The Bridgewater, NJ-based hardcore band Shades Apart formed in 1988, compri… Read Full Bio ↴The Bridgewater, NJ-based hardcore band Shades Apart formed in 1988, comprising singer/guitarist Mark V., bassist Kevin Lynch and drummer Ed Brown. After releasing their self-titled debut later that year on the Wishingwell label, the trio fell silent before resurfacing in 1992 with the Sunspot EP Dude Danger; another label change, this time to Skene, followed for the 1993 EP Neon. All members Bill Stevenson and Stephen Egerton produced Shades Apart's next LP, 1995's Save It, which scored a minor hit with its punked-up cover of Soft Cell's "Tainted Love." Following 1997's Seeing Things, the group signed to major label Universal to issue Eyewitness two years later. In addition to positive reviews, "Stranger by the Day" was featured on the American Pie soundtrack. Sonic Boom was released in spring 2001 to mediocre reviews. It featured "Got Shot Down," which received a considerable amount of radio play, and a re-recording of "Behind the Wheel."

Although Shades Apart has not released an album since Sonic Boom, they continue to play live shows on occasion.

Tainted Love
Shades Apart Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Sometimes I feel I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
The love we share
Seems to go nowhere
And I've lost my light
For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night

(chorus)
Once I ran to you (I ran)
Now I'll run from you
This tainted love you've given
I give you all a boy could give you
Take my tears and that's not nearly all
Oh...tainted love
Tainted love

Now I know I've got to
Run away I've got to
Get away
You don't really want IT any more from me
To make things right
You need someone to hold you tight
And you'LL think love is to pray
But I'm sorry I don't pray that way

(chorus...)

Don't touch me please
I cannot stand the way you tease
I love you though you hurt me so
Now I'm going to pack my things and go
Tainted love, tainted love (x2)

Touch me baby, tainted love (x2)
Tainted love (x3)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Shades Apart's song Tainted Love describe a relationship that has gone sour. The singer feels like he needs to get away from the pain that the other person has caused him. The love they once shared seems to have disappeared, leaving him tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep. He once ran to the other person for love and comfort, but now he feels like he needs to run away from them.

The chorus describes how the love that the other person has given him has become tainted, and he wants to give it back to them. Despite everything the other person has done to hurt him, he still loves them. However, he cannot stand the way they tease him, so he packs his things and leaves.

Line by Line Meaning

Sometimes I feel I've got to
At times, I sense a strong urge to

Run away I've got to
Escape and get away immediately

Get away
To leave behind current circumstances

From the pain that you drive into the heart of me
Because your actions cause me such emotional pain

The love we share
The affection we once had

Seems to go nowhere
Doesn't lead to anywhere

And I've lost my light
I am left in the dark

For I toss and turn I can't sleep at night
Leaving me unable to rest peacefully

Once I ran to you (I ran)
There was a time when I sought you out

Now I'll run from you
Now I'll do anything to escape you

This tainted love you've given
The love you've given has been spoiled

I give you all a boy could give you
I presented my all to you

Take my tears and that's not nearly all
I gave you my grief and more

Oh...tainted love
This unsatisfactory love

Now I know I've got to
I am aware now that I have no choice but to

You don't really want IT any more from me
You no longer desire anything from me

To make things right
To restore our relationship

You need someone to hold you tight
You need someone to support and to console you

And you'll think love is to pray
You'll believe love is like a prayer

But I'm sorry I don't pray that way
But I can't do that for you

Don't touch me please
Do not touch me, I beg of you

I cannot stand the way you tease
I can't tolerate the way you mock and belittle me

I love you though you hurt me so
Despite the pain you cause me, my affection for you continues

Now I'm going to pack my things and go
I will pack up my belonging and leave

Tainted love, tainted love (x2)
This harmful relationship

Touch me baby, tainted love (x2)
Touch me as I leave this harmful relationship

Tainted love (x3)
This love is spoilt

Contributed by Olivia M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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01Menace3:42

02Gun2:24

03Weight of Years2:32

09September Burns1:54

10Brutus3:28

11Tainted Love2:28

PT2M28S

Shades Apart

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Comments from YouTube:

Calgore

13y↑14

wayyyyyyy better then the original

Revidescent84

12y↑37

Too bad no one knows these guys. They kicked ass at what they did. Best of New York-tinged alt-pop mixed with smatterings of Ramones and Bad Religion punk. Grab their cds, you won't be sorry.