He began his career fronting the group Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets, managed by Paul Barrett. Also known as the The Sunsets, the 50s-esque rock n roll outfit originaled from Penarth, South Glamorgan. An early break for the band arrived when they were given a support slot for The Rolling Stones in December 1969. Yet, despite landing a recording contract with the seminal label Parlophone Records the following year, the band found success hard to come by. At least in their native Great Britain, they couldn't quite break through commercially, though they had hit singles in other countries. After seven years of constant touring and recording, Shaky left the band in 1977. He gained a lead role in Jack Good's "Elvis!" musical, which brought him praise from many critics.
Regular TV appearances on the revamped TV show Oh Boy led eventually to his first chart success, a reworked version of a Buck Owens song "Hot Dog", which Owens would go on to re-record using Stevens arrangement which had been created by pedal steel guitar player B.J. Cole.
In 1979, Shaky signed what was to be his most successful management deal with Freya Miller, and in 1981, he had his first UK number 1 with "This Ole House" and would have 10 more songs reach the top 5, including three number 1 hits with "Green Door", "Oh Julie" and "Merry Christmas Everyone", while "You Drive Me Crazy" and "A Love Worth Waiting For" reached number 2 in 1981 and 1984 respectively. His 1984 hit "Teardrops" featured Hank B. Marvin on guitar and Stevens has often featured famous musicians such as Albert Lee, Roger Taylor, Bonnie Tyler and more recently Tony Joe White on his recordings. In the mid 80s, Stevens reunited with former producer Dave Edmunds to record an album Lipstick, Powder and Paint and the Christmas smash "Merry Christmas Everyone".
The hits continued throughout the 1980s, making Stevens the biggest selling artist of the decade, and into the early 1990s. Chart successes also included his album Shaky reaching number 1.
It was in the 1990s, however, that Stevens took a lengthy break from recording and was stung by a court ruling requiring a substantial payout to former bandmates The Sunsets. In 1999, Shaky returned to performing and undertook tours that year and the year following. In 2004, things started to look up for Stevens he had a further platinum CD/DVD album in Denmark and a gold album in South Africa.
In 2005, he returned once again to the charts in the United Kingdom, with his greatest hits album The Collection, which reached the UK top 5. That year, he also appeared in the video to Tony Christie's and Peter Kay's #1 hit single "Is This the Way to Amarillo", alongside many other UK stars, including Ronnie Corbett, Jim Bowen, Michael Parkinson and Geoffrey Hayes. He was the winner on the reality television show, Hit Me Baby One More Time. This was quickly followed by a re-release of his cover and his own biggest hit sung in the show, ("Trouble" covering Pink's version) / "This Ole House"), which reached #20 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2005, his 33rd Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom.
In May 2007, Stevens released a brand new album in Denmark entitled Now Listen.
Shame Shame Shame
Shakin' Stevens Lyrics
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Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Shame shame... shame on what'choo done
Well... you made me sweat and talk
'Til I was skin & bones
You cause your lovers grief
Oh... look at me now
Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy... that's right
Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Shame shame... a shame on what'choo done
You know what ya done
You wanna bump
You wanna what
You wannna... ay ay ay
Yeeeaaahhh... well I was offered dice
I gav'em a touchin' hymn
But then the game broke a loose
Oh... you were the reason
Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Yeah... shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Shame shame... a shame on what'choo done... ay ay ay ay
And now you're talkin' back
Well I can tell your plan
You oughta eat my words down on your knees... aar
Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Yeah yeah yeah yeah... shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Shame shame... a shame on what'choo done... wellll...
Shame shame a shame on you Miss Roxy
Shame shame shame shame
Shame shame shame shame... yooh shame on you...
Shame on what'choo done... yeah
Shame shame... shame on what'choo done... who yeah who yeah... yeah...
In "Shame, Shame, Shame," Shakin' Stevens addresses the titular character, Miss Roxy, and delivers a stern message of disapproval. The lyrics underscore a sense of betrayal and disappointment with the subject, as Stevens laments the way in which she has caused him and her other lovers to suffer. The song's refrain "Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy" emphasizes the singer's feelings of disillusionment and disbelief, suggesting that he is struggling to come to terms with the actions of the woman in question.
The vivid imagery in the song captures the physical and emotional toll exacted by Miss Roxy's behavior. Stevens describes himself as sweating and emaciated, making it clear that he has been deeply affected by the way she has treated him. The phrase "you wanna bump, you wanna what, you wannna... ay ay ay" further emphasizes the sense of chaos and confusion that surrounds the relationship, suggesting that Miss Roxy is a force of instability and volatility in Stevens' life. Overall, "Shame, Shame, Shame" illuminates the pain and frustration that can come with being involved with someone who is not trustworthy or emotionally reliable.
Line by Line Meaning
Shame shame shame on you Miss Roxy
Disgrace and dishonor upon you, Miss Roxy
Shame shame... shame on what'choo done
Your actions warrant shameful reproach
Well... you made me sweat and talk
You caused me great discomfort and anxiety
'Til I was skin & bones
You caused me to become emaciated and gaunt from the stress you inflicted upon me
You cause your lovers grief
Your actions inflict sorrow and misery upon your partners
Oh... look at me now
My current state is a product of your actions
You know what ya done
You are well aware of the consequences of your actions
You wanna bump
You have a desire for drug usage
You wanna what
You are engaging in shady, covert behavior
You wannna... ay ay ay
Your behavior elicits frustration and exasperation
Yeeeaaahhh... well I was offered dice
I was tempted to engage in gambling
I gav'em a touchin' hymn
I attempted to sway my fellow gamblers with a stirring song
But then the game broke a loose
The game devolved into chaos and disorder
Oh... you were the reason
Your influence led to the dissolution of the game
And now you're talkin' back
You are attempting to justify your actions
Well I can tell your plan
I am aware of your intentions
You oughta eat my words down on your knees... aar
You should take my words more seriously and demonstrate remorse
Shame shame a shame on you Miss Roxy
You should feel shame for your actions
Shame shame shame shame
Your actions are deserving of great shame
Shame shame shame shame... yooh shame on you...
You should feel deep shame for what you have done
Shame on what'choo done... yeah
Your actions are deplorable and warrant condemnation
Shame shame... shame on what'choo done... who yeah who yeah... yeah...
You have committed shameful acts that have caused great harm
Writer(s): Reuben Fisher, Kenyon Hopkins
Contributed by Aiden D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.