"Such a Shame" | ||||
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![]() Artwork for the original 12-inch vinyl release; the 7-inch has the same artwork with three vertical dots on the right sidebar | ||||
Single by Talk Talk | ||||
from the album It's My Life | ||||
B-side | "Again, a Game... Again" | |||
Released | 26 March 1984 [1] | |||
Genre | Synth-pop [2] | |||
Length |
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Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) | Mark Hollis | |||
Producer(s) | Tim Friese-Greene | |||
Talk Talk singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Such a Shame" on YouTube |
"Such a Shame" is a song written by Mark Hollis for the English band Talk Talk's second album It's My Life (1984). It was released as the album's second single and went on to become a top 10 hit across Europe.
"Such a Shame" was inspired by Luke Rhinehart's The Dice Man , [3] one of composer Mark Hollis' favourite books. When asked what drove him to respond to Rhinehart's book, Hollis replied, "A good book, not a lifestyle I'd recommend." [4]
The song was released as the album's second single in early 1984, with the cover art designed by James Marsh. Some pressings of the single came with an additional 7" release The Talk Talk Demos which included three songs recorded in June 1981: "Candy", "Talk Talk" and "Mirror Man". Writing in the NME , Richard Cook slated the song, describing it as "faceless regret coaxed from lurex trashcan." [5]
"Such a Shame" became a hit in continental Europe in 1984 and 1985, reaching the top 10 in several countries, including number 1 in Switzerland. It was their third number 1 single after the remixed version of the song "Talk Talk" which topped the South African charts in 1983 and the single "It's My Life" which was number 1 in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in 1984. In the US, "Such a Shame" entered the Billboard Hot 100, and was a top 20 hit in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play. The single entered the top 10 in the pan-European singles airplay chart. [6] It only reached number 49 in the UK. [7]
The song was featured in a European TV commercial for the French car Peugeot 205 in the 1980s. In November 1990, the single was re-issued to promote the compilation Natural History: The Very Best of Talk Talk . [8]
Following Hollis' death in early 2019, "Such a Shame" charted at number 5 on Digital Song Sales in France [9] and number 44 on Back Catalogue Singles in the Flemish region of Belgium. [10]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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"Such a Shame" | ||||
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Single by Sandra | ||||
from the album The Wheel of Time | ||||
Released | 25 March 2002 | |||
Length | 4:18 | |||
Label | Virgin | |||
Songwriter(s) | Mark Hollis | |||
Producer(s) | ||||
Sandra singles chronology | ||||
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Licensed audio | ||||
"Such A Shame" on YouTube |
German singer Sandra covered "Such a Shame" for her seventh studio album The Wheel of Time (2002). Her version was produced by Michael Cretu and Jens Gad. It was released on 25 March 2002 and reached number 76 on the official German singles chart. [29]
Chart (2002) | Peak position |
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Germany (GfK) [29] | 76 |
An Pierlé recorded a cover of "Such a Shame" for her 2013 album Strange Days. The song reached number 45 in the Walloon region of Belgium. [30]
Talk Talk were an English band formed in 1981, led by Mark Hollis, Lee Harris (drums), and Paul Webb (bass). Initially a synth-pop group, Talk Talk's first two albums, The Party's Over (1982) and It's My Life (1984), reached top 40 in the UK and produced the international hit singles "Talk Talk", "Today", "It's My Life", and "Such a Shame". They achieved widespread critical success in Europe and the UK with the album The Colour of Spring (1986) along with its singles "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World". 1988's Spirit of Eden moved the group towards a more experimental sound informed by jazz and improvisation, pioneering what became known as post-rock; it was critically acclaimed but commercially unsuccessful.
"It's My Life" is a song by the English new wave band Talk Talk. Written by Mark Hollis and Tim Friese-Greene, it was the title track on the band's second album, It's My Life (1984), and released as its first single in January 1984. It reached number 46 on the UK Singles Chart, but did better in several other countries, reaching number 33 in Germany, number 32 in New Zealand, number 25 in France and number 9 in Italy. It was their only hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 31 the weeks of May 19 and 26, 1984; and it peaked at number 30 in Canada. The song also peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart.
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"You Can Win If You Want" is a song by German pop duo Modern Talking, released as the second and final single from their debut studio album, The 1st Album (1985). The single was released on 13 March 1985 and entered the top 10 in Germany on 13 May 1985. After spending three weeks within the top five, the single reached the top spot, eventually going gold for sales in excess of 250,000 units in Germany alone. The single peaked at number eight in France, where it also reached a gold status for sales of 500,000 units.
"Cheri, Cheri Lady" is a song by German pop duo Modern Talking from their second studio album, Let's Talk About Love (1985). It was released as the album's only single on 2 September 1985 and reached number one on the German Singles Chart, becoming the duo's third consecutive number-one single in Germany, following "You're My Heart, You're My Soul" and "You Can Win If You Want". The single spent four weeks at the top and a total of 24 weeks on the German chart, and eventually went gold, selling over 250,000 units there. "Cheri, Cheri Lady" has also been certified silver in France, denoting sales in excess of 250,000 units.
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