Don McLean - Oh My What A Shame (1972)

Artist: Don McLean
Album: Don McLean
Title: Oh My What A Shame
Year: 1972

Lyrics:

They were married in the old Church yard
And they promised to be true to each other
No matter how hard their lives might be
But like meteors that fell through moments parallel
They were soon to cross
And on different plots of earth they both did fall
Though their lives had really not been hard at all

Oh my what a shame
No one's to blame
It just happened that way
And there's nothing you can say
When two people say goodbye
Oh my...

Two brothers, promised they'd return
When the war that they were fighting was over
But only one lived to keep his vow
And the story I was told said he lived to be quite old
Before time won out
Someone asked if he knew what they both fought for
But he could not recall he had ever been to war
Oh my what a shame
No one's to blame
It just happened that way
And there's nothing you can say
When two people say goodbye
Oh my...

For there's nothing you can say when it's over
And there's nothing you can do when it's done
There's no battle you can win
And there's nothing to begin
That's not begun

In this moment, I recall your face
And I wonder if you still think about me
Occasionally I still think of you
And I watch the river flow and I know I must let go
But it's oh so hard
For the waves are all around my small canoe
I had always hoped this boat could carry two

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Don
• McLean
• Oh
• My
• What
• Shame
• vinyl
• 1972
• American
• Folk
• Music
• Piano
• Sad
• Song
• Divorce
• Separation
• Bereavement
• Loss
• Suicide
• War
• Death
• Misery
• Emotional
• Loneliness
• Sadness
• Sorrow
• Pie

[KeathGraham]

One of the great songs of all time. Every song on that album was terrific. Thanks for posting this.

[quadie12]

My favorite male vocalist and my favorite song, this is a wonderful tribute to the grief for any one of us who has lost a lover. Thank you.

[VikingLion76]

Great great song. Have loved it for 40 years.



[hammeron39]

love this album , its so profound , . . . its been a metaphor for the outline of my life , . . .

[ecurb10]

The canoe metaphor....so beautiful....

[emofolkie]

This is too beautiful not to be famous. Maybe someone like Michael Buble could do a cover and make it famous, but I can't imagine anyone else singing it this beautifully but Don.

[vinstyles]

astonishing!

[emofolkie]

This song is a masterpiece! I've never heard it before until I saw this a few days ago. Thanks so much for uploading!!!!!

[ecurb10]

@vinstyles sorry...I think I just clicked thumbs down by mistake

[ecurb10]

@vinstyles Yes...beautiful isn't it? I haven't heard this song in over 20 years, since I was a big fan..."I had always hoped this boat could carry two..."

[vinstyles]

oh my what a shame - just so special. I love it and cant stop playing this video. :)