Following in the footsteps of unflinching musicians and writers such as the… Read Full Bio ↴Following in the footsteps of unflinching musicians and writers such as the Fall, Television Personalities, and Irvine Welsh, South London's bracing post-punk outfit Shame features vocalist Charlie Steen, guitarists Sean Coyle-Smith and Eddie Green, bassist Josh Finerty, and drummer Charlie Forbes. The quintet met in school and formed Shame in 2014 while still in their teens. A family connection led them to practice at the Queen's Head, a gritty Brixton pub that was also home to Fat White Family. Gigs with that band, the Garden, and Slaves led to an appearance at 2016's Pitchfork Music Festival Paris; later that year, Shame released their debut single "The Lick/Gold Hole" on Fnord Communications. In 2017, the band signed with Dead Oceans and released the singles "Tasteless," "Concrete," and "Visa Vulture," a commentary on Prime Minister Theresa May's stance on immigration. That year, Shame recorded their debut album, Songs of Praise, at Wales' Rockfield Studios; the album arrived in early 2018.

There are other artists with the same name:

2 - Shame was a Japanese rock/visual kei band, active from 1994 until 2002, and again from 2006 until 2009.

3 - SHAME is a mathcore band from Oklahoma

4 - Shame is independent band from Brazil

5 - Shame is a rapper from New York who's track "Bronx Bounce" featured on 1988's The B-Boy Boogie Down Sampler 2

6 - Shame is a bay area rapper, he released 2 street albums California and Random Acts. His deep lyrics and sharp delivery created a fresh, unique sound.

7 - Shame is a Swedish dancehall band http://www.shame.se/

8 - Shame is an ambient/black metal band from the Netherlands.

9- SHAME is a noisy punk band from Olympia, Washington.
https://shameolympia.bandcamp.com/

Donk
Shame Lyrics

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Two, three, four

I had a dream
Just like Mr. King
You were there too
Dressed only in blue
Go!

And I love the way you love to take
Such comfort in yourself
And I hate the way you hate to take
Notice about your health

Well I'd like to pick you up
But I would rather watch you crawl
Well I'd love to pick you up

But I would rather watch you fall
Go!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Donk" by Shame are a fascinating exploration of love and hate, desire and rejection. The song begins with a reference to Martin Luther King Jr., suggesting that the singer has a dream of their own, which involves a mysterious "you" dressed in blue. This dream seems to be both romantic and sexual, as the singer is drawn to the way this person takes "comfort in [themselves]" but also frustrated by their refusal to take "notice about [their] health."

The song's chorus expresses a complex mix of desire and rejection, hinting at both the singer's attraction to this person and their desire to see them fail. The lines "Well I'd like to pick you up / But I would rather watch you crawl / Well I'd love to pick you up / But I would rather watch you fall" suggest a conflicting desire to help and to hurt, to elevate this person and to watch them suffer.

Taken together, these lyrics suggest a complex, conflicted relationship between two people, one that is filled with attraction and anger, affection and rejection. The song's driving beat and aggressive guitar riffs only add to this sense of tension and turmoil, making "Donk" a memorable and powerful exploration of love and desire.

Line by Line Meaning

Two, three, four
Counting off the start of the song

I had a dream
Referencing a dream or goal the singer has

Just like Mr. King
Comparing the singer's dream to that of Martin Luther King Jr.

You were there too
Addressing someone else who was also present in the dream

Dressed only in blue
Describing the attire of the person addressed in the dream

And I love the way you love to take
Admiring the other person's confidence and self-assuredness

Such comfort in yourself
Complimenting the other person's self-assurance

And I hate the way you hate to take
Disapproving of the other person's lack of concern for their own well-being

Notice about your health
Encouraging the other person to pay attention to their own health

Well I'd like to pick you up
Expressing a desire to help the other person

But I would rather watch you crawl
Preferring to see the other person struggle and learn from their mistakes instead of just receiving help

Well I'd love to pick you up
Reiterating the desire to help the other person

But I would rather watch you fall
Still preferring to see the other person learn and grow from their own mistakes

Go!
An exhortation to proceed or continue

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SEAN COYLE-SMITH, JOSHUA FINERTY, CHARLES FORBES, EDWARD HAMMOND GREEN, CHARLIE STEEN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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