very marketable talent.”
—William Gibson (b. 1948)