I'm Livin' in Shame
"I'm Livin' in Shame" | ||||
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![]() Solid center variant of the UK single | ||||
Single by Diana Ross & the Supremes | ||||
from the album Let the Sunshine In | ||||
B-side | "I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around)" | |||
Released | January 6, 1969 | |||
Genre | Psychedelic pop, psychedelic soul | |||
Length | 2:57 | |||
Label | Motown M 1139 | |||
Songwriter(s) | Frank Wilson, Pam Sawyer, R. Dean Taylor, Deke Richards | |||
Producer(s) | The Clan (R. Dean Taylor, Frank Wilson, Pam Sawyer, Deke Richards) | |||
Diana Ross & the Supremes singles chronology | ||||
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"I'm Livin' in Shame" is a 1969 song released for Diana Ross & the Supremes on the Motown label. The sequel to the Supremes' number-one hit, "Love Child," the song peaked in the top ten on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop chart at #10 and the top 20 in the UK at #14 in April and May 1969.[1][2]
Background and release
Inspired by the plot of Douglas Sirk's 1959 film Imitation of Life,[3] The Clan composed "I'm Livin' in Shame" as a sequel to the Supremes' number-one hit single, "Love Child." The song explores the quest of the 'love child' to shun both her impoverished childhood and her mother, and pass herself off to her friends and new husband as the daughter of a rich family. The woman's mother ends up dying without ever seeing her daughter as an adult, or ever meeting her two-year-old grandson, to the child's regret and chagrin.
The girl group debuted the single live on the Sunday, January 5, 1969 episode of the popular CBS variety program, The Ed Sullivan Show,[4] peaking at number 10 on the American pop chart and at 14 on the UK singles chart in late winter and early spring of 1969. The recorded release is without the backing vocals of Mary Wilson or Cindy Birdsong (as with many singles released under this group's billing, session singers The Andantes appear on the record).
Cash Box described it as a "spectacular performance and another standout song" that continues the story of the Supremes earlier single "Love Child."[5]
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Diana Ross
- Background vocals by the Andantes: Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps
- Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers
Track listing
- 7" single (6 January 1969) (North America/United Kingdom/Netherlands)
- "I'm Livin' in Shame" – 2:57
- "I'm So Glad I Got Somebody (Like You Around)" – 2:58
Charts
Chart (1969) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Go-Set)[6] | 28 |
Australia (Kent Music Report)[7] | 33 |
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[8] | 12 |
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn)[9] | 27 |
Ireland (IRMA)[10] | 6 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade)[11] | 3 |
UK Singles (OCC)[12] | 14 |
UK R&B (Record Mirror)[13] | 9 |
US Billboard Hot 100[14] | 10 |
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[15] | 8 |
US Cashbox Top 100[16] | 8 |
US Cashbox R&B[17] | 8 |
US Record World 100 Top Pops[18] | 8 |
US Record World Top 50 R&B[19] | 7 |
References
- ^ "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Vol. 81, no. 11. Nielsen Company. 1969. p. 68. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ^ Taraborrelli, J. Randy (2007). Diana Ross: A Biography. New York City: Kensington Books. p. 500. ISBN 978-0-8065-2849-6.
- ^ Ribowsky, Mark (2009). The Supremes: A Saga of Motown Dreams, Success, and Betrayal. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Da Capo Press. p. 341. ISBN 978-0-306-81586-7.
- ^ "Diana Ross & the Supremes, Rodney Dangerfield, Johnny Mathis, Henry Mancini". The Ed Sullivan Show. Season 22. Episode 12. 5 January 1969. CBS. WCBS.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. January 25, 1969. p. 20. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
- ^ "Go-Sets National Top 40". Go-Set. 9 April 1969. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
- ^ "Every Unique AMR Top 100 Single of the 1969". Top 100 Singles. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5936." RPM. Library and Archives Canada.
- ^ "Lesbók Morgunblaðsins - 23. tölublað (22.06.1969)". Lesbók Morgunblaðsins (in Icelandic). 22 June 1969. p. 15. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
- ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Supremes". Irish Singles Chart.
- ^ "Diana Ross & The Supremes - I'm Livin' In Shame | Top 40". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- ^ "Supremes: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
- ^ "R&B SINGLES" (PDF). Record Mirror. May 10, 1969. p. 11. Retrieved January 27, 2022 – via worldradiohistory.com.
- ^ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
- ^ "The Supremes Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
- ^ "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles". Cashbox. March 1, 1969. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "The CASH BOX Top 50 In R&B Locations". Cashbox. March 9, 1969. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- ^ "100 TOP POPS: Week of February 22, 1969" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. February 22, 1969. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ "TOP 50 R&B: Week of February 22, 1969" (PDF). Record World. worldradiohistory.com. February 22, 1969. p. 83. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- v
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- Florence Ballard
- Cindy Birdsong
- Susaye Greene
- Lynda Laurence
- Barbara Martin
- Betty McGlown
- Scherrie Payne
- Diana Ross
- Jean Terrell
- Mary Wilson
- Meet The Supremes (1962)
- Where Did Our Love Go (1964)
- More Hits by The Supremes (1965)
- I Hear a Symphony (1966)
- The Supremes A' Go-Go (1966)
- The Supremes Sing Holland–Dozier–Holland (1967)
- Reflections (1968)
- Love Child (1968)
- Let the Sunshine In (1969)
- Cream of the Crop (1969)
- Right On (1970)
- New Ways but Love Stays (1970)
- Touch (1971)
- Floy Joy (1972)
- The Supremes Produced and Arranged by Jimmy Webb (1972)
- The Supremes (1975)
- High Energy (1976)
- Mary, Scherrie & Susaye (1976)
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations (1968)
- Together (1969)
- The Magnificent 7 (1970)
- The Return of the Magnificent Seven (1971)
- Dynamite (1971)
- The Supremes at the Copa (1965)
- Live at London's Talk of the Town (1968)
- TCB (1968)
- On Broadway (1969)
- Farewell (1970)
- The Supremes Live! In Japan (1973)
- A Bit of Liverpool (1964)
- The Supremes Sing Country, Western and Pop (1965)
- We Remember Sam Cooke (1965)
- Merry Christmas (1965)
- The Supremes Sing Rodgers & Hart (1967)
- Diana Ross & the Supremes Sing and Perform "Funny Girl" (1968)
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- "Run, Run, Run"
- "Where Did Our Love Go"
- "Baby Love"
- "Come See About Me"
- "Stop! In the Name of Love"
- "Back in My Arms Again"/"Whisper You Love Me Boy"
- "Nothing but Heartaches"
- "I Hear a Symphony"
- "My World Is Empty Without You"
- "Love Is Like an Itching in My Heart"
- "You Can't Hurry Love"
- "You Keep Me Hangin' On"
- "Love Is Here and Now You're Gone"
- "The Happening"
- "Reflections"
- "In and Out of Love"
- "Forever Came Today"
- "Some Things You Never Get Used To"
- "Love Child"
- "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me"
- "I'm Livin' in Shame"
- "I'll Try Something New"
- "The Composer"
- "No Matter What Sign You Are"
- "The Weight"
- "I Second That Emotion"
- "Someday We'll Be Together"
- "Why (Must We Fall in Love)"
- "Up the Ladder to the Roof"
- "Everybody's Got the Right to Love"
- "Stoned Love"
- "River Deep – Mountain High"
- "Nathan Jones"
- "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart"
- "Touch"
- "Floy Joy"
- "Automatically Sunshine"
- "Without the One You Love"
- "Your Wonderful, Sweet Sweet Love"
- "I Guess I'll Miss the Man"
- "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)"
- "Bad Weather"
- "Tossin' and Turnin'"
- "He's My Man"
- "Where Do I Go from Here"
- "Early Morning Love"
- "I'm Gonna Let My Heart Do the Walking"
- "High Energy"
- "You're My Driving Wheel"
- "Let Yourself Go"
- "Love, I Never Knew You Could Feel So Good"
- T.A.M.I. Show
- Greatest Hits: Live in Amsterdam
- Reflections: The Definitive Performances (1964–1969)
- Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever
- Sparkle (1976 film)
- Dreamgirls (musical)
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- Sparkle (2012 film)
- Discography
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