"This… Read Full Bio ↴Vocalist Charlie Steen and guitarist Eddie Green wrote to NPR:
"This is by far the oldest song we have on this record, written above The Queen’s Head pub in Stockwell in summer, 2014. It started off based around a pretty stupid jangly riff Eddie had written at home some months before, with a godawful funk intro, which we for some reason thought was good at the time.
Steen’s lyrics to this song were literally written in a school textbook, as you might be able to tell by listening to them. Lyrically, this song is kind of an outcry of the kind of hopelessness and frustration we experienced during our, in part, tragic adolescent years.
After being wisely advised by our manager to cut the funk intro about a year later, the song started to become more coherent. We made several attempts at recording this track with various different people, however none of these seemed to bear fruit as we had hoped, which was kind of frustrating. We continued playing the song at every show — including twice at one show when we were demanded our first encore — and during our last stab at demoing the track before recording the album, things suddenly began to fall into place and we moulded it into its current form."
One Rizla
Shame Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My voice ain't the best you've heard
And you can choose to hate my words
But do I give a fuck
Socks are old and shoes are broke
Lungs are tired 'cause they're filled with smoke
Wallet's empty I'm going broke
But i'm still breathing
Well I'm not much to look at
And I ain't much to hear
But if you think I love you
You've got the wrong idea
Well I'm not much to look at
And I ain't much to hear
But if you think I love you
You've got the wrong idea
Yellow teeth fit the sleeping bags
Not so good at school but I ain't bad
I'd rather be fucked than sad
And that's a start
Lying's fine if you get what you need
You're confusing love with greed
And I won't, I won't say please
At least not yet
Well I'm not much to look at
And I ain't much to hear
But if you think I love you
You've got the wrong idea
Well I'm not much to look at
And I ain't much to hear
But if you think I love you
You've got the wrong idea
And you're clinging to conflict
And you're clinging to conflict
And you're clinging to conflict
Just let go
Just let go
And you're clinging to conflict
And you're clinging to conflict
And you're clinging to conflict
Just let go
Just let go
The lyrics to "One Rizla" by Shame speak to a sense of defiance and self-acceptance in the face of judgment and societal pressure. The singer admits to his flaws and imperfections, declaring that he doesn't care whether or not people like what he has to say. He talks about his worn-out clothes, his smoking habit, and his financial struggles, yet insists that he is still alive and breathing. These lines show a refusal to be weighed down by material possessions or societal expectations of success.
The singer also touches on the idea of love and how it can be confused with desire or greed. He acknowledges that he is not conventionally attractive or talented, but warns against assuming that he must love someone just because of their attractiveness or talent. In other words, he values authenticity and emotional connection over superficial qualities. Finally, the repeated line "just let go" suggests a call to release oneself from the burdens of conflict and judgment, and to live freely and without inhibition.
Overall, the song's message is one of liberation and authenticity; it encourages listeners to accept and be proud of themselves, despite their flaws or perceived shortcomings, and to seek love and connection on their own terms.
Line by Line Meaning
My nails ain't manicured
My appearance may not be perfect or up to everyone's standards.
My voice ain't the best you've heard
My vocal ability is not exceptional, and there are others who are better.
And you can choose to hate my words
It's up to you whether or not you dislike or criticize what I say.
But do I give a fuck
But I really don't care about your opinion or judgement of me.
Socks are old and shoes are broke
My socks are worn and my shoes are damaged beyond repair.
Lungs are tired 'cause they're filled with smoke
My lungs are weak and unhealthy due to my excessive smoking habit.
Wallet's empty I'm going broke
I don't have any money left and I'm struggling financially.
But i'm still breathing
Despite all of these challenges or setbacks, I'm still alive and moving forward.
Yellow teeth fit the sleeping bags
My teeth are stained and discolored to the point where they resemble yellowish sleeping bags.
Not so good at school but I ain't bad
I may not excel academically, but I'm not terrible either.
I'd rather be fucked than sad
I would prefer to engage in destructive behavior than confront my feelings of depression or despair.
And that's a start
This may not be the most positive or productive mindset, but it's at least a beginning point for me.
Lying's fine if you get what you need
Telling lies is acceptable if it helps you achieve your goals or desires.
You're confusing love with greed
You're mistaking your desire for material or selfish gain for true love or affection.
And I won't, I won't say please
I will not plead or beg for what I want or need from others.
At least not yet
However, this could change depending on the situation or circumstances.
And you're clinging to conflict
You're persisting in a state of tension, argument, or disagreement.
Just let go
It's time to release or relinquish your grip on this conflict and move forward.
And you're clinging to conflict
You're persisting in a state of tension, argument, or disagreement.
Just let go
It's time to release or relinquish your grip on this conflict and move forward.
And you're clinging to conflict
You're persisting in a state of tension, argument, or disagreement.
Just let go
It's time to release or relinquish your grip on this conflict and move forward.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SEAN COYLE-SMITH, JOSHUA FINERTY, CHARLES FORBES, EDWARD HAMMOND GREEN, CHARLIE STEEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@palchristianandersen9086
These guys would've been euro-huge if this was the 90s.
@evilninja1337
God I just love the guitars in this song
@itzoccor
The sound of the lead guitar is amazing, but I also think the bass plays a key role in keeping the song together. Great song overall! I was blown away when I first listened to it.
@DinosaurJesus
Heard this at a Twin Peaks restaurant, of all places. Never expected to be introduced to such a cracking tune over there.
@nagaryubutman
Punk rock will never go away in any era, I promise.
@nagaryubutman
"These guys look like those artists."
So what?I don't care what it is, just listen to the song properly.
@Kurtvileseggnog
They sound pretty post punk actually too which is really cool, reminds of Joy Division and Gang Of Four
@planky84
Personally they reminded me of The Chameleons, that melancholy guitar based sound.
@realrael3550
This is not Punk!
@TracyJacks555
I totally promise