As a singer, Newell released tracks with Nile Rodgers and The Knocks, reaching the Top 10 in the United Kingdom with Clean Bandit & Blonde collaborations “Stronger” and “All Cried Out”. Newell released their debut EP POWER in 2016.
Newell’s career in theater began in 2018 when they starred as Asaka in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island at the Circle in the Square Theater. In 2022, they appeared as Lulu in the Broadway musical Shucked, for which they won a Tony Award, becoming the first openly non-binary actor to ever win a Tony.
Shame
Alex Newell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A signature lipstick they′ve all seen before
You think you're invincible
No one can take you down
Nothing is real
Your feet, they don′t touch the ground
Oh, you're not the only one
You're spending all your time
Wasting all your money on a broken paradise
You′re hypnotized
′Cuz you're exploding into the night
Pieces of you jumping out of the sky
All of the lights are taking you into space
Nothing is real when you loose the
Fire! fire! inside
Shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It′s a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It's a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
Loose the fire! fire!
Fire! fire! tonight
It was the first day when you didn′t show
Wasn't the first time, then out the night before
Nobody is perfect, but you can′t reverse it
Nothing is real, except the hurting
Oh, you're not the only one
Oh, who feels alone
You're spending all your time
Wasting all your money on a broken paradise
You′re hypnotized
′Cuz you're exploding into the night
Pieces of you jumping out of the sky
All of the lights are taking you into space
Nothing is real when you loose the
Fire! fire! inside
Shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It′s a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It's a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
Loose the fire! fire!
Fire! fire! tonight
Uh, it′s a shame
(Oh, no)
It's a shame
(Spending all your time, wasting all your money on a broken paradise, hypnotized)
′Cuz you're exploding into the night
Pieces of you jumping out of the sky
All of the lights are taking you into space
Nothing is real when you loose the
Fire! fire! inside
Shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It's a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
It′s a shame
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
Loose the fire! fire!
Fire! fire! tonight
The song "Shame" by Alex Newell tells the story of someone who feels invincible and above it all, but eventually realizes that they are not alone in their feelings of loneliness and isolation. The song emphasizes the emptiness of chasing after material possessions and indulging in a hedonistic lifestyle that ultimately leads to a broken paradise. The lyrics suggest that the singer is escaping into a fantasy world, a place where nothing is real and where they feel like they are flying. However, the song warns against losing the inner fire that keeps one motivated and grounded, as it is the only thing that keeps one from losing themselves entirely.
The repeated phrase "Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up," suggests that the singer needs to let go of their attachment to worldly possessions and embrace their vulnerability in order to grow emotionally. The refrain "Shame, it's a shame," further reinforces the notion of regret and the realization that the singer has been living a hollow existence. In the end, the song encourages the listener to face their fears, rediscover their inner fire, and embrace their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
Everyone turns when you walk through the door
People stop and stare at you when you enter a room.
A signature lipstick they′ve all seen before
People recognize you and your style.
You think you're invincible
You feel like nothing can bring you down.
No one can take you down
You believe no one can bring you down despite any challenge.
Nothing is real
You feel disconnected from reality.
Your feet, they don′t touch the ground
You feel like you're floating or untouchable.
Oh, you're not the only one
There are others who feel isolated or alone.
Oh, who feels alone
Others have felt lonely before as well.
You're spending all your time
You're wasting your time on something that isn't valuable.
Wasting all your money on a broken paradise
You're spending all your money on something that you think is perfect but is actually flawed.
You′re hypnotized
You're under the spell of something or someone.
′Cuz you're exploding into the night
You're bursting with energy and excitement.
Pieces of you jumping out of the sky
Different parts of you are being revealed to the world.
All of the lights are taking you into space
You're being carried away by your own self-imposed importance.
Nothing is real when you lose the
You feel disillusioned or disconnected from reality when you lose the thing you're obsessed with.
Fire! fire! inside
The intense passion or energy that propels you forward.
Shame
The realization that you are not as invincible as you thought.
(Give it up, give it up, give it up, give it up)
Let go of whatever is holding you back.
It′s a shame
It's unfortunate that you have to face this moment of truth.
Loose the fire! fire!
Let go of the passion or energy that's hurting you.
Fire! fire! tonight
Tonight is the night to let go of the passion or energy that keeps you trapped.
It was the first day when you didn′t show
The moment when you start to feel the weight of your obsession and how it affects others.
Wasn't the first time, then out the night before
You've let others down before by putting your obsession above other obligations.
Nobody is perfect, but you can′t reverse it
Everyone makes mistakes and has flaws, but sometimes it's too late to fix the damage done.
Except the hurting
The pain and damage caused by your obsession is real.
Uh, it′s a shame
It's a real disappointment that things have turned out this way.
(Oh, no)
Expressing genuine concern for the situation.
Loose the fire! fire!
Let go of the passion or energy that's hurting you.
Fire! fire! inside
The intense passion or energy that propels you forward.
Writer(s): Richard James Parkhouse, Tom Aspaul, George Henry Tizzard, Karen Harding
Contributed by Elizabeth B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Virgil Welch
Alex.... OMG. this song is Amazing. The beat the vocals are giving me life.
Miguel Sanchez
La mejor canción de todo el EP.
Musicality Rhythm
Love this unique Androgynous (gender neutral) sound his voice is from lowest to highest sound like a mix of a high tenor and woman simultaneously no matter how high or low he sing
Robert Gray
OMG! I LOVE THIS!!! That beat is SICK. There's no way anyone could listen to this without jammin' & groovin' to that beat. Lol. This song is hot
Alejandro Cardona
Me encanta esta cancion
Adam Wyatt
I wanna hear more of Alex's whistle register, now that they can do it.
Joe White
*he
PINK NATION
I keep listening to this song back to back ....I love it 💚
Robert Gray
Great beat, and the vocals are AWESOME Alex! I absolutely LOVE this song! There should be a video to this. Lol. GREAT JOB!
Ryan Garloff
This song is hot. Definitely my favorite.