On 17th July 1989, The Stone Roses released a single that would help define an entire musical era. Thirty‑six years later, on 17th July 2025, She Bangs the Drums still stands as one of the most iconic tracks to emerge from Manchester’s legendary scene.
She Bangs the Drums was the second single lifted from The Stone Roses’ self‑titled debut album, where it proudly sits as track two. From the very first chiming guitar line, the song feels alive:
- John Squire’s bright, jangling riffs.
- Mani’s rolling, melodic bass.
- Reni’s funky, danceable drumming.
- Ian Brown’s dreamy, swagger‑laden vocal.
Produced by John Leckie, it perfectly blends indie anthem and dancefloor groove, with lyrics that feel like a manifesto for youth, freedom, and optimism:
“The past was yours but the future’s mine…”
Back in 1989, this track gave the band their first UK Top 40 hit, peaking at No.36—a modest chart position, but a massive cultural breakthrough. Alongside I Wanna Be Adored, Waterfall and Made of Stone, it cemented their debut album as one of the greatest in British music history.
(For collectors: the single featured Standing Here as a B‑side and exists in both album and single‑mix forms.)
The Stone Roses Among Manchester’s Finest
Manchester has a musical heritage like no other, and She Bangs the Drums is part of a lineage that includes some of the city’s most influential bands. Here’s how they compare:
Joy Division – The Haunting Architects
To understand how radical She Bangs the Drums felt, look back a decade. Joy Division had already put Manchester on the map with their stark, post‑punk atmospheres and Ian Curtis’s haunting voice.
- Minimalist rhythms.
- A cold, hypnotic drive.
- Lyrics steeped in alienation and despair.
The Stone Roses inherited that hypnotic repetition but flipped the mood completely. Where Joy Division stared into the void, The Roses invited you to dance in the sun.
The Smiths – The Poetic Outsiders
In the mid‑80s, The Smiths brought jangling guitar pop to the forefront. Morrissey’s razor‑sharp lyrics over Johnny Marr’s glittering guitar lines became the blueprint for indie music. John Squire clearly drew inspiration from Marr’s intricate playing, but The Roses swapped The Smiths’ introspection for something brighter and more euphoric. They didn’t just observe ordinary life—they celebrated it.
Oasis – The Loud Inheritors
By the mid‑90s, Oasis had become the new global face of Manchester rock. Noel Gallagher has often credited The Stone Roses for shaping his songwriting and style. Oasis took the swagger and colour of She Bangs the Drums and amplified it into stadium‑sized anthems. Without The Roses blazing the trail, there might never have been Supersonic, Live Forever or the Britpop boom that followed.
A Bridge Between Eras
The Stone Roses arrived at a perfect moment. Post‑punk had cooled, and indie needed a new spark. Their music brought psychedelic colour back to grey skies, injected groove into guitar music, and gave people a reason to dance again.
She Bangs the Drums was never just a single—it was a statement. It carried that Mancunian DNA forward:
- Rhythms that lock you in.
- Guitars that shimmer and sparkle.
- Lyrics that mix street‑level cool with poetic ambition.
Still Banging the Drums
Today, 17th July 2025, She Bangs the Drums remains a festival highlight, a club favourite, and a soundtrack to late‑night playlists everywhere. Thirty‑six years on, it still feels electric—proof that truly great music doesn’t age, it just keeps echoing through new generations.
Want more? Explore our full rundown of The Stone Roses’ biggest tracks and dive deeper into the sound that made Manchester a musical capital of the world.
The past was theirs, but the future is still theirs too—and ours every time that opening riff rings out.
