Oh What a Shame

"Oh What a Shame" is a 1975 single, which was written and produced by Roy Wood.[1] Wood played all of the musical instruments on the recording, as well as supplying lead and multi-tracked backing vocals. The song was jointly globally published by Carlin Music Corp and Roy Wood Music.[2] One music journalist described the track as "a delightful collision of The Beach Boys and Neil Sedaka".[3]

The track reached number 13 in the UK Singles Chart.[4] The single remained in the UK chart for seven weeks, starting in May 1975.[5] It was also released as a single in Belgium, Australia, Netherlands, Ireland and the US.[2] The single was the final solo Wood recording to reach the UK Singles Chart.[5] In 1977, two years after "Oh What A Shame" left the UK Top 20, Wood commented, "I've written something like 30 hit songs, you know? It's not easy now to accept that I'm not a success anymore".[6]

"Oh What a Shame" has appeared on numerous compilation albums, including Wood's own Singles (1993, Connoisseur Records).[7] and Exotic Mixture: Best of Singles A's & B's (1999).[8] It also appeared on the 1999 expanded CD reissue of Wood's 1975 album, Mustard.[9]

The record still commands national radio play in the UK; the most recent airing being on BBC Radio 2's Pick of the Pops on 6 July 2019.[10]