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Damn Shame Lyrics

I hid out on the front porch
I laid up in my mind
I looked for me a love
The best one I could find
He got himself a ticket
On an international flight

Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame
Is what it is
Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame

The smell of burnt exhaust
Drifts into the *BART*
It’s midnight in California
It’s high noon where you are
Motorcycles and booze
Dirty old perfume

Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame
Is what it is
Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame

I tried to go to sleep
In my haunted little room
The shadows are churning
In the passage of the moon
It’d break my heart to tell you
I couldn’t come so soon

Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame
Is what it is
Oh, it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame

Tell me one more time
Why you went away
It makes a little sense
In the light of day
When evening comes around
All my senses fly away

It’s nothing
But a goddamn shame
Is what it is
Oh it’s nothing
But a goddamn shame
2 Meanings

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Cover art for Damn Shame lyrics by Jolie Holland

this song is so beautiful. i heard it on pandora - thanks to the guys there! i didn't even really listen to the words - just the beautiful left hand on the piano, her melody, her voice...

the first verse doesn't look right. this is what i hear:

I hid out on the front porch I LIGHT up in my mind I looked for me a LOVER The best one I could find

thanks for putting this up!

Cover art for Damn Shame lyrics by Jolie Holland

It's about the difficulty of a long-distance relationship.

> I looked for me a love > The best one I could find > He got himself a ticket > On an international flight > Oh it’s nothing > But a goddamn shame

The singer is in San Francisco, maybe on her way back from SFO, or maybe not. But regardless, without her lover, she finds the place depressing.

> The smell of burnt exhaust > Drifts into the BART > It’s midnight in California > It’s high noon where you are > Motorcycles and booze > Dirty old perfume > Oh it’s nothing > But a goddamn shame

But she isn't able to travel to her lover yet.

> I tried to go to sleep > In my haunted little room > The shadows are churning > In the passage of the moon > It’d break my heart to tell you > I couldn’t come so soon

During the day, she can see that it makes sense for her lover to be apart from her. But during the night, she is just unhappy to be apart.

> Tell me one more time > Why you went away > It makes a little sense > In the light of day > When evening comes around > All my senses fly away > Oh it’s nothing > But a goddamn shame

My Interpretation
 
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