It's A Shame

Album: 2nd Time Around (1970)
Charted: 20 14
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Songfacts®:

  • Like many soul classics, "It's A Shame" pairs a very upbeat tune with a very distressing lyric. The guy in the song is being used, totally played out by a woman who doesn't appreciate him. She leaves him hurt and confused, and all he can do is complain about it. Good luck with that.
  • "It's A Shame" was produced by Stevie Wonder, who wrote the song with two of his collaborators at Motown Records: Syreeta Wright and Lee Garrett. Wright was also his girlfriend; they got married in 1970 soon after this song was released (they divorced in 1972).

    At this time, Wonder was a creative gusher, so prolific he needed other vessels for his talents astride his solo work. He started working with other artists, including Wright and The Spinners. This wasn't uncommon at Motown, where the likes of Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye helped out other acts on the roster while also doing their own thing.

    As a solo artist, Wonder was working on his album Signed, Sealed & Delivered. Wright and Garrett wrote "the title track" with him.
  • "It's A Shame" was the biggest hit for The Spinners during their stint at Motown Records, which lasted from 1963 to 1972. The were largely neglected at the label, which they joined when their original record company, Tri-Phi, was bought by Motown.

    When they left, it was at the urging of Aretha Franklin, probably the most famous Detroit artist who never worked for Motown. She was signed to Atlantic and helped get The Spinners a deal there. It didn't take long for The Spinners to make a splash with Atlantic. Teamed with producer Thom Bell, their first sessions delivered the hits "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love."
  • G.C. Cameron is the lead vocalist on this song. He became a member of The Spinners in 1967, joining the four guys who were with the band since they formed in 1955. When the group jumped ship for Atlantic in 1972, Cameron stayed at Motown, where he recorded as a solo artist; in 1975 he released the original version of "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," later made famous by Boyz II Men.

    The Spinners replaced Cameron with Philippé Wynne, who sang lead on most of their hits with Atlantic.
  • Motown's house band, The Funk Brothers, played on this track. The guitarists playing the distinctive intro were Dennis Coffey and Eddie Willis.
  • Jazz guitarist Paul Jackson Jr. made a smooth jazz version of this song for his album Still Small Voice. Paul's version was also featured on the compilation album Blue Note Plays Stevie Wonder, a series of covers that was a tribute to Wonder.
  • In 1990, British-born singer and rapper Simone Wilson, the artist better known as Monie Love, reworked this song as "It's a Shame (My Sister)." In this rap version, Monie tries to convince a friend to leave her unfaithful man. >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Annabelle - Eugene, OR
  • Lethal Bizzle, a former member of More Fire Crew, sampled this on his 2005 song "Fire."
  • The Jamaican rock steady singer Alton Ellis recorded a version of this song that appears on his album Darker than Blue: Soul from Jamdown.

Comments: 17

  • June from DetroitThe intro to "It's A Shame" is the the most joyful, upbeat guitar riff in musical history. I hear it and I'm transported to 1970. I'm trying to see if it was Dennis Coffey or Eddie Willis or both.
  • Luca.sDid Beverly Dewitt Yancey have any contribution to the writing of this song?
  • Tom H from Oxford I don’t think it’s fair to say Phillipe sang most of the leads. Bobby Smith probably sang more leads and he and Phillipe sometimes shared lead vocals. They had similar voices in parts of their respective ranges and I’d say Bobby was more mistaken for Phillipe than the other way around. Bobby was a great singer…as was Phillipe. Check out the big Atlantic hits on YouTube and you’ll see who sang what. There’s also a good Spinners documentary on there
  • Karen from 99082It's a shame... to have too much swag... - Karen B. Smith
  • Darryl Smith from 63301I understand that Stevie Wonder played the bass on this song . Am I right.
  • Arvis L Perry from Detroit, MiI remember hearing "It's a shame" in 69 while living in Chicago. Was it possibly released early there?
  • Mr.horton from Memphis TnMan that Stevie Wonder a genius way ahead of his time I salute you sir
  • Richard Murphy from NewyorkI have heard a lot of singers that have sang this number but not steve wonder
  • Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn October 3rd 1970, the Spinners performed "It's a Shame" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
    At the time the song was at #15 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; eight days later on October 11 it would peak at #14 {for 1 week} and it stayed on the chart for 15 weeks...
    It reached #4 on Billboard's R&B Singles chart...
    Between 1961 and 1995 the Detroit quintet had twenty nine Top 100 records; six made the Top 10 with their two biggest hits both peaking at #2, "The Rubberband Man" for 3 weeks in 1976 and "Working My Way Back to You/Forgive Me, Girl" for 2 weeks in 1980...
    And on Billboard's R&B Singles chart they had six #1 records between 1972 and 1976.
  • Camille from Toronto, OhOne more incredible song that doesn't get enough airplay on the radio these days. The opening guitar, such a distinct sound, the voices, the instrumentation with the horns blowing to emphasize the emotions; it's just great. I love listening to this on my ipod with my earbuds. Never knew Stevie Wonder wrote it, but can definitely hear his 'sound' come thru.
  • Jim from New York, NyThe group was actually always known simply as The Spinners in the US. They were billed as The Detroit Spinners only in the UK, as there already existed a British group called The Spinners at the time of their first release there.

    Jeremiah, according to Volume 10 of The Complete Motown Singles, James Jamerson is indeed playing the bass on this track. Other musicians include Dennis Coffey and Robert White on guitar, Jack Ashford on tambourine and Pistol Allen on the drums. (Although Stevie Wonder overdubbed a second drum part that he played himself after he couldn't quite get the rhythm he wanted out of Allen.)

    Annabelle, I don't know that Stevie Wonder ever recorded his own version of the song. If he did, it's still in the vaults somewhere!
  • Claire from Miller's, MdEven though I'm not big into Motown I absolutley LOVE this song:)
  • John from Nashville, TnWhen the Spinners left Motown for Atlantic, GC Cameron couldn't come along because he was signed to Motown as a solo act before he joined the Spinners.
  • Mark from Los Angeles, CaThis song may have been about his break up with Syreeta, however, Aisha's mother is Yolanda Simmons. Her name is actually in the lyric of "Isn't She Lovely"
    "Londi it could have not been done
    Without you who conceived the one"
  • Lisa from Long Island, NyI love the Spinners. This was a great song.
  • Jeremiah from Cebu, Otherim really interested if the bass player for this song is james jamerson. please answer me base on facts. d1stlove@yahoo.com- jeremiah from the philippines
  • Annabelle from Eugene, OrI wonder if Stevie Wonder ever released a recording of this song. If so, where can I find it?
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