It's A Shame

Like many soul classics, "It's A Shame" pairs a very upbeat tune with a very distressing lyric. The guy in the song is being used, totally played out by a woman who doesn't appreciate him. She leaves him hurt and confused, and all he can do is complain about it. Good luck with that.

"It's A Shame" was produced by Stevie Wonder, who wrote the song with two of his collaborators at Motown Records: Syreeta Wright and Lee Garrett. Wright was also his girlfriend; they got married in 1970 soon after this song was released (they divorced in 1972). At this time, Wonder was a creative gusher, so prolific he needed other vessels for his talents astride his solo work. He started working with other artists, including Wright and The Spinners. This wasn't uncommon at Motown, where the likes of Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye helped out other acts on the roster while also doing their own thing. As a solo artist, Wonder was working on his album Signed, Sealed & Delivered. Wright and Garrett wrote "the title track" with him.

"It's A Shame" was the biggest hit for The Spinners during their stint at Motown Records, which lasted from 1963 to 1972. The were largely neglected at the label, which they joined when their original record company, Tri-Phi, was bought by Motown. When they left, it was at the urging of Aretha Franklin, probably the most famous Detroit artist who never worked for Motown. She was signed to Atlantic and helped get The Spinners a deal there. It didn't take long for The Spinners to make a splash with Atlantic. Teamed with producer Thom Bell, their first sessions delivered the hits "I'll Be Around" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love."