From an early age, BT demonstrated a remarkable aptitude for playing and understanding classical music. He was heavily influenced by avant-garde and romantic composers such as Stravinsky, Bartok, Debussy and Rachmaninov. His biggest influences, however, were from everyday sounds that most would take for granted, from noticing the meter of the grandfather clock in the foyer to the micro-rhythms of crickets and cicadas to the ambience of passing trains at night.
The drive to actualize the tools BT envisions has led to his evolution as one of the most cutting-edge programmers and technologists in music today. He has expanded this reach into a visionary software venture, Sonik Architects which launched its critically- and commercially-acclaimed iPhone application, Sonifi™.
Brian Transeau is the father of a young daughter, Kaia. He lives and composes his works in his Los Angeles home/studio in which he has a few Apple G5's and 8 AMD dual-core Opteron 64-bit desktops which he uses for his techno-wizardry.
BT has released 8 albums and has scored over a dozen films. His most critically acclaimed album, "This Binary Universe" (released August 29, 2006), was composed in 5.1 surround sound and contains animated videos for each song, presenting a new way of experiencing music.
BT works with multiple computers and the CSound programming language to help craft his work. He also owns a company, Sonik Architects, which develops both VST and VSTi programs which he uses in his own productions.
Shame
BT Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Frozen wall like teenage skin
And neither for what comes within
A substance cloud like sinking sin
You told your great tale and it's always the same
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what you said
How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games
[repeat]
Every time
(It's such a shame)
You told your great tale and it's always the same
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what she says
How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what she says
You told your great tale and it's always the same
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what you said
How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what you said
Still smell of fear, she came again
A frozen wall like teenage skin
She'll break my fall, begin my friend
Small substance cloud like sinking sin
You told your great tale and it's always the same
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what you said
How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games
Quite a shame that it goes this way
It's such a shame
It's such a shame
The song "Shame" by BT, is an emotional and introspective piece that explores themes of loneliness, regret, and emotional pain. The opening verse: "My lonely doll, she came again / Frozen wall like teenage skin / And neither for what comes within / A substance cloud like sinking sin" - paint a picture of a lonely and isolated individual, who is perhaps struggling with depression or other forms of mental illness. The reference to the "substance cloud" alludes to the haze of negative and self-destructive thoughts that can consume a person in such a state.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the line "Quite a shame that it goes this way", which serves as a refrain for the character's feelings of regret and sadness. The lines "How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games" imply a struggle with self-harm, or other forms of self-destructive behavior. The repeated phrase "It's such a shame" reinforces the feelings of hopelessness and despair that are present throughout the song.
The final verse of the song, "Still smell of fear, she came again / A frozen wall like teenage skin / She'll break my fall, begin my friend / Small substance cloud like sinking sin" hints at the possibility of redemption, perhaps through the support of a friend or loved one.
Overall, "Shame" is a haunting and evocative song that captures the emotional pain and struggle of individuals who are dealing with mental illness, depression, and other forms of emotional and psychological trauma.
Line by Line Meaning
My lonely doll, she came again
The singer is referring to a figure from his past, someone who he has been away from for some time. This person can 'go again' as if she was a memory, but in reality, they have come back into his life.
Frozen wall like teenage skin
The person in question is distant and unchanging - like a wall. They're as frozen and unyielding as teenage skin.
And neither for what comes within
The singer feels that this person is not accessible, they're guarded and not willing to show what's on the inside.
A substance cloud like sinking sin
The person is difficult to understand or get a hold of, much like a substance cloud seems to slip through your fingers when you try to grasp it. The idea of this person being a 'sinking sin' is intriguing. It could be about a problem or issue that is hard to shake and always at the back of your mind. This person might represent guilt or other negative emotions that the singer can't escape.
You told your great tale and it's always the same
The singer is speaking to the person about how their stories or explanations are always the same. Perhaps they are not willing to learn, adapt or face the reality of their situation.
"Quite a shame that it goes this way," is what you said
This person seems to have regret for their situation or life choices.
How very bizarre, all these blood-letting games
There is something odd or cruel about the situation, as if the two parties are engaged in a metaphorical bloodletting competition. They are both actively causing each other pain, when they would both rather live a peaceful life.
Every time
The same sequence of phrases from their conversation happens repetitively, and it feels as though they will never work out how to move forward due to the repetition.
Still smell of fear, she came again
The person is fearful or afraid in some way, and this is something that the singer can sense whenever they come into contact with them. As with the opening line, it can be read in two ways. Either the singer hasn't yet moved on and is feeling the same emotion as they did when they previously spoke (implying they weren't successful in overcoming their fears and concerns) or they can detect that the other person is still as scared as they were previously.
A frozen wall like teenage skin
Just as before, this person is being compared to an unyielding and impenetrable wall, but the singer now adds that it's like teenage skin, which implies a sense of immaturity or insecurity. They might seem strong on the surface, but in reality, they're not as resilient as they appear.
She'll break my fall, begin my friend
The singer feels they can rely on this person to 'break their fall' which could be interpreted as helping the singer out if they were to fail or encounter difficulties. They might be the one who dusts themself off and gets back up again. The last phrase, 'begin my friend' could be interpreted as an invitation to start over and try again.
Quite a shame that it goes this way
The theme of this line is that regret, or the sense of the situation being unfortunate. It implies a shared responsibility for whatever's going wrong in their lives at the present time.
It's such a shame
The final line of the song, it feels like the singer wants to emphasize how much the status quo isn't working for them. It's more than just regret, it's a recognition of the reality of the situation and an acknowledgement that it's not a good place to be.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BRIAN WAYNE TRANSEAU
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sergio Costantini
on Firewater
One of my favorite all time albums!