What we learned here is love tastes bitter when it's gone
Past yourself forget the light, things look dirty when it's on
Funny how it comes to pass, that all the good slips away
And there's no one around you can remember being good to you

Shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
And open up more
Shame, shame, shame

What we lost here is something better left alone
Second steps been forgotten, will you tell me how they go
Set yourself, situate, like a fool try again
There's no one around you can remember being good, for you so

Shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
And open up more
Shame, shame, shame
Shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
And open up more
Shame, shame, shame

We never thought we'd getter so troubled
We could never think that much
It should never get this bad

So let the wind blow ya across a big floor
But there's no one around who can tell us what we're here for
Funny in a certain light, how we all seem to look the same
And there's no one in life you can remember ever stood
For you, so

Shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
And open up more
Shame, shame, shame
Shame, shouldn't try you, couldn't step by you
And open up more
Shame, shame, shame


Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal

Shame Lyrics as written by Rob Thomas

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Shame song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    I agree this song is about a relationship, but it goes beyond that. It's about being disappointed by people in general. It reminds me of when my parents got divorced nine years ago. I was more mad at them for not being honest and making it work than I was sad they were apart. When you reach that time of disappointment and despair, it doesn't matter who still loves you: you feel completely isolated in the world. The worst is when it's your fault, and you know it's your fault, and you feel that personal sense of shame and regret. This is such a beautiful song. It really defined and fulfilled my early-adolescent need for abject depression. Funny, but true.

    LittleBriddieon June 24, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is such a great song, great beat and the lyrics are sweet too. I love the first verse of the song and the chorus is great. Matchbox 20 is great!

    pacsun2871on May 08, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song. Not only are the lyrics great but the guitar in this song is wonderful. I love to listen to it when I'm going to sleep.

    Brooke_Hon May 24, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The sadness at the end of a relationship that is failing and going nowhere.......but for no real reason

    thenarratoron August 16, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    He's been burned in a bad way by people, and now he can't help but look at everything in a negative light. He feels that people are all the same, and he's lost his belief that people, life, the world is good. He's basically saying it's a shame that he has this view on the world. Very depressing, but then again, it's Matchbox Twenty.

    Unconquered Sunon March 18, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I wanted to say, Unconquered Sun, not everything about MB20 is depressing, some lyrics are inspiring, uplifting and relieving. To me, this is one of them. I haven't particularly heard of what this song is about, but I always thought it was about a relationship you cared a lot for, going bad. It's one of my favourites, actually. It reminds me so much of how my best friend and I screwed up our relationship by hooking up. I always regretted giving in, because after that our friendship was never ever the same...And so the lines "shame, should't try you, couldn't stand by you and open up more..." really tell about my own dissapointment and sadness about it... And I say to myself: "We never thought we'd get so troubled...it should never get this bad..." :'(

    Gabigson August 20, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Gabigs, I got the same thing goin' on with this song...I've never really had a "best" friend before, but I met this girl, and I swear to God she and I were...she was the best friend I'd ever had. She ended up really liking me a lot, and for months I knew I liked her too but I wouldn't admit it to anyone, even myself...when I finally decided to give it a shot with us two, I screwed us both over. We were never the same either.

    Fantastic song. I love the "Funny in a certain light, how we all look the same, and there's no one in life you can remember ever stood for you." It's sort of the idea that he knows that deep down, we're all the same with the same intentions, and it feels like those intentions are all against him. He feels he's best on his own, because he can't remember a time when anyone's ever really stood for him.

    The other reason I love this song is because it basically describes me to a "T."

    Harusameon May 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song makes me think of a lot of things I've done that I'm ashamed of now, things I did because I was hurt or lonely and did for no other reason but that.

    It kind of makes me think how I was at this time in my life a few years ago... this guy that I'd loved for YEARS upon years pretty much screwed me over and I was so completely devastated... I had no one else to turn to, so I ended up sort of getting back with an ex of mine for a while, because there was no one else around... it was very shameful.

    Pretty much all the lyrics describe that situation... "We never thought we'd get so troubled/ We could never think that much/ It should never get this bad."

    I love this song to pieces though, as unpleasant as the memories are it recalls, it's happy to sing.

    Desaparecidaon February 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    “about the bitch that threw me out of the house and gave all my clothes to Good Will.”

    mb20lifehouseon April 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Another break up song? A really bitter break up?

    Heartsmb20on May 29, 2008   Link

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