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.
The Shape I'm In
Shakin' Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's your fault, I'm this way
I ain't ever been, hmm, the shape I'm in
I can't sit, I can't stand
This feeling is so grand
Hoping it never ends, hmm, the shape I'm in
You tell me no, then you tell me yes
You keep my mind a wreck
I feel good, I feel bad
I feel happy, I feel sad
But I love you all over again
I love being in the shape I'm in
Yeah!
In Shakin' Stevens's song "The Shape I'm In," the singer finds himself in a state of confusion and instability because of a tumultuous relationship. He can't decide whether to stay or go because his partner's actions keep his mind constantly changing. The lyrics reveal the singer's internal struggle with his emotions, as he experiences feelings of happiness and love one moment, followed by sadness and heartache the next.
The repeated refrain, "I ain't ever been, hmm, the shape I'm in," emphasizes the impact his partner's behavior has on him, and his inability to control his emotions. He admits to feeling both good and bad, but ultimately delights in being in this heightened state of emotions. The final line, "But I love you all over again," suggests that despite the turmoil, he is willing to continue in this state of vulnerability because of his love for his partner.
Overall, the song explores the complexities of a relationship and the intense emotions that can arise as a result. Shakin' Stevens portrays the difficulties of navigating these emotions through his lyrics and captures the feeling of being overwhelmed by love, despite its challenges.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't go, I can't stay
I am feeling indecisive and unsure of what to do in this situation.
It's your fault, I'm this way
You are responsible for the way I feel and my current state of mind.
I ain't ever been, hmm, the shape I'm in
I have never felt quite like this before and it's new to me.
I can't sit, I can't stand
I am so overwhelmed with emotion that I can't even find a comfortable position to be in.
This feeling is so grand
Despite my discomfort, this feeling is still something special and important to me.
Hoping it never ends, hmm, the shape I'm in
I am enjoying this feeling so much that I never want it to go away.
You tell me no, then you tell me yes
You are sending me mixed signals and confusing me about your feelings.
You keep my mind a wreck
The way you act and communicate with me is driving me crazy and making me feel out of control.
I'm not gonna ever rest, I'm gonna get you yeah
I won't give up until I fully understand your feelings and intentions.
I feel good, I feel bad
My emotions are all over the place and I'm having trouble keeping it together.
I feel happy, I feel sad
My feelings towards you are not straightforward and are causing me to experience both positive and negative emotions.
But I love you all over again
Regardless of the ups and downs, I still have strong feelings for you.
I love being in the shape I'm in
Even though it can be overwhelming, I love the intensity of my feelings towards you and wouldn't trade it for anything.
Contributed by Liam T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.