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/

Station Wagon
Shame Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I need a new solution
I need a new resolution and it's not even the end of the year
(Hit or miss, hit or miss)

It goes swell with a cup of coffee
Extra sugar and extra cream, I'm living the dream
(Hit or miss, hit or miss)

I'm sweet enough but there's no harm in getting sweeter
Just ask Rita
(Hit or miss, hit or miss, hit or miss)

The hits are heavy but the misses are frequent
James Dean, juvenile delinquent
(Oh oh)

There's no time to erode
There's a new station wagon and it's hitting the road
(Oh oh)
I feel light as a feather
Just like that cloud up high
I drift through all types of weather

(Oh) these hands keep on breaking
(Oh) stretch through the mist, I could never resist temptation
(Oh)
(Oh)

Look
Look up there
There's something in that cloud
We've all seen it before
A constant vapor of light
Lift up my trousers and kiss my ear lobes
Feel the rain tremble through the sky
Won't, won't somebody please bring me that cloud
And all is but a distant memory when I look up at it
Voices shatter in disbelief that anything could ever look so beautiful
And like Atlas, I shall carry the weight of the sky on my shoulders
And if you listen closely, then you'll hear the bones crack and the muscles stretch
Voices, voices, voices
Happiness is only a habit
And if that's true, then I'm habitually dependent on something that I cannot control
Something I cannot touch, taste or tamper with
But nobody said this was going to be easy
And with you as my witness I'm gonna try and achieve the unachievable
Because one day that vapor will be in my pocket
Comforted by lint and an external warmth
And I wonder
Will it drift?
Will it change color, shape and size?
We're gonna be the only people who know about it
And that's the only kind of thing worth knowing about
Won't somebody please bring me that cloud

Move that cloud
Join us on Planet Cluj

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Shame's song "Station Wagon" suggest a persona who is in search for a new solution or resolution. He seems to be dissatisfied with the state of his life, and as such, he desires a change. In the next verse, he talks about living the dream, which may suggest a facade of happiness, but the use of the phrase "hit or miss" implies that things are not always as they seem. The persona feels like he needs to become even sweeter, and he mentions Rita, possibly alluding to the famous actress Rita Hayworth, who was a sex symbol of the 1940s. This reference may suggest a desire to escape, to be something or someone else than his current self.

The chorus of the song talks about heavy hits and frequent misses, which may suggest that the persona is grappling with his success or lack thereof. He refers to James Dean, a famous rebel and cultural icon of the 1950s, and the phrase "juvenile delinquent" appears to be a reference to the movie "Rebel Without a Cause," which features Dean. It is possible that this allusion to James Dean is an attempt to embody the rebel spirit, to be a non-conformist and stand out from the crowd. The third verse talks about the yearning for something intangible. The persona speaks of a cloud that he desires to have in his pocket, to be close to him. He describes it as beautiful and wonders if it will change color, shape, and size. It seems like the persona is searching for meaning or a sense of purpose, and the cloud may symbolize an unattainable desire.

Line by Line Meaning

I need a new solution
I am in need of a different approach or method to deal with my current situation.

I need a new resolution and it's not even the end of the year (Hit or miss, hit or miss)
I require a fresh tactic to tackle my problems, even though the year has not yet ended. It could work or not work, hence the phrase 'hit or miss.'

It goes swell with a cup of coffee
This ritual is perfect when combined with a cup of coffee.

Extra sugar and extra cream, I'm living the dream (Hit or miss, hit or miss)
By adding more sugar and cream to my coffee, I am having the time of my life. Again, it might work or not work.

I'm sweet enough but there's no harm in getting sweeter / Just ask Rita (Hit or miss, hit or miss, hit or miss)
I am already charming, but I can become more so. Just ask Rita. However, the results won't be guaranteed.

The hits are heavy but the misses are frequent / James Dean, juvenile delinquent (Oh oh)
I experience more failures than successes in life, like a teenage rebel James Dean who frequently broke the rules.

There's no time to erode / There's a new station wagon and it's hitting the road (Oh oh)
I must act now, and not let time wear me down. A new vehicle is available and ready to be driven.

I feel light as a feather / Just like that cloud up high / I drift through all types of weather
I feel carefree and unburdened, like a cloud floating through all sorts of conditions.

(Oh) these hands keep on breaking / (Oh) stretch through the mist, I could never resist temptation / (Oh) (Oh)
I keep making mistakes in life, yet I am temptable and unable to resist allurements.

Look / Look up there / There's something in that cloud / We've all seen it before / A constant vapor of light
Observe the sky, and you'll notice an apparition, a familiar and recurrent illumination within the mist.

Lift up my trousers and kiss my ear lobes / Feel the rain tremble through the sky
A nonsensical and absurd statement about the sensation of raindrops falling and the body's reaction to it.

Won't, won't somebody please bring me that cloud / And all is but a distant memory when I look up at it / Voices shatter in disbelief that anything could ever look so beautiful / And like Atlas, I shall carry the weight of the sky on my shoulders
I desire to own that cloud and be responsible for its beauty. I feel like an enduring mythological figure, Atlas, who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Hearing reactions from others only reminds me of how stunning the sight is.

And if you listen closely, then you'll hear the bones crack and the muscles stretch / Voices, voices, voices
If you concentrate, you can hear the sounds of the body's muscles and bones moving. There are also melodic voices in the background.

Happiness is only a habit / And if that's true, then I'm habitually dependent on something that I cannot control / Something I cannot touch, taste or tamper with / But nobody said this was going to be easy
Happiness is merely a routine, and if so, I am reliant on something that I have no command over. It is intangible, yet essential. Nonetheless, no one promised it would be simple.

And with you as my witness I'm gonna try and achieve the unachievable / Because one day that vapor will be in my pocket / Comforted by lint and an external warmth
I have an accomplice who will attest to my endeavoring to accomplish the impossible. Someday, I will possess that cloud, secured in my pocket alongside dust and heat.

And I wonder / Will it drift? / Will it change color, shape and size? / We're gonna be the only people who know about it / And that's the only kind of thing worth knowing about
I ponder if the cloud will shift in course, form, or dimension. My accomplice and I will be the sole individuals aware of it, which is the only information essential to know.

Won't somebody please bring me that cloud / Move that cloud / Join us on Planet Cluj
A warped and nonsensical conclusion to the song, imploring someone to bring the cloud, relocate it and join them on a bogus planet.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Charles John Forbes, Charlie Steen, Edward Hammond Green, Joshua Bevan Finerty, Sean Coyle-Smith

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS