DESCRIPTION:
"I'm Livin' In Shame" is a 1969 song recorded and released by The Supremes on the Motown label (this classic was in fact recorded by Diana Ross and the Andantes, without Mary Wilson or Cindy Birdsong). It's most prominent as the sequel to the Supremes' number-one hit, "Love Child". The song was co-written by Pamela Sawyer, a US-based songwriter from Romford, East London, most noted for her tenure at Motown Records from 1967 to 1977, when she wrote for artists such as The Supremes, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and others during her time at the label. Among her co-compositions are singles such as "Love Child", "Love Hangover" and "My Mistake (Was to Love You)". One of her regular writing partners was Gloria Jones. Sawyer has also written for many non-Motown artists, including The O'Jays and Patti LaBelle & the Bluebelles.
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Mom was cooking bread
She wore a dirty raggety scarf around her head
Always had her stockings low, rolled to her feet
She just didn't know
She wore a sloppy dress
Oh, no matter how she tried, she always looked a mess
Out of the pot she ate, never used a fork or a dinner plate

I was always so afraid for my uptown friends to see her
Afraid one day when I was grown, that I would be her

Ah, in a college town
Away from home a new identity I found
Said I was born elite, with maids and servants at my feet
I must have been insane
I lied and said momma died on a weekend trip to Spain
She never got out of the house, never even boarded a train

Married a guy, was living high
I didn't want him to know her
She had a grandson, two years old
That I never even showed her

I'm living in shame
Momma I miss you
I know you're not to blame
Momma I miss you

Came a telegram
Momma passed away while making homemade jam
Before she died, she cried to see me by her side
She always did her best
Ah, cooking, cleaning, always in the same old dress
Working hard down on her knees
Always trying to please

Momma, momma, momma can you hear me?
Momma, momma, momma can you hear me?

I'm living in shame, momma I miss you
I know you've done you're best
Momma I miss you
Won't you forgive me mom?
For all the wrong I've done
I know you've done your best
Oh, I know you've done your very best you could
But I'm never understood
Working hard down on her knees...
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Fram till 1961 hette de the Primettes. Supremes första år var inte så särskilt framgångsrika och de dröjde fram till 1963 innan de hade en första adekvat singelhit med When the Lovelight Starts Shining Through His Eyes. Den låten var även den första låt som den framgångsrika trion Holland-Dozier-Holland skrev. Det stora genombrottet både i USA och internationellt var dock Where Did Our Love Go från 1964, en låt som egentligen var tänkt till The Marvelettes, men som Supremes något motvilligt spelat in då Marvelettes tackat nej till den. Låten nådde första platsen på Billboard-listan och den följdes 1964-65 av fyra raka ettor på den listan (Baby Love, Come See About Me, Stop! In the Name of Love och Back In My Arms Again. Gruppen invaldes i Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1988.
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The Supremes, neskôr označovaní ako "Diana Ross and The Supremes", bola americká ženská hudobná skupina. Aktívna bola od roku 1961 do roku 1977. Hrali hlavne štýly doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway show tunes, psychedelia a disko. Bola to najúspešnejšia afroamerická hudobná skupina 60. rokov 20. storočia, nahrali dvanásť hitov, ktoré sa stali hitmi číslo jeden medzi rokmi 1964 a 1969. Mnoho z týchto skladieb napísal a produkoval produkčný tím Holland-Dozier-Holland. Veľký úspech počas polovice 60. rokov im vydláždil cestu k neskoršiemu black soulu a R&B.
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Першопланова позиція Дайани Росс у The Supremes дозволила користуватись їй особливими правами, наприклад, вписувати своє ім'я на платівках поряд з назвою групи, що потягло за собою серію подібних бажань з боку інших лідерів груп, що були пов'язані з "Motown". Незвичайний запис "Reflections" розпочав нову еру у кар'єрі гурту. На жаль, закінчення співпраці спілки Holland/Dozier/Holland з "Motown" 1968 року не найкраще вплинуло на темпи подальшої кар'єри The Supremes. Чергові два сингли "Love Child" (номер один у США) та "I'm Living In Shame" методом протиставлення порушували суспільну тематику.