Discography:
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs (EP) (2002)
• Fever to Tell (2003)
• Show Your Bones (2006)
• It's Blitz! (2009)
• Mosquito (2013)
• Cool It Down (2022)
Shame and Fortune
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Lose when I play your game
Come if you call my name
Lose when I play your game
You got an attitude
You got a way
All fortune on the floor [Repeats]
Shame is soft and safe
Lose when I play your game
All fortune on the floor[Repeats]
The above lyrics are from the song "Shame and Fortune" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. This song is a powerful reflection on the internal and external struggle between shame and fortune. The opening line "Shame is soft and safe" sets the tone for the rest of the song. The idea that shame is a comfortable feeling is a nod to the fact that sometimes it's easier to feel bad about oneself than to take risks and put oneself out there. The repetition of "Lose when I play your game" could be interpreted as a commentary on the idea that playing by someone else's rules may leave one feeling like they've lost something.
The chorus of the song, "You got an attitude, You got a way, All fortune on the floor," seems to speak to a specific person. It's possible that the "you" in this context is someone who is confident and self-assured. The line "All fortune on the floor" could be interpreted as saying that this confident person has put everything they have on the line and is now in a vulnerable place.
Overall, the song is about the tension between feelings of shame and trying to attain fortune. The repeated lines throughout the song give the sense of being trapped in this cycle.
Line by Line Meaning
Shame is soft and safe
I choose to feel ashamed because it's easier than facing my true feelings or acknowledging any wrongdoing.
Lose when I play your game
Whenever I try to do what you want or follow your rules, I end up feeling like a failure or losing a part of myself.
Come if you call my name
Even though I know I'll probably end up feeling ashamed or losing if I do what you want, I can't resist your attention or approval.
You got an attitude
You have a certain way of acting or speaking that suggests you don't care about me or my feelings, which makes me feel ashamed for seeking your approval.
You got a way
You have a particular style or approach that I find irresistible or intriguing, even if it ultimately leads to me feeling ashamed or losing.
All fortune on the floor [Repeats]
Despite feeling like I always end up losing or feeling ashamed around you, I still can't help but hope for some kind of reward or satisfaction, even if it means sacrificing my own values or self-respect.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN CHASE, KAREN LEE ORZOLEK, NICHOLAS JOSEPH ZINNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Nadia
on "date with the night"
I got a date with the night
Burnin' out my finger
Gonna catch the kids dry
Gonna walk on water
Buyin' out the fight
We're sweatin' in the winter
Both thighs squeeze tight
Choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke...
Don't tell me to fix her
Don't tell me to fix her
Just take a bite
No hangin' no picture
Flyin' out my sight
Droppin' brides at the altar
Both thighs squeeze tight
Choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke choke...
I'll set you I'll set it off
I'll set you I'll set it off
I'll set you I'll set it off off
I'll set you I'll set it off
I'll set you I'll set it off
I'll set you I'll set it off
I'll set you I'll set it off off off
Buyin' out the fight
Gonna walk on water
Gonna catch the kids dry
Gonna bend my finger
Flyin' out my sight
We're sweatin' in the winter
Both thighs squeeze tight
Both thighs squeeze tight