Shame (Eurythmics song)

"Shame"
Single by Eurythmics
from the album Savage
Released 7 December 1987
Format 7", 12", CD, cassette single
Recorded May 1987
Genre Synthpop
Label RCA Records
Producer(s) David A. Stewart
Eurythmics singles chronology
"Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)"
(1987)		 "Shame"
(1987)		 "I Need a Man"
(1988)

"Shame" is a song recorded by British pop music duo Eurythmics. It was written by band members Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart and produced by Stewart. The song appears on the duo's seventh album Savage and was released as the second single in the UK. "Shame" was not released in the United States.

The track is a synthpop ballad in which the protagonist expresses regret and disdain for excessive and shallow lifestyles led by those who frequent nightclubs, bars, parties and the like. The lyrics namecheck The Beatles and The Rolling Stones and mentions the song "All You Need is Love".

"Shame" stalled at number forty-one in the UK singles chart, the first Eurythmics single to miss the UK Top 40 since "Julia" in 1985.[1]

Track listings

7":RCA (UK, GER, FR, SP, AUS, JP)

  1. "Shame" (7" Version) – 3:46
  2. "I've Got A Lover (Back In Japan)" (LP Version) – 4:33

12":RCA (UK, GER, FR, SP, AUS)

  1. "Shame" (Dance Mix) – 5:44
  2. "I've Got A Lover (Back In Japan)" (LP Version) – 4:33
  3. "Shame" (LP Version) – 4:23

CD Single:RCA (UK, GER)

  1. "Shame" (Dance Mix) – 5:44
  2. "I've Got A Lover (Back In Japan)" (LP Version) – 4:33
  3. "There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)" (Live Version)* – 7:15

Critical reception

William Ruhlmann of Allmusic reviewed the Savage album and highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.[2]

In the Spin magazine of March 1988, under the "Spin's Platter du Jour" section was a track by track review of the album. For "Shame", the article stated "According to many theosophists and metaphysicians, glamour is one of the most dangerous forms of Maya. But according to a clever minority, glamour is also one of the most potentially tonic and healing forms of information. In fact, as a result of this antiphonal love manifesto, I feel better already."[3]

In Musician magazine, Issues 111-116 (Amordian Press), a review of the album stated "...Savage is full of such sonic oxymorons, from the icy passion of "Shame" to the sinister snobbery of "Beethoven (I Love to Listen to)," making this an interesting set of mind games but nothing you'd play often."[4] In Spare Rib, Volumes 174-185 (Spare Ribs Limited), a review of the album spoke of the song, where it noted that the lyrics covered "success and disilllusion".[5] Writer Thom Duffy of The Orlando Sentinel reviewed the album for issue of 10 January 1988 and stated "Shame" and "Savage" are slow, ethereal arrangements."[6]

Robert Hilburn reviewed the album for the The Bulletin issue of 4 March 1988. He stated "Most of the lyrics come off as ehtist cynicism. Love is the culprit in virtually every instance. In the Eurythmics' version of it. The B-movie-script quality that marks most of the songs mocks the very idea of romantic intimacy. In that respect Savage is consistent with the rest of the Eurythmics' work. There is a fearsome disrespect for conventional roles. "Shame," especially, tatkes on the idea of raised expectations generated by the media and nails it down as patently false. Everything is a con job...everything from movies to TV to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones."[7]

In the Daily News of Los Angeles of 25 December 1987, a review of the album stated "We see a bewigged Annie Lennox locked in a Medusa's stare, her lips lacquered like a Saks Fifth Avenue mannequin. But place the album on the turntable, and Lennox sniffs at the very stylishness she traffics on the cover. "Now there's a lifestyle/With painted lips/Now there's a lifestyle/ Everybody wants it/But it don't exist/And I said shame..."[8]

The Toledo Blade of 24 March 1988 featured a review/article based on the album, which stated "The savagery of Savage lurks just under the lipstick smear and neon glow of society. Songs like "I Need a Man," "Beethoven," "Shame" and others sound lush and full, but the plea in the lyrics is almost desperate: a human longing to be touched instead of crushed by others. Beneath the big beat and synth wash, the Eurythmics write simple songs concerned with the most basic of human desires - to be loved or wanted or needed, even if that need becomes a form of abuse."

Chart performance

Chart (1987/1988) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[9] 39
Belgian Singles Chart 25
Dutch Singles Chart[10] 44
French Singles Chart[11] 36
German Singles Chart[12] 53
New Zealand Singles Chart[13] 23
Italian Singles Chart[14] 28
Polish Singles Chart 17
South African Singles Chart[15] 16
UK Singles Chart[1] 41

References

  1. 1 2 "Official Charts > Eurythmics". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-09-07.
  2. ↑ Ruhlmann, William (1987-11-14). "Savage - Eurythmics : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  3. ↑ SPIN - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  4. ↑ Musician - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  5. ↑ Spare Rib - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  6. ↑ Duffy, Thom (1988-01-10). "Archives - OrlandoSentinel.com". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  7. ↑ "The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  8. ↑ http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LA&p_theme=la&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EF51681A11AA42B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  9. ↑ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives: Australian Chart Book. p. 105. ISBN 0-646-11917-6. N.B. The Kent Report chart was licensed by ARIA between 1983 and 19 June 1988.
  10. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Shame". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  11. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
  12. ↑ musicline.de / PhonoNet GmbH. "Chartverfolgung / Eurythmics / Single". musicline.de. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  13. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Shame". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  14. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: E". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  15. ↑ Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
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