Shame
Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow Lyrics


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Well there's three versions of this story mine and yours
And then the truth
Now we can put it down to circumstance, our childhood, then our youth
Out of some sentimental gain I wanted you to feel my pain,
But it came back return to sender
I read your mind and tried to call,
My tears could fill the Albert Hall,
Is this the sound of sweet surrender?

What a shame we never listened
I told you through the television
And all that went away was the price we paid
People spend a lifetime this way
Oh what a shame.

So I got busy throwing everybody underneath the bus, oh
And with your poster 30 foot high at the back of Toys-R-Us
I wrote a letter in my mind,
But the words were so unkind,
About a man I can't remember
I don't recall the reasons why,
I must have meant them at the time
Is this the sound of sweet surrender?

What a shame we never listened
I told you through the television
And all that went away was the price we paid
People spend a lifetime this way
And that's how they stay
Oh what a shame.

Words come easy
When they're true
Words come easy
When they're true

So I got busy throwing everybody underneath the bus
And with your poster 30 foot high at the back of Toys-R-Us
Now we can put it down to circumstance, our childhood then our youth.

What a shame we never listened
I told you through the television
And all that went away was the price we paid
People spend a lifetime this way
And that's how they stay
People spend a lifetime this way
Oh what a shame
What a shame.

Ooh




Such a shame what a shame
Beautiful shame, real shame, and stuff double shame (shame, shame shame)

Overall Meaning

In "Shame," Robbie Williams and Gary Barlow sing about the regrets they have looking back on their complicated relationship. The song is broken into three parts: their individual versions of the story, the truth, and the consequences. At first, they blame their circumstances, childhood, and youth for their mistakes, but then they realize that they simply never listened to each other. Williams sings about throwing Barlow under the bus and saying unkind things about him that he can't remember the reasons for. They both regret their actions and wish they had paid more attention to what the other was saying.


The overall message of the song is that it's a shame when communication breaks down and people don't listen to each other. Despite their fame and success, Williams and Barlow still struggled to communicate effectively and it ultimately cost them their friendship. The lyrics are poignant and introspective, making "Shame" a powerful ballad that resonates with listeners.


Line by Line Meaning

Well there's three versions of this story mine and yours
There are different sides to our story, yours and mine, but there's also the truth.


And then the truth
The truth is the ultimate reality that exists beyond our different perspectives.


Now we can put it down to circumstance, our childhood, then our youth
Our experiences growing up may have influenced how we acted in this situation.


Out of some sentimental gain I wanted you to feel my pain,
I wanted you to empathize with me and understand the hurt I feel.


But it came back return to sender
My message didn't reach you or affect you the way I intended.


I read your mind and tried to call, My tears could fill the Albert Hall,
I tried to reach out to you and understand how you felt, but my emotions overwhelmed me.


Is this the sound of sweet surrender?
Am I giving up by admitting defeat and acknowledging our differences?


What a shame we never listened
It's a shame that we didn't listen to each other and try to understand each other's perspectives.


I told you through the television
I tried to communicate my feelings and thoughts to you indirectly through media.


And all that went away was the price we paid
The price we paid for not communicating effectively is the loss of our relationship.


People spend a lifetime this way
Many people go through life without truly understanding others or themselves.


And that's how they stay Oh what a shame.
They continue living like that, and it's regrettable.


Words come easy When they're true
It's easy to communicate when what you're saying is genuine and sincere.


So I got busy throwing everybody underneath the bus, oh
I blamed others instead of taking responsibility for my actions.


And with your poster 30 foot high at the back of Toys-R-Us
I was publicizing our conflict for others to see and judge.


I wrote a letter in my mind, But the words were so unkind, About a man I can't remember
I imagined writing a hurtful letter to you, but in reality, I don't want to cause you harm.


I don't recall the reasons why, I must have meant them at the time Is this the sound of sweet surrender?
I don't remember why I felt the way I did, but maybe it's because I was surrendering to the idea that we couldn't reconcile.


Oh what a shame.
It's unfortunate how things turned out between us.


Beautiful shame, real shame, and stuff double shame (shame, shame shame)
Shame can come in many different forms and intensities, and it's a feeling that can linger and compound.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: MARLON LU'REE N WILLIAMS, PAUL YEBUAH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@tallbrowngal

I've very rarely heard voices harmonize so beautifully. Two of the best male voices in the industry coming together is just love

@Lark1610

Simon & Garfunkel, Everly Brothers, Bee Gees, The Beach Boys.

@subhadeepray2848

Sahi kha

@monikaszymanowska5142

Forgive me but if those two were close to best at anything in the industry, the industry would fall.

@hichemazli7784

Gary's voice is way better!!!!!!

@katkenobi6765

LMFAO, have you never heard of John Lennon and Paul McCartney??? I like the way they harmonize (Gary and Robbie), they’re good, very good, but NOT THE BEST. I can list a bunch who are WAY BETTER: Lennon & McCartney, Tommy Shaw & Jack Blades, Daryl Hall & John Oates, The Everly Brothers, Bee Gees, pretty much all of the old Motown acts.

I’m not dissing these 2, I actually quite enjoy them and Take That (my little brother was the one who got me into Take That, I’d never even heard of them until 2 years ago). But to claim they’re THE BEST is just nonsense. Lennon & McCartney are THE BEST, their voices just move through each other so perfectly. Hall & Oates and Shaw & Blades are tied for 2nd. Of course, all of this is just opinions, yours, mine, everyone.

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@jonsouthtv9629

This song reunited me and my brother after 12 years. Forever glad.

@ameliabedelia7018

@Jonsouthtv by brother do you mean lover?

@simondennis9460

This is delightful to hear!!

@evviesands

Those who see sexual tension between them don't know these guys have a huge history together: they were childhood friends, grew up together as members of a super successful boy band, then their egos clashed, friendships were broken and both went their separate way. Now that they're older and more mature they can reconcile their differences. Awwwwww! I love this bromance!

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