Shame
Brian Webb Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You'll always have your gypsy tears
that make you theirs at night
They give you a bed of roses
with thorn and a thoughtful pose
that makes falling feel like flying
that makes falling look like flying, come on
like a bird and a stone in my hand
Its something to throw, or something to let go
or set free or set up who I am
But I offer you only what I know of love
I confess what it is, I think I forgot
I tend to remember more about what love is not
(chorus)
Shame, Shame, Shame
Its not about you now, Its not about you now
You count the ways in which they gave
but its more about why you love and less about how
Oh its more about why you love and less about how
I like to tell folks, I'm from a rough neighborhood
as if that said something about me
But I ain't been in a fight since 1988
Barely 13
His name was Alex and from what I can tell
I can't recall him swinging too
But he'd still fight someone almost everyday
just as sure as he would lose
Got a story that plays in my head
like the bird and a stone in my hands
Simplified it all the cause and effect
Its too scary to say I just am, just am
But I offer you only what I know of love
I confess what it is I think I forgot
I tend to remember more about what love is not
(my gift remains it's still the same
its ain't enough, but its all I've got)
chorus 2x
The lyrics of "Shame" by Brian Webb explore love, self-reflection, and the complexity of our emotions. The chorus repeats the word "shame" several times, but it's not about feeling ashamed; rather, it's about realizing that our love is more important than the shame that we may feel. The first verse talks about the beauty of having tears that make you vulnerable and open to love. The next line speaks to the paradox of love: it can be both beautiful (a bed of roses) and painful (with thorns). Falling in love can feel like flying, but falling out of love can feel like crashing and burning.
The second verse delves into the personal story of the songwriter's upbringing. He talks about how he likes to tell people he's from a rough neighborhood, as if that defines him in some way, but in reality, he hasn't been in a fight since he was barely a teenager. He then reflects on the cause and effect of his life experiences, admitting it's too scary to simply say "I am," but offering what he knows of love. He confesses that he tends to remember more about what love is not, rather than what it is.
Overall, the song is about letting go of shame and embracing love, even if it's not always easy or straightforward. It's a reminder to focus less on the external factors that define us and more on the reasons why we love.
Line by Line Meaning
And maybe thats the beauty here
Perhaps the beauty lies in the things that are yet to happen
You'll always have your gypsy tears
You will always have tears that do not last
that make you theirs at night
That make you belong to things that only happen during the night
They give you a bed of roses
Things may seem perfect on the surface
with thorn and a thoughtful pose
But beneath the surface there are still flaws and issues to consider
that makes falling feel like flying
Things that feel so right can make us fly, even if they're not healthy for us
that makes falling look like flying, come on
Even if it might lead to destruction, we are still drawn to things that make us feel good
And I got a story that plays in my head
I have a story that I constantly replay in my mind
like a bird and a stone in my hand
It's like having a bird and a stone in your hand, two opposing things that affect you in different ways
Its something to throw, or something to let go
The story is something you could either let go of, or hold onto
or set free or set up who I am
It can either liberate me or hold me back, and define who I am
But I offer you only what I know of love
I can only give you what I know about love
I confess what it is, I think I forgot
I admit that there are things I used to know about love but I may have forgotten
I tend to remember more about what love is not
I tend to recall more about what love is not, rather than what it actually is
(chorus)
The following lines are the chorus
Shame, Shame, Shame
The feeling of guilt and regret
Its not about you now, Its not about you now
It's no longer about you, it's about the things you love and why
You count the ways in which they gave
You're caught up in how much they gave you rather than why you love them
but its more about why you love and less about how
It's more important to understand why you love someone rather than focusing on how they make you feel
Oh its more about why you love and less about how
Again, it's important to focus on why you love someone rather than how they make you feel
I like to tell folks, I'm from a rough neighborhood
I enjoy telling people that I have faced hardship in life
as if that said something about me
As if that somehow defines my character
But I ain't been in a fight since 1988
But it's been a long time since I was in a fight
Barely 13
I was just a child when I was last in a fight
His name was Alex and from what I can tell
The person I fought was named Alex, or at least that's what I remember
I can't recall him swinging too
I don't remember him hitting me back
But he'd still fight someone almost everyday
Despite that, he would still get into fights on a regular basis
just as sure as he would lose
But he would always lose in the end
Got a story that plays in my head
I still have a story that I replay in my head
Simplified it all the cause and effect
I have simplified the story and boiled it down to the basic causes and effects
Its too scary to say I just am, just am
It's too frightening to admit that I just am who I am
But I offer you only what I know of love
Once again, I can only give you what I know about love
I confess what it is I think I forgot
I confess that there are things I may have forgotten about love
I tend to remember more about what love is not
I tend to think more about what love is not, rather than what it is
(my gift remains it's still the same
The following lines are part of the last chorus
its ain't enough, but its all I've got)
My gift might not be enough, but it's still everything I have to offer
chorus 2x
The chorus is repeated twice to end the song
Contributed by Anna H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.