Angie
Shame Lyrics

Well there she swings
The singer describes a woman swinging, creating an image in the listener's mind's eye.

Before the banshee
The woman is metaphorically swinging in front of the banshee, a woman from Irish mythology known for her cries portending death, which could suggest the woman is close to death.

Her skirt does sing
The sound of the woman's skirt swishing as she swings creates a musical note.

The notes of Angie
The woman is referred to as Angie, a name that could symbolize an angel-like, pure being.

I'm not a man
The artist implies they lack masculinity or the ability to protect the woman.

But that's ok
The singer is comfortable with their perceived lack of masculinity.

Cause my baby swings
The singer's affectionate term for the woman is 'baby,' and they enjoy watching her swing.

From night till day
The woman swings all day long, which could denote the passage of time.

Her skirt was silk
The woman's outfit's texture is identified as soft silk, adding to the luxurious and angelic image of the woman.

Her skin was stained
The woman has bruising on her skin, possibly from abuse or violence, which juxtaposes the previously mentioned innocence and purity of the character.

In all my dreams
The singer refers to recurring dreams of the same woman.

She still remains
Despite their lack of interaction outside of the dream world, the woman remains a persistent character in the artist's subconscious.

She lies untouched
The singer hasn't had any physical interaction with the woman in the real world, solidifying the idea that she's 'pure.'

Innocent and pure
The singer reinforces his idealized view of the woman as pure and untainted.

My only hope
The woman is central to the singer's existence, the source of their optimism.

My only cure
The woman could be viewed as the cure to the artist's emotional pain or angst.

I'll let my flesh wear thin
The artist is willing to allow themselves to waste away physically.

Have my hair fade and fall
The singer is willing to let themselves deteriorate until even their hair is falling out.

Just so once more
The singer wants to reconnect with the woman mentioned throughout the song.

I can feel your skin
The artist wants to be close to the woman they're admiring, which could signify wishful thinking.

Confined in soil walls
The artist suggests they'd willingly be buried alive in a coffin.

For this life it serves no purpose
The artist is possibly commenting on their purposeless existence without the woman they admire.

Without your sweet embrace
The singer is saying they don't have a reason to exist without the woman they crave physically.

And now no angels roam this land
The artist is suggesting that without the woman, there is nothing divine or good in the world.

You'll never be replaced
The singer affirms that no one could take the woman's place in their mind and heart.

I'll see you soon
The singer intends to reunite with the woman, even if it's only in death.

Up where you lie
The singer sees the woman as residing in a place of resting, like heaven.

Under the moon
The artist romanticizes the place where the woman lies, emphasizing the beauty of where she resides.

Above the sky
The artist envisions the woman being in a heavenly place beyond the sky, which takes an ethereal turn.

Scratch me away
The singer asks the woman to forget about them or remove them from her memory.

Out of your skin
The singer wants to forget their connection to the woman or be physically separated from her.

Still to this day
Despite the passage of time, the artist still recalls the sound of the woman's skirt swishing around her.

I hear your skirt sing
Once again, the song returns to the woman's skirt, with the implication that it's the most ingrained memory the artist has of her.

I took her down
The artist physically interacts with the woman in some way, which from the lyrics, can be understood in a negative light.

And there she lay
It's implied the woman is dead or dying in this line.

Her face stained brown
The woman's skin is stained brown, which could imply she's decomposing or covered in dirt.

No notes to play
The musical aspect that's been present throughout the song is muted, possibly out of respect.

I know you could do better
The singer confronts whoever they're speaking to with the idea that they're capable of more.

And I know you could do worse
In contrast, the singer implies that things could be worse than they currently are.

Build a latex box to drown in
A call back to the idea of being buried alive, the artist suggests an extreme version of that with a latex box that negates either breathing or escaping.

And bathe in the absurd
The artist suggests the person they're speaking to embrace the nonsensical or comical aspects of life.

Deep fry your feelings so they can't escape
The singer suggests numbing oneself to their complexities by likening them to fries that have lost any semblance of what they once were.

Disappear into nothing
The singer suggests that the person they're addressing fades away into nothingness, becoming insignificant and unimportant.

And find your happy place
The artist suggests the person they're addressing reframe their perception of life and find a more positive environment.

I'll cut you down
The artist is returning to the idea of burial, but this time they're the one performing it to the person they're addressing.

I'll hold your face
The artist shifts from being aggressive to being more tender in their actions.

And we will stay
The singer switches between singular and plural to connote an emotional connection between themselves and the person they're addressing.

In your happy place
The song closes with the idea of being in a positive space, both emotionally and physically.