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
Songwriter(s) Annie Lennox and David A. Stewart,
Producer(s) David A. Stewart
Eurythmics singles chronology
"Beethoven (I Love to Listen To)"
(1987)		 "Shame"
(1987)		 "I Need a Man"
(1988)

"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
  • live version recorded in Sydney, 1987

Critical reception

Upon release, Musician described the song as having "icy passion".[2] The Orlando Sentinel felt "Shame" was a "slow, ethereal arrangement."[3] In a retrospective review of Savage, AllMusic highlighted the song as an album standout by labeling it an AMG Pick Track.[4]

The Toledo Blade noted the songs on the album like "Shame" "sound lush and full, but the plea in the lyrics is almost desperate: a human longing to be touched instead of crushed by others." The Bulletin commented that "Shame" "takes 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."[5] Spare Rib considered the lyrics to cover "success and disillusion".[6]

Chart performance

Chart (1987/1988) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] 39
Belgian Singles Chart[8] 37
Dutch Singles Chart[9] 44
French Singles Chart[10] 36
German Singles Chart[11] 53
New Zealand Singles Chart[12] 23
Italian Singles Chart[13] 28
Polish Singles Chart 17
South African Singles Chart[14] 16
UK Singles Chart[1] 41

References

  1. 1 2 "Official Charts > Eurythmics". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved 2016-09-07.
  2. ↑ Musician - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1988. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  3. ↑ Duffy, Thom (1988-01-10). "Archives - OrlandoSentinel.com". Pqasb.pqarchiver.com. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  4. ↑ Ruhlmann, William (1987-11-14). "Savage - Eurythmics : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  5. ↑ "The Bulletin - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 2014-09-22.
  6. ↑ Spare Rib - Google Books. Books.google.co.uk. 1987. Retrieved 2013-04-29.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ http://www.ultratop.be/nl/song/3849/Eurythmics-Shame
  9. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Shame". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  10. ↑ "InfoDisc : Tout les Titres par Artiste". infodisc.fr. Retrieved 2011-08-12.
  11. ↑ musicline.de / PhonoNet GmbH. "Chartverfolgung / Eurythmics / Single". musicline.de. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  12. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Eurythmics - Shame". charts.org.nz. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  13. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia - Indice per Interprete: E". Hitparadeitalia.it. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
  14. ↑ Brian Currin. "South African Rock Lists Website - SA Charts 1969 - 1989 Acts (E)". Rock.co.za. Retrieved 2011-06-09.
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