"Shame" is a song co-written and co-produced by

Stargate ''Stargate'' (often stylized in all caps) is a military science fiction media franchise based on the Stargate (film), film directed by Roland Emmerich, which he co-wrote with producer Dean Devlin. The franchise is based on the idea of an alien E ...

and Benny Blanco amongst others, and recorded by New Zealand-born Australian country music singer Keith Urban. It was released in August 2013 to Australia and New Zealand only as the second single off his eighth studio album, ''

Fuse Fuse or FUSE may refer to: Devices * Fuse (electrical), a device used in electrical systems to protect against excessive current ** Fuse (automotive), a class of fuses for vehicles * Fuse (hydraulic), a device used in hydraulic systems to protect ...

'' (2013), and became a top-40 hit in both territories.

Content

"Shame" is a mid-tempo ballad influenced by country pop and

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, earl ...

with a duration of three minutes and three seconds. Its instrumentation primarily features the

guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...

and vocals, with additional looping synths. Its lyrics are confessional, with the narrator detailing his flaws and mistakes between chants of "shame on me, shame on me." It is the only song on ''Fuse'' and one of few songs Urban has recorded in which there is only one vocal track, as opposed to the layered vocals and harmonies typical in his work, as the producers insisted the song's message would come through more clearly with a stripped-down arrangement.

Background and release

The song was written by Mikkel Erikson, Tor Erik Hermansen, Benjamin Levine,

Ammar Malik Ammar Malik (born June 22, 1987) is an American songwriter. He has co-written several modern pop songs, most notably Maroon 5's "Moves like Jagger" and Gym Class Heroes' "Stereo Hearts" which have both been certified multi-platinum by the RIAA. ...

, Dan Omelio, Ross Golan, and

Justin Parker Justin Parker is an English songwriter and record producer best known for his work with female singer-songwriters such as Lana Del Rey, Bat for Lashes, and Banks. Career Parker began writing music when he was 17, but his career breakthrough c ...

, and was produced by Keith Urban along with the former three under their respective production monikers

(Erikson and Hermansen) and Benny Blanco (Levine). Though not typically associated with country music, these producers were selected by Urban to work on the album because of their abilities as multi-instrumentalists and to create a more diverse musical sound. Stargate pitched the song to Urban, and Hermansen conceived of the idea of a single vocal track, insisting the story could be conveyed more honestly that way. In May 2013, Urban released "

Little Bit of Everything ''Little Bit of Everything'' is the third studio album by American country music singer Billy Currington. It was released on October 14, 2008 via Universal Music Group Nashville, Mercury Nashville. Its lead-off single, "Don't (Billy Currington so ...

" as the lead single for his then-upcoming album ''Fuse'', which spent one week on the ARIA charts at number 40. "Shame" was released in August 2013 as the album's second official single, but only in

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. The Miranda Lambert duet, " We Were Us", was released in September of that year as the album's second single in most other territories.

Personnel

From ''Fuse'' liner notes. * Benny Blanco — instrumentation, programming *

— bass guitar *

— instrumentation, programming *Keith Urban — ganjo, electric guitar

Chart performance

"Shame" entered the ARIA Top 100 Singles Chart at number 50 for the week of 3 September 2013, and rose to its peak position of 35 the following week.

References

{{Keith Urban singles 2013 singles 2013 songs Capitol Records Nashville singles Keith Urban songs Songs written by Tor Erik Hermansen Songs written by Mikkel Storleer Eriksen Songs written by Robopop Songs written by Benny Blanco Songs written by Ammar Malik Songs written by Ross Golan Songs written by Ross Parker (songwriter) Song recordings produced by Stargate (record producers) Song recordings produced by Benny Blanco