Shame, Shame, Shame (Shirley & Company song)

Last updated
"Shame, Shame, Shame"
SandC Shame.jpg
Single by Shirley & Company
from the album Shame, Shame, Shame
B-side
  • "More Shame" (U.K., Europe)
  • "Shame, Shame, Shame" (Instrumental) (U.S.)
ReleasedDecember 1974
Recorded1974
Studio Soul Sound Studios, Englewood, New Jersey
Genre
Length3:47
Label Vibration
Songwriter(s) Sylvia Robinson
Shirley & Company singles chronology
"Shame, Shame, Shame"
(1974)
"Cry, Cry, Cry"
(1975)
Music video
Shirley & Company - Shame, Shame, Shame • TopPop on YouTube

"Shame, Shame, Shame" is a 1974 hit song written by Sylvia Robinson, performed by American disco band Shirley & Company and released on the Vibration label. The female vocalist is Shirley Goodman, who was one half of Shirley & Lee, who had enjoyed a major hit 18 years earlier, in 1956, with the song "Let The Good Times Roll" for Aladdin Records. The male vocalist is Jesus Alvarez. [2] The saxophone solo is by Seldon Powell, whose instrumental version, "More Shame", is the B-side. [3] [4] [5]

Contents

The track, with its prominent use of the Bo Diddley beat, was one of the first international disco hits and reached number 12 on the Billboard charts. It also made number one on the Billboard soul singles chart for one week. [6] The phrases "got my sun roof down, got my diamond in the back" appeared as "diamond in the back, sun roof top" in William DeVaughn's 1974 hit "Be Thankful for What You Got" [7] and "one monkey don't stop no show" was used as the title of Honey Cone's 1971 hit "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (Part 1)" and several others.

"Shame, Shame, Shame" also stayed at number one on the Billboard disco/dance charts for four weeks. [8] A full-length album, Shame, Shame, Shame was subsequently recorded and released in 1975. [9]

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1974–75)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report) [10] [11] 16
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [12] 1
Belgium (Ultratop Flanders) [13] 1
Belgium (Ultratop Wallonia) [14] 2
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [15] 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [16] 1
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [17] 1
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [18] 5
Norway (VG-lista)9
South Africa (Springbok Radio) [19] 3
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)2
UK Singles (OCC) [20] [21] 6
US Billboard Hot 100 [22] 12
US Disco/Dance ( Billboard ) [8] 1
US Hot Soul Singles ( Billboard ) [6] 1
US Cash Box Top 100 [23] 8
West Germany (Media Control Charts) [24] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (1975)Rank
Australia (Kent Music Report) [11] 82
Canada Top Singles (RPM) [25] 55
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [26] 15
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ) [27] 26
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade) [28] 12
West Germany (Media Control Charts) [29] 11

Cover versions

Linda Fields & the Funky Boys recorded a version, sounding nearly identical and released it as a single in 1975; it was re-released in 1983 as a 12" EP. The version appears on several disco compilation albums and is often confused with the original. Their version charted concurrently with the original in New Zealand, reaching number 24. [30]

Ike & Tina Turner recorded a version that was released on the 1980 album The Edge, [31] it reached number 27 on the Billboard Disco chart. [32] In 1982, the song was released as a single in Europe and peaked at number 47 in the Netherlands. [33]

In 1974, French singer Henri Salvador recorded a parody, titled J'aime tes genoux (I like your knees).

Izabella Scorupco version

"Shame, Shame, Shame"
Izabella-Shame Shame Shame.jpg
Single by Izabella Scorupco
from the album Iza
Released1992
Genre
Length3:50
Label Virgin
Songwriter(s) Sylvia Robinson
Producer(s) Christian Falk
Izabella Scorupco singles chronology
"Brando Moves"
(1991)
"Shame, Shame, Shame"
(1992)
Music video
"Shame, Shame, Shame" on YouTube

Polish-Swedish singer, actress and model Izabella Scorupco recorded a successful cover version of "Shame, Shame, Shame" in 1992, which was accompanied by a black-and-white music video directed by Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund. [34] It was produced by record producer and musician Christian Falk and became a chart hit in a number of European countries. In Norway and Sweden, it reached number two. The single was a Top 10 hit also in Belgium, Denmark and the Netherlands, where it peaked at number four and six. It appears on an extended version of her 1991 album, Iza .

Track listing

12" single, Sweden (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Shame, Shame, Shame" (Spicy Mix) 
2."Shame, Shame, Shame" (DSP Mix) 
3."Shame, Shame, Shame" (Extended Version) 
CD single, UK (1992)
No.TitleLength
1."Shame, Shame, Shame"3:50
2."Shame, Shame, Shame" (Karaoke Version)3:50

Charts

Sinitta version

"Shame, Shame, Shame"
SinittaShame.jpg
Single by Sinitta
from the album Naughty Naughty
B-side "Maybe Someday"
Released1992
Genre Pop, soul
Length4:00
Label Arista
Songwriter(s) Sylvia Robinson
Producer(s) Mark Taylor, Terry Adams
Sinitta singles chronology
"Love and Affection"
(1990)
"Shame, Shame, Shame"
(1992)
"Aquarius"
(1993)
Music video
"Shame, Shame, Shame" on YouTube

In 1992, the song was also covered by British-American singer Sinitta and was released as a single, which peaked at number 28 in the UK Singles Chart and was later included on her third studio album, Naughty Naughty (1995).

Critical reception

Alan Jones from Music Week called the song "light, frothy, bouncy concentrated pop. A substantial hit." [47]

Charts

Chart (1992)Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [48] 87
Ireland (IRMA) [49] 30
UK Singles (OCC)28
UK Dance ( Music Week ) [50] 58

See also

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