One Final Serenade: Songs of Billy Joel
 You know I'm not a man who has ever been "Shameless" was meant to be a Jimi Hendrix-like ballad. Brooding, pained, raw. The singer confesses that he is so in love with a woman that he makes a fool of himself, he cannot help himself ("it's out of my hands"). Even though the singer expresses confidence and independence, that he worked hard to call his life his own, when it comes to her he gives in. Sad, but often true. Billy wrote "Shameless" with Jimi Hendrix in mind. Listen below, from SiriusXM.
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Well I'm shameless when it comes to loving you
I'd do anything you want me to I'd do anything at all And I'm standing here for all the world to see There ain't that much left of me That has very far to fall You know I'm not a man who has ever been Insecure about the world I've been living in I don't break easy, I have my pride But if you need to be satisfied I'm shameless Baby I don't have a prayer Anytime I see you standing there I go down upon my knees And I'm changing, I swore I'd never compromise But you convinced me otherwise I'll do anything you please You see in all my life I've never found What I couldn't resist, what I couldn't turn down I could walk away from anyone I ever knew But I can't walk away from you I have never let anything have this much control over me Cause I worked too hard to call my life my own Yes I made myself a world and it worked so perfectly But it's your world now, I can't refuse I never had so much to lose I'm shameless...shameless You know it should be easy for a man who's strong To say he's sorry or admit when he's wrong I've never lost anything I ever missed But I've never been in love like this It's out of my hands I'm shameless, I don't have the power now But I don't want it anyhow So I've got to let it go I'm shameless, shameless as a man can be You can make a total fool of me I just wanted you to know I am shameless Shameless Shameless |
Rather than Hendrix though, "Shameless" sounds more like a country song as it has a "twangy" sound despite the electric guitar solo in the middle of the song. And, of course, country star Garth Brooks' cover version (YouTube) of the song became a huge country hit in 1991. Garth talks about why he chose to cover "Shameless" here (YouTube). Billy and Garth did live versions of the song at Garth's 1997 Concert in Central Park and at Billy's 2008 Live at Shea Stadium concert.
I'd like to see a tribute or covers album for Billy Joel, but I think a separate country and western covers album could be done as well. It would include Garth Brooks' "Shameless," Dolly Parton's Grammy-winning cover of "Travelin' Prayer" (love this version) and versions of "Turn Around," "Stop In Nevada," "You're My Home," "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," "Get It Right The First Time" (think about it), "Honesty," "You May Be Right," "A Room of Our Own," "Temptation," and "Blonde Over Blue." Or maybe Billy should re-record these songs in a country and western style. Stranger things have happened, like Ray Charles' landmark album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.
I'd like to see a tribute or covers album for Billy Joel, but I think a separate country and western covers album could be done as well. It would include Garth Brooks' "Shameless," Dolly Parton's Grammy-winning cover of "Travelin' Prayer" (love this version) and versions of "Turn Around," "Stop In Nevada," "You're My Home," "The Ballad of Billy the Kid," "Get It Right The First Time" (think about it), "Honesty," "You May Be Right," "A Room of Our Own," "Temptation," and "Blonde Over Blue." Or maybe Billy should re-record these songs in a country and western style. Stranger things have happened, like Ray Charles' landmark album Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.
Videos
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Studio version of "Shameless" (audio only)
"Shameless" is © 1989 Sony Music Entertainment. |
Live version from a concert in 1990 in Syracuse, with Crystal Taliefero.
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This is a live version of "Shameless" from 1993, Crystal Taliefero joins Billy on vocals. He jokes that: "my kid [the song] grew up to be a country and western star."
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Garth Brooks and Billy perform "Shameless" at Shea Stadium in 2008.
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Billy answers a question about cover versions of his songs, like "Shameless."
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Billy talks about Garth Brooks' cover of "Shameless."
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