Shameless

Album: Excommunication (2016)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Tyler Glenn was born and raised in the Mormon church. He came out as gay in March 2014 but lost his faith after the church announced a new ruling soon after that all LGBT members were apostates. This decadent celebration of excess and indulgence is about how the Neon Trees frontman felt when he started doing things forbidden by his former religion. He told ABC Radio:

    "Now... I don't know what I believe in. That sounds a little scary and dark but it's actually very exciting. I grew up saying, 'I know the Church is true. Now I don't know anything. And it's kind of exciting to find that out at [age] 32, in a way, it's liberating."
  • The song's music video shows Glenn dancing around neon-lit rooms. At one stage he sings to a well-dressed masked figure tied to a chair, who some fans assumed to be representing Mormon church founder Joseph Smith. However, Glenn explained to Billboard magazine this is not the case.

    "Well it's actually not Joseph Smith," he said. "Originally I just wanted some sort of general authority figure. I knew that those who knew my background would know it was an authority from the Mormon church. But that's kind of why we made the anonymous old man mask - to kind of give more of a vagueness. To me, I'm definitely tying up the leader of the church and showing him that I'm shameless."

Comments: 1

  • Sammy Hughes from Outer Space, New MexicoIn the end of the music video, when the mask comes off, you see a third layer to the lyric: not only is he singing to his ex, and to the church... but also singing to himself. The Mormon version of himself. It represents his journey to self-acceptance.

    "Why not take me now as I am?"
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Meshell Ndegeocello

Meshell NdegeocelloSongwriter Interviews

Meshell Ndegeocello talks about recording "Wild Night" with John Mellencamp, and explains why she shied away from the spotlight.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Joe Ely

Joe ElySongwriter Interviews

The renown Texas songwriter has been at it for 40 years, with tales to tell about The Flatlanders and The Clash - that's Joe's Tex-Mex on "Should I Stay or Should I Go?"

Laura Nyro

Laura NyroSongwriting Legends

Laura Nyro talks about her complex, emotionally rich songwriting and how she supports women's culture through her art.

Classic Metal

Classic MetalFact or Fiction

Ozzy, Guns N' Roses, Judas Priest and even Michael Bolton show up in this Classic Metal quiz.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.