Random Appreciation: "Shame Is The Name"

Fiona

Love Morrissey ♥
I have become obsessed with the song, "Shame Is The Name" lately. I absolutely love it. If audio could be addictive, this song would be my drug.

I think it's hypnotic, generously melodious, and completely perfect, musically and lyrically. I can't be more precise, because it's about how this song makes me feel, more than anything else.

Two random facts about me and this song:

#01 I listened to this whilst making my breakfast this morning, and ended up dancing so oddly that my cat became fearful and scarpered,
#02 I listened to this song on a journey to work today, my iPod switched up high, and listened to Shame Is The Name on a loop four times in a row, before I dared try and play another song.

This song makes me feel a little crazy, and happy.

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Re: Random Appreciation: "Shame Is The Name."

cool, i love swords. its one of my fav releases
 
Re: Random Appreciation: "Shame Is The Name."

Please, Fiona, use the search function.
 
Re: Random Appreciation: "Shame Is The Name."

"Politician, can you listen
To yourself for just once in your life?"

I love how that part is sung.
 
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Re: Random Appreciation: "Shame Is The Name."

How very strange: just this morning I had a sudden desire to hear "Shame is the Name." Probably because Chrissie Hynde just did a big interview, and reminded me what a funny, kick-ass gal she's always been. What a life she's lived!

Chrissie is now (and has always been) my favorite female vocalist. She's a wonderful, (underrated) lyricist as well. I wish they would work together more often - they certainly seem to enjoy each other's company enough.
 
seems more reasonable to start a new thread than dig up a very old one. more common and useful as well.
 
seems more reasonable to start a new thread than dig up a very old one. more common and useful as well.

Yes, true. Can't really see what harm it causes to have a fresh discussion on a forum. The 10+ threads listed above don't seem to have caused any online Armageddon.

Thanks for your replies everyone! Every now and then, a song just seems to grab you and it's a fab feeling. I can see this song eventually ranking high on my favourites list :)
 
agreed fiona, nothing fell from the sky. seems to be a higher priority to follow some technocratical rule set that follows to them and there time here than making this placing a welcoming space for discussion. its about them and not a discussion.
 
Good thead Fiona.

I like Shame Is The Name, although there are much stronger songs on Swords, such as Ganglord and The Never Played Symphonies.
 
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This song has never done anything for me, positive or negative. It just IS, with little in the way of dynamics. I suspect there were stronger Whyte collaborations left unfinished for Years of Refusal.
 
To my ears it adds to the "Morrissey's b-sides are often his best songs" legend.
I kind of reckon it's how The Smiths might have/could have/would have/should have sounded, had they not split.
 
agreed. i love swords and can play it back to front with only a little cringe for like the last two songs or such. children in pieces and the like im not to keen on
 
Lanterns - Thanks for your comments :) I most definitely AM still on a "Shame" related high. My husband thinks I have become slightly obsessed with the track, and has blamed me for the fact that the song is now stuck in his head, on a loop, and haunting him in his dreams ;)
 
Good thread Fiona - I've always loved 'Shame'. One of his 10 best songs this century, IMHO.
What's so good about it?
The brilliant, windswept harmonica line that drifts in and out of the song - first use in a Moz-sung song since Hand in Glove?
The fantastically melodic keyboard line that comes to the fore in the middle 8.
The guitar work - simple but pleasing, love the crunchy descending line at the end of the middle 8.
Chrissie Hynde's dreamy backing vocals - a perfect foil to Morrissey's baritone.
The words are great too. Morrissey's use of the vernacular, and the way he addresses both genders equally (as he does in so many of his best songs).
The subject matter - fresh and modern and relevant, unlike 93% of Morrissey's 21st century lyrics.
Love the way Moz dispenses careers advice to feckless youth - "What's your dreams, your goals, your ambitions and your aims?".
The ending is perfect - just Hynde and Morrissey harmonising on the phrase "Shame makes the world go round" before Hynde leaves Morrissey to sing it one last time on his own, a cappella.
When Swords came out, I said this should have been released to radio as a single. A real missed opportunity as it's one of a tiny number of Morrissey songs that would actually sound great without the singing.
 
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When Swords came out, I said this should have been released to radio as a single. A real missed opportunity as it's one of a tiny number of Morrissey songs that would actually sound great without the singing.

But recall that Swords is a compilation album. Unless it was a new song recorded especially for the compilation, it would have made little sense to release "Shame Is The Name" as a single. It had already been a B-side to "I'm Throwing My Arms Around Paris."
 
a lot of people just buy albums and no singles here in the u.s. so unless there fans like us i dont think theyd have heard it and i do think it would be fine as a single. recordings already done so theres no extra cost there. if its a digital single as no one buys physical singles since like 1989 here then all it does is quietly promote an album, a comp, at little to no extra cost so every person that it does reach is a plus and those that already have it and dont care arent harmed so whats the downside. seems like only pluses with little to no cost to promote a comp album that people wouldnt pay to promote anyway. plus the guest spot would also draw in people who maybe arent morrissey fans if they become aware shes on it a collaboration if they hear it.

also good call on some of those statements, the harmonica etc. good stuff
 
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