John Lennon Was a Fan of This 1970s Disco Song

John Lennon was a fan of one of the forgotten disco songs of the 1970s. He had a more tolerant attitude toward disco than some other rock stars. He was also a fan of another track from the same era because it reminded him of Elvis Presley’s early work.

John Lennon liked a disco song but forgot the name of the group behind it

During a 1975 Rolling Stone interview, John was asked to name the musicians listened to at the time. “I like ‘Shame, Shame, Shame,'” he said. “Shirley and the gang. Some of this disco stuff. Great.” “Shame, Shame, Shame” was actually by a group by Shirley & Company. Considering a lot of 1970s rockers really hated disco music, John’s comments showed that he was more open to new styles than many of his contemporaries.

John gave fans more insight into his taste. “I like just individual records,” he said. “One of me favorites last year was ‘I Can Help.’ Billy Swan. A real old Elvis imitation kind of record. I like singles. I like jukebox music. That was the thing that turned me on. That’s the thing I like.”

John Lennon explained why he preferred individual songs to albums

The “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” singer revealed that he preferred individual songs to complete albums. “I’m still a [singles] record man,” he explained. “There’s nobody — including meself — on earth that I can sit down and listen to a whole album. Nobody. The same voice going on. Nobody can sustain it. 

“Even as a rock ‘n’ roll fan of 15, there were very few albums I could sit through,” he said. “Even Elvis, and I adored him, or Carl Perkins or Little Richard. There were always a couple of tracks to miss and go on to the next ones. So I don’t sit ’round and listen to artists’ albums. Unless they’re friends of mine.” John’s comments are very interesting for someone who made many of the best albums of all time!

How the disco song performed in the United States and the United Kingdom

“Shame, Shame, Shame” became a modest hit for Shirley & Company. It peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 16 weeks. It was the band’s first charting single, and it could have been the starting point of a great career. Sadly, Shirley & Company only released one more notable single: “Cry Cry Cry.” That track only managed to reach No. 91 on the Billboard 200, spending two weeks on the chart. 

The Official Charts Company reports Shirley & Company didn’t have much of a career in the United Kingdom either. “Shame, Shame, Shame” reached No. 6 there and remained on the chart for nine weeks. None of the group’s other singles went anywhere in the U.K. Disco was a genre largely composed of one-hit wonders, and Shirley & Company was no exception. “Shame, Shame, Shame” didn’t become a radio staple like other disco tunes.

Disco shined bright during its heyday — and even John saw its brilliance.