The band formed in 1986 as an underground punk rock act. Their popularity grew during the following decade with the 1992 album It's A Shame About Ray, which was produced, engineered, and mixed by The Robb Brothers (Bruce Robb, Dee, and Joe), followed by a cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", which eventually became one of the band's most successful singles.
Throughout its various incarnations, recording and touring lineups of the band have included co-founders Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz, John Strohm (Blake Babies), Doug Trachten, Corey Loog Brennan, Byron Hoag, Ben Daughtry, Juliana Hatfield (Blake Babies), Nic Dalton (Godstar, Sneeze, The Plunderers), Dave Ryan, Patrick "Murph" Murphy (Dinosaur Jr), Bill Gibson (Eastern Dark), Mark 'Budola' Newman, Kenny Lyon, Vess Ruhtenberg, Devon Ashley, Karl Alvarez and Bill Stevenson (Descendents), P. David Hazel and various others.
Cited as one of the most important alternative rock groups, The Lemonheads were active until 1997 and went on hiatus, but reformed with a new lineup in 2005 and released The Lemonheads in the following year. The band released its latest album, Varshons, in June 2009.
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads Lyrics
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The cellar door was open, I could never stay away
I know it's probably not my place
It's either or, I'm hoping for a simple way to say
It's a shame about Ray
In the stone, under the dust, his name is still engraved
Some things need to go away
If I make it through today
I'll know tomorrow not to leave my feelings out on display
I'll put the cobwebs back in place
I've never been to good with names, but I remember faces
It's a shame about Ray
In the stone, under the dust, his name is still engraved
Some things need to go away
It's a shame about Ray
The Lemonheads' song "It's a Shame About Ray" talks about nostalgia, loss, and the difficulty of moving forward in life. The opening lines of the song, "I've never been too good with names, the cellar door was open, I could never stay away," describe a sense of disconnection and detachment from the world. The singer seems to be caught in a moment of reminiscing as they feel pulled towards the cellar door. However, they also acknowledge that it may not be their place to stay there for long.
The chorus of the song, "It's a shame about Ray, in the stone, under the dust, his name is still engraved, some things need to go away, it's a shame about Ray," seems to be an elegy for someone or something that the singer has lost. Ray, whoever he may be, appears to have left a deep impression on the singer, and even though he may be gone, his name is still engraved in the stone. The singer also acknowledges that some things need to go away, but it's still a shame about Ray.
In the second verse, the singer seems to be making a conscious effort to protect themselves from the pain of loss. They say, "If I make it through today, I'll know tomorrow not to leave my feelings out on display, I'll put the cobwebs back in place." The singer acknowledges that they're not good with names but remember faces, which reinforces their sense of detachment from the world.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never been too good with names
I struggle to remember people's names.
The cellar door was open, I could never stay away
I'm drawn to things that are accessible, even if they may not be good for me.
I know it's probably not my place
I understand that I may not have the authority or authority to take action in certain situations.
It's either or, I'm hoping for a simple way to say
I'm looking for an easy solution or explanation to a complex issue.
It's a shame about Ray
It's unfortunate what happened to Ray.
In the stone, under the dust, his name is still engraved
Ray's memory still exists, even though he is no longer physically here.
Some things need to go away
Certain things should be forgotten or left in the past.
If I make it through today
If I can survive the challenges of the present moment.
I'll know tomorrow not to leave my feelings out on display
I'll learn from my mistakes and guard my emotions better in the future.
I'll put the cobwebs back in place
I'll tidy up the mess I've made and restore order to my life.
I've never been to good with names, but I remember faces
I might not remember what someone is called, but I can recognize their appearance.
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY, MUSIC SALES CORPORATION, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Evan Griffith Dando, Tom Morgan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind