Two packs of cigarettes a day
The strongest whiskey Kentucky can make
That's a recipe
To put a vagabond on his hands and knees
I watched it all up close
I knew him more than most
I saw a side of him, he never showed
Full of sympathy
For a world that wouldn't let him be

That's the man he was
Have you heard enough?

What a shame, what a shame
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame, to have to beg you to see
We're not all the same
What a shame

There's a hard life for every silver spoon
There's a touch of grey for every shade of blue
That's the way that I see life
If there was nothing wrong
Then there'd be nothing right
And for this working man, they said, could barely stand
There's gotta be a better place to land
Some kind of remedy
For a world that wouldn't let him be

That's the man he was
Have you heard enough?

What a shame, what a shame
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame, to have to beg you to see
We're not all the same
What a shame

God forgive the hands that laid you down
They never knew how
Much your broken heart can break the sound
And change the season
Now the leaves are falling faster
Happily ever after
You gave me hope through your endeavors
And now you will live forever

What a shame, what a shame
To judge a life that you can't change
The choir sings, the church bells ring
So, won't you give this man his wings?
What a shame, to have to beg you to see
We're not all the same
(What a shame, what a shame)
'Cause we're not all the same
(What a shame, what a shame)
'Cause we're not all the same

Overall Meaning

In "What a Shame," Shinedown singer Brent Smith sings about a man he knew intimately, a man who struggled with addiction and a hard life. The lyrics paint a picture of someone who lived on the edge, smoking two packs of cigarettes a day and drinking the strongest whiskey Kentucky could make. This kind of lifestyle left the man broken and beaten down, to the point where he could barely stand. But despite his struggles, Smith saw a side of him that few others did, a side that was full of sympathy for a world that wouldn't let him be. The chorus asks listeners not to judge a life that they can't change and to give this man his wings, acknowledging the difficulties he faced and celebrating the hope he gave others.

The song has a powerful emotional impact, but it is also notable for its strong melodies and memorable hooks. It features a soaring chorus with backing vocals from a choir and ringing church bells that add to the sense of uplift and hope. The song's production is polished and slick, but it adds to the sense of grandeur and significance that the lyrics and melody evoke.

According to Brent Smith, "What a Shame" was inspired by a homeless man he met while on tour. The man shared his story with Smith, detailing his struggles with addiction and his difficult life. Smith was struck by the man's resilience and determination to keep going despite everything, and the song is his tribute to that man and others like him. The song was a hit on rock radio, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

Line by Line Meaning

Two packs of cigarettes a day
He smoked a lot of cigarettes every day.

The strongest whiskey Kentucky can make
He drank the most potent whiskey from Kentucky.

That's a recipe
This mix of smoking and drinking is the recipe for his downfall.

To put a vagabond on his hands and knees
It will cause even the strongest man to break down.

I watched it all up close
I observed firsthand how he was destroying himself.

I knew him more than most
I knew more about him than most people did.

I saw a side of him, he never showed
I witnessed a side of him that he rarely revealed to others.

Full of sympathy
I felt great pity for him.

For a world that wouldn't let him be
The world did not accept him for who he was.

That's the man he was
This is who he was and what he became.

Have you heard enough?
Do you understand what I'm saying?

What a shame, what a shame
It's regrettable and tragic.

To judge a life that you can't change
It's unfair to be judgmental towards someone's life that you can't fix.

The choir sings, the church bells ring
People are mourning his loss.

So, won't you give this man his wings?
Allow him to have the freedom that he didn't have in his life.

To have to beg you to see
It's unfortunate that I have to plead with you to understand.

We're not all the same
We are different individuals and should not be judged as a single entity.

There's a hard life for every silver spoon
Everyone goes through hardships regardless of their upbringing.

There's a touch of grey for every shade of blue
There are negative aspects to every situation.

That's the way that I see life
That's my outlook on life.

If there was nothing wrong
If everything was perfect.

Then there'd be nothing right
Then there would be no good things either.

And for this working man, they said, could barely stand
Despite being a hardworking man, he was barely able to keep going.

There's gotta be a better place to land
There must be a better place for him somewhere.

Some kind of remedy
Something that could help him improve his life.

For a world that wouldn't let him be
A world that doesn't accept him for who he is.

God forgive the hands that laid you down
Forgive those responsible for his death.

They never knew how
They didn't understand the extent of his pain.

Much your broken heart can break the sound
His level of heartbreak is palpable and deafening.

And change the season
His death has led to a significant shift in the lives of those who knew him.

Now the leaves are falling faster
Time seems to be passing more quickly now.

Happily ever after
He is now at peace.

You gave me hope through your endeavors
Your efforts inspired me and gave me hope.

And now you will live forever
He will be remembered forever.

Cause we're not all the same
None of us are identical.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Brent Smith, Dave Bassett

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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