She self-released her first two albums, Lush and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business, while studying studio composition at Purchase College's Conservatory of Music. The albums were originally made as her senior project. Her third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, was released in 2014 on the label Double Double Whammy.
Mitski signed with Dead Oceans in 2015 and released Puberty 2, Be the Cowboy and Laurel Hell , the last of which made the top ten in several countries. In 2022, The Guardian dubbed her the "best young songwriter" in the United States. That same year, she co-wrote "This Is a Life" for the film Everything Everywhere All at Once, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Her seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, was released in 2023.
*Shame
Mitski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It feels so good
And right outside the door nobody knows
They're right outside the door and they don't know how it
Feels so good
It feels so good
I never was very good
But right outside the door nobody knows
They're right outside the door and they don't know how it
Feels so good
It feels so good
And I don't need anything other than you.
In Mitski's song "Shame," the opening and closing repeated lines of "It feels so good" signify the singer's complex relationship with shame. The song is an exploration of how shame can be both isolating and intoxicating. The lyrics suggest that the singer is engaging in some kind of taboo behavior behind closed doors, something that makes them feel good. However, they also express a feeling of guilt and inadequacy, saying "I never was very good, I haven't been so good." There is a sense that the singer feels like an outcast, but they also seem to revel in their own marginalization, as indicated by the repeated lines about feeling good.
The repeated lines of "they're right outside the door and they don't know" could be interpreted as the singer feeling like they are being watched or judged from the outside, but also as a statement of defiance. It's as if the singer is saying that they don't need anyone to know or approve of what they are doing--the only thing that matters is that it feels good. The final line, "And I don't need anything other than you," adds another layer to this complex emotion. On one hand, the singer could be expressing a deep emotional connection to someone they are engaging in taboo behavior with. On the other hand, it could be read as a desperate plea for validation and acceptance from this person, as if they are the only thing that can temporarily assuage the singer's feelings of shame.
Line by Line Meaning
It feels so good
The feeling of doing something forbidden is exhilarating
It feels so good
The feeling of doing something forbidden is exhilarating
And right outside the door nobody knows
No one outside knows what is happening
They're right outside the door and they don't know how it
The people outside have no idea how good it feels
Feels so good
The feeling of doing something forbidden is exhilarating
I never was very good
I have a history of not being very good
I haven't been so good
I haven't been very good lately
But right outside the door nobody knows
No one outside knows what is happening
They're right outside the door and they don't know how it
The people outside have no idea how good it feels
Feels so good
The feeling of doing something forbidden is exhilirating
And I don't need anything other than you.
The only thing that matters in this moment is being with you
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MITSUKI LAYCOCK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kopnijmnie
It feels so good
It feels so good
And right outside the door nobody knows
They’re right outside the door and they don’t know how it
Feels so good
It feels so good
I never was very good
I haven’t been so good
But right outside the door nobody knows
They’re right outside the door and they don’t know how it
Feels so good
It feels so good
And I don’t need anything other than you.
@bas_prambas
After reading several theories about the true meaning of the song, I have my own conclusion.
From my point of view, this song refers to Mitski was not mentally well. In this part: "And Right Outside The Door Nobody Knows" The door is a metaphor, which would mean a barrier between people and her. Even if they are (physically) next to her, they do not know what it feels like, they don't know what she's feeling or thinking. And yeah, "It feels so good", it feels so good to be mentally ill, it feels so good to know that nobody can understand you. Sounds sad and irrationally, here is my depression lol.
According to genius: The title is “Shame” because Mitksi feels shame for enjoying being unwell and for not telling others.
That's all my theory and what I think... I know I discard the "Sex, lesbians or masturbation feelings" but people, not all life is sex and things like that... Yep, if you search in genius the lyrics of the song, you can see in the description that says that shame is a song about sexual acts, I know, and I don't refuse that, I just see another theory.
If someone read this, sorry for my English. I thought a lot before writing this, not bad. Stay safe and happy easter... or whatever lol bye.
@Blame-Me-Mitski
This song for me is about relapsing. and how you feel while you are relapsing.
The calm before the storm, "how it feels so good."
How good it feels to start again.
The overlap of instruments (here: 1:31) show the release of pain you feel after relapsing.
Nobody knows how good it feels because they are against it, they dont want to feel.
They shouldn't be allowed to know. Its your secret.
But after you do it, realization kicks in. You realize that you weren't supposed to do it.
You realize that you broke your own promise.
but then the song ends and that climax of relaxation dies down.
"And i dont need anything other than you." = I need to keep doing it to feel fulfilled.
I always feel understood when i listen you mitski
@Ventriforrest
Shame - TW; sh, dr-gs, addiction, self destructiveness
I think shame is personally one of Mitski’s more dark song, most of mitski’s song can be considered dark due to the meaning of them, (Which makes them so special along with the lyrics and music and her voice, along with her performances.) But there is something specifically about the song ‘Shame’ by mitski that is more sinister and overall dark, the music and everything. Even the lyrics.
This song has been interpreted about being ashamed from masturbation, and as I understand that view I think the song is quite a bit more deeper.
The song is obviously named shame, and Mitski is singing about how it feels so good, and how she is ashamed of it. She expresses that no one else knows about what she's doing. And that they are right outside the door and nobody knows.
I think this song is talking about self destructive behaviors in general, s3lf h@rm, dr-gs, seeking unhealthy relationships, addictions, etc. Just self destructive behaviors.
Because typically thing’s like these, even though they are hurting you, it feels good, its a relief and an escape. “It feels so good
And right outside the door nobody knows
They're right outside the door and they don't know how it
Feels so good”
The song’s music is expressing a very dark melody, with the instruments going very high and quick, showing the adrenaline and the feeling of shame of doing the self destructive mechanism.
I also think the song expresses the downfall of Mitski’s mental health, and how these shameful activities are separating her from her family and everyone else, “They're right outside the door.” The door is the barrier from people. Showing how she may feel alone within the self destructive activities. It’s also relating back to the shame, how shame may be a part of the barrier; because she is too ashamed to tell anyone.
“I never was very good
I haven't been so good
But right outside the door nobody knows.” Is expressing how she hasn’t been good mentally, and possibly even physically and the coping skills she is doing isn’t good, and how she was never good. How this must be a shameful thing to be and have.
Getting to the end, she finally screams how It feels so good, letting out the feelings and conflicts within her mind and this self destructiveness.
“And I don’t need anything better than you.”
I think there is also a sense of never being able to escape from shame. And the self destructiveness. It seems like she is trapped, and she is ashamed of herself because she can’t get out, but she also slowly realizes that she doesn’t want anything healthy or better. She doesn’t want anything better, and she doesn’t want an alternative. A fix. She wants this destructive behavior as it makes her feel good, even if it brings shame. She believes she doesn’t need anything else, as this is what makes her feel good. Even if it's shameful.
@sludgebob5961
And right outside the door nobody knows.
Why can't this song just be about.
They're right outside the door and they don't know how-
Sometimes what's best for us others don't like
-it feels so good.
@endmeplease7181
growing up on the internet i didnt have a lot of restrictions so i could do whatever i wanted online and got away with talking to a lot of older guys. this song kind of resonated with me in the sense of using such an unhealthy (in my case, sexual) coping mechanism right under the noses of my family. the high and release of tension it gave, but the guilt and disappointment in one’s self by spending your reserved time doing something that is volatile in the eyes of others. something forbidden and disgusting in the eyes of my mother, but she didn’t even pay attention or care about what was going on. they don’t understand or know why i was doing what i was doing, or even notice that i was doing it. i didn’t even understand and i still don’t.
@edein3955
this is going to make me spiral LMAOOO
@Mal-x2x
this sums up my early childhood
@charnqs
i did the same thing. i didn’t even understand how bad it was.
@pamplemousse85
me too, its been seven years but it still haunts me
@oblivion3167
me too.
@fabriciomichel7223
this is literally a masterpiece, the conection between the feeling and the rythm, all the instruments, mitski translated a fucking feeling into a song
@ayaballs
only mitski can do that tbh she’s a goddess
@rowanh420
when i first heard this song i interpreted it as the literal shame around expressing female sexuality
but it also feels like a song about self destructive behaviors that you turn to as a coping mechanism that only end up hurting you in the end
@nabs5239
OH SHIT nv thought of that that is dark