It's a Shame (The Spinners song)
Encyclopedia
"It's a Shame" is a song co-written by Stevie Wonder
, Syreeta Wright
and Lee Garrett
and produced by Wonder as a single for The Spinners
on Motown's V.I.P. Records label. The single became the Detroit-reared group's biggest single on the Motown Records company since they had signed with the company in 1964 and also their biggest hit in a decade. The lineup of the Spinners include original members Pervis Jackson
, Henry Fambrough
, Billy Henderson
and Bobbie Smith
and lead vocalist G.C. Cameron. The quintet recorded the single in 1970. The song, which is about a man who complains about a lover's "messin' around" on him, became a huge hit for the group reaching number-fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100
and number-three on the R&B singles chart
, making it their biggest hit to date. The song was the first song Wonder produced for another act by himself. Two years later, the group would leave Motown for a contract with Atlantic Records
on the advice of fellow Detroit native Aretha Franklin
, also an artist on that label. Cameron decided to stay in Motown and the group hired Cameron's cousin Philippé Wynne
to replace Cameron, who stayed in Motown for over a decade.
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
, Syreeta Wright
Syreeta Wright
Syreeta Wright , who recorded professionally under the single name Syreeta, was a Grammy-nominated American singer-songwriter most notably known for her work with Stevie Wonder and Billy Preston.-Early life and career:...
and Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett
Lee Garrett is an American rhythm and blues singer-songwriter, most famous for co-writing the song "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours".-Career:...
and produced by Wonder as a single for The Spinners
The Spinners (U.S. band)
The Spinners is a soul music vocal group, active for over 50 years, and with a long run of pop and R&B hits especially during the 1970s. The group, originating from Detroit, still tours regularly ....
on Motown's V.I.P. Records label. The single became the Detroit-reared group's biggest single on the Motown Records company since they had signed with the company in 1964 and also their biggest hit in a decade. The lineup of the Spinners include original members Pervis Jackson
Pervis Jackson
Pervis Jackson was an American R&B singer, noted as the bass singer for The Spinners, and was one of the group's original members.-Life and career:...
, Henry Fambrough
Henry Fambrough
Henry Fambrough is an original vocalist and current member of the R&B quintet The Spinners . He is one of two active original members of the Spinners...
, Billy Henderson
Billy Henderson (American singer)
Billy Henderson was an African-American singer. He was an original member and founder of The Spinners, a soul vocal group....
and Bobbie Smith
Bobby Smith (R&B singer)
Robert "Bobby" Smith is an American R&B singer, noted as the principal lead singer of the soul vocal group, The Spinners, also known as the Detroit Spinners or the Motown Spinners....
and lead vocalist G.C. Cameron. The quintet recorded the single in 1970. The song, which is about a man who complains about a lover's "messin' around" on him, became a huge hit for the group reaching number-fourteen on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
and number-three on the R&B singles chart
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
, making it their biggest hit to date. The song was the first song Wonder produced for another act by himself. Two years later, the group would leave Motown for a contract with Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
on the advice of fellow Detroit native Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, also an artist on that label. Cameron decided to stay in Motown and the group hired Cameron's cousin Philippé Wynne
Philippe Wynne
Philippé Wynne , born Phillip Walker, was an American R&B singer. Best known for his role as the lead singer of The Spinners , Wynne scored notable hits such as "How Could I Let You Get Away", "The Rubberband Man",and "One of a Kind ",...
to replace Cameron, who stayed in Motown for over a decade.
Covers and samples
- Jamaican reggae and rocksteady innovator Alton Ellis covered the song in 1971
- In 1990, the song was sampled and covered by rapper Monie LoveMonie LoveSimone Riscoe , better known by her stage name Monie Love, is an English emcee and former radio personality in the United States...
with the hit song of the same name. - In 1994, The song was sampled for the remix of R.Kelly's "Summer Bunnies"
- In 1988,the song was sampled for "Just say no" by Toddy Tee featuring Mix Master Spade,
- In 2002, Former 5ive member Abs BreenAbs BreenRichard Abidin "Abs" Breen is a British singer, rapper, dancer, and DJ. He was formerly a member of London-based boyband Five. In 2003, he released his first solo album called "Abstract Theory".-Early life:...
sampled the song for his single "Shame", which only received a release in AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... - The melody of the song is the same as that of "Try" by the Sounds of BlacknessSounds of BlacknessSounds of Blackness is a Grammy Award-winning vocal and instrumental ensemble from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota who perform music from several genres music including gospel, R&B, soul, and jazz. The group scored several hits on the Billboard R&B chart and Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play...
. - It was also sampled in Lethal BizzleLethal BizzleLethal Bizzle, also known as Lethal B , is a Ghanaian British rapper. His songs are known to satirise modern Gangsta rap; much of the humour comes from the adoption of hip-hop style and language...
's song 'Fire'. - It was covered by Raphael SaadiqRaphael SaadiqRaphael Saadiq is an American singer, songwriter and record producer. Saadiq has been a standard bearer for "old school" R&B since his early days as a member of the multiplatinum group Tony! Toni! Toné! He also produced songs of such artists as TLC, Joss Stone, D'Angelo, Mary J...
for the Levi's Pioneer Sessions in 2010.
Credits
- Lead vocals by G.C. Cameron
- Background vocals by Bobbie SmithBobby Smith (R&B singer)Robert "Bobby" Smith is an American R&B singer, noted as the principal lead singer of the soul vocal group, The Spinners, also known as the Detroit Spinners or the Motown Spinners....
, Pervis JacksonPervis JacksonPervis Jackson was an American R&B singer, noted as the bass singer for The Spinners, and was one of the group's original members.-Life and career:...
, Henry FambroughHenry FambroughHenry Fambrough is an original vocalist and current member of the R&B quintet The Spinners . He is one of two active original members of the Spinners...
and Billy HendersonBilly HendersonWilliam "Billy" Henderson was an English professional footballer. He was born in Whitburn, County Durham.Billy Henderson, a right-back, began his career with his local side Whitburn from whom he joined Brighton & Hove Albion... - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
- Arranged by Paul Riser
Chart history
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
14 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,... |
3 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
20 |