Shame (The Motels song)

"Shame" is a song by American new wave band The Motels, which was released in 1985 as the lead single from their fifth studio album Shock. The song was written by Martha Davis and produced by Richie Zito. "Shame" peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[1]

"Shame"
Single by The Motels
from the album Shock
B-side"Save the Last Dance for Love"
Released1985
Length4:04
LabelCapitol
Songwriter(s)Martha Davis
Producer(s)Richie Zito
The Motels singles chronology
"In the Jungle"
(1984)		 "Shame"
(1985)		 "Shock"
(1985)
Music video
"Shame" on YouTube

Background

Davis was inspired to write "Shame" by the affairs depicted on various soap operas.[2] Referring to the track in the liner notes of Anthologyland in 2000, Davis commented, "Anyone ever been an adulterer?"[3]

"Shame" provided the band with their fourth and final top 40 entry on the US Billboard Hot 100. Davis told the Chicago Tribune in 1985, "We have an album we're very proud of, and things started off really great. 'Shame' took off with amazing radio response the first two weeks. Then it got up to 21 on the charts and choked."[4]

Music video

The song's music video was directed by David Fincher and produced by Carol Stewart for the production company Z Street Films.[5] Davis' daughter Maria Paschell designed the costumes for her mother in the video.[6]

Davis originally expressed interest in working with director Michael Mann after seeing his 1983 film The Keep. After Mann proved unavailable, Davis' agent recommended Fincher instead. Davis recalled in 2011, "He came in with all these ideas, and it was all beautiful and I said we'll do it." Davis was also impressed by Fincher's directing of Rick Springfield's 1985 concert film The Beat of the Live Drum.[7]

Speaking of the video's premise, Davis said in 1985, "David had this fixation for billboards and he really wanted to use a live image in a billboard. I had this image about this poor, tired, sort of used woman. She's in this seedy motel room and the beautiful, nice twin is up on the billboard beckoning her to give up her shameful existence. She eventually does and off she goes into billboard land."[8]

The video achieved heavy rotation on MTV,[9] and topped the Cash Box Top 30 Music Videos chart for a single week in October 1985.[10] It was also nominated at the 1985 American Video Awards for "Best Pop Video" and "Best Performance, Female".[11]

Critical reception

On its release, Cash Box described "Shame" as "prime Motels material", noting the song's "moody hooks" and Davis' "sultry vocals". They added, "With subtle synth and guitar shadings filling in the spaces, the broken hearted lyric theme is delivered with passion and finesse."[12] Dave Sholin of the Gavin Report noted the lengthy gap between the band's last US single release and "Shame" but commented, "It's evident that Davis took the time to do it right. Zito highlights [her] composition with a strong arrangement."[13]

Track listing

7–inch single[14][15][16][17][18][19]

  1. "Shame" – 4:04
  2. "Save the Last Dance for Love" – 4:19

7–inch promotional single (US)[20]

  1. "Shame" – 4:04
  2. "Shame" – 4:04

12–inch single[21][22][23][24][25]

  1. "Shame" (Dance Mix) – 7:16
  2. "Save the Last Dance for Love" – 4:19
  3. "Shame" (Red Mix) – 5:24

12–inch single (New Zealand)[26]

  1. "Shame" (Extended Mix) – 7:16
  2. "Shame" – 4:04

12–inch promotional single (US)[27]

  1. "Shame" (Extended Mix) – 7:16
  2. "Shame" – 4:04

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the Shock LP inner sleeve notes and 12-inch single sleeve notes.[28][21]

The Motels

Production

  • Richie Zito – producer
  • Paul Sabu – engineer and editing on "Dance Mix" and "Red Mix"
  • Rusty Garner – mixing on "Dance Mix" and "Red Mix"

Charts
Chart (1985) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[29] 18
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[30] 25
US Billboard Hot 100[1] 21
US Hot Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[31] 22
US Hot Dance/Disco Club Play (Billboard)[32] 14
US Top Rock Tracks (Billboard)[33] 10
US Cash Box Top 100 Singles[34] 25

References
  1. "Hot 100 Singles". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 37. Billboard Publications, Inc. September 14, 1985. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510.
  2. "Casey Kasem's American Top 40 – The 80's". Casey's Top 40. September 7, 1985. Retrieved June 6, 2022 – via Internet Archive.
  3. Martha, Davis (2000). Anthologyland (CD). The Motels. US: Oglio Records. OGL81607-2.
  4. Popson, Tom (October 25, 1985). "Martha Davis and the Motels: Elusive dreams in a continuing pursuit of platinum". Chicago Tribune. p. 7F, 7G.
  5. "Video Track". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 37. Billboard Publications, Inc. September 14, 1985. p. 49. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. Goller, Elaine Cloud (September 7, 1985). "Songwriting personal for Motels' Martha Davis". Johnson City Press-Chronicle. p. 8.
  7. "The Motels' Martha Davis talks about releasing their lost album Apocalypso, David Fincher, and love scenes with nerds". The Golden Age of Music Video. August 12, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  8. The Motels (August 16, 1985). "The Motels" Video Press Kit (Video press kit). Audio Video Craft Post – via YouTube.
  9. "Video Music: MTV Programming". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 37. Billboard Publications, Inc. September 28, 1985. p. 41. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. "Top 30 Music Videos". Cash Box. Vol. 49, no. 17. October 5, 1985. p. 17. ISSN 0008-7289.
  11. "Video award nominees announced". The San Bernardino County Sun. San Bernardino, California, U.S.A. Associated Press. October 30, 1985. p. B-9 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Single Releases". Cash Box. Vol. 49, no. 6. July 20, 1985. p. 11. ISSN 0008-7289.
  13. Sholin, Dave (July 20, 1985). "Dave Sholin's Personal Picks - Singles". Gavin Report. No. 1565. p. 11.
  14. Shame (US and Canada 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. B-5497.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  15. Shame (UK 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. CL 373.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  16. Shame (European 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. 1A 006-20 0743 7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  17. Shame (Australia 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. CP 1551.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  18. Shame (South Africa 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. JCL 786.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  19. Shame (Japan 7-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. ECS-17548.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. Shame (US 7-inch promotional single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. P-B-5497.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. Shame (UK 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. 12CL 373.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. Shame (France 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. 1564556.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. Shame (Netherlands 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. 1A K060-20 0745 6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  24. Shame (Spain 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. 052-2007456.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  25. Shame (Australia 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. ED-123.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  26. Shame (New Zealand 12-inch single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. GOOD 77.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  27. Shame (US 12-inch promotional single sleeve). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. SPRO-9436.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  28. Shock (US vinyl LP inner sleeve notes). The Motels. Capitol Records. 1985. SJ-12378.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  29. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 209. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  30. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 0579." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
  31. "Hot Adult Contemporary". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 38. Billboard Publications, Inc. October 5, 1985. p. 17. ISSN 0006-2510.
  32. "Hot Dance/Disco - Club Play". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 39. Billboard Publications, Inc. October 12, 1985. p. 66. ISSN 0006-2510.
  33. "Top Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 97, no. 35. Billboard Publications, Inc. August 31, 1985. p. 26. ISSN 0006-2510.
  34. Downey, Pat; Albert, George; Hoffman, Frank (1994). Cash Box Pop Singles Charts, 1950-1993. Englewood, Colorado: Libraries Unlimited, Inc. p. 240. ISBN 1563083167. Retrieved June 6, 2022.
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