Isn't It a Shame
{{Infobox song
| name = Isn't It a Shame
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Labelle
| album = Chameleon
| B-side =
| released = June 17, 1976
| recorded =
| studio =
| venue =
| genre = R&B
| length = 2:28
| label = Epic Records
| writer = Randy Edelman
| producer = David Rubinson
| prev_title =
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}}
"Isn't It a Shame" is a song by girl group Labelle from their sixth studio album Chameleon, released as a single in 1976 on Epic Records.{{cite AV media notes|title=Isn't It a Shame|author=LaBelle|type=album|date=1976|publisher=Epic Records}}
"Isn't It a Shame" peaked at No. 18 on the US Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/labelle/chart-history/bsi/|title=LaBelle - Hot Soul Songs|publisher=Billboard|access-date=June 2, 2025}}
Covers & Samples
This tune was covered by Patti LaBelle on, Live in Washington, D.C., her 2008 live album.{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/live-in-washington-dc-mw0000787603#review|title=Patti LaBelle - Live in Washington D.C.|author=Planer, Lindsay|publisher=Allmusic|access-date=June 2, 2025}}
Isn't It a Shame was later sampled on My Place by Nelly (Ft. Jaheim), Fake Love by Lil B, Catch Me by Monica.{{cite web
|url=https://genius.com/Labelle-isnt-it-a-shame-lyrics
|title=Isn't It a Shame - Labelle
|publisher=Genius.com
|access-date=June 2, 2025}}
Critical reception
Christian John Wikane of PopMatters declared, "A stirring eight-minute ballad written by Randy Edelman, with exquisite piano work by Bud Ellison, it’s perhaps Labelle’s finest recording from the Epic era that’s dedicated to the lovelorn. The vocals are pristinely recorded with a sheen rounding out the rough edges of each singer’s voice, yet retaining the rawness of emotion: “Isn’t it a shame that such a love must end, whoa“. Whoa, indeed."{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/118183-labelle-nightbirds-phoenix-chameleon-2496145244.html|title=Labelle: Nightbirds / Phoenix / Chameleon|author=John Wikane, Christian|date=February 25, 2010|publisher=Popmatters|access-date=June 2, 2025}}
Craig Lytle of Allmusic also called the tune, "breathtaking".{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/chameleon-mw0000202544|title=Labelle: Chameleon|author=Lytle, Craig|publisher=Allmusic|website=allmusic.com}}
Charts
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| Chart (1977)
! Peak |
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| {{single chart|Billboardrandbhiphop|18|artist=Labelle|song=Isn't It a Shame|rowheader=true}} |