It's a Shame About Ray

For the album's title track, see It's a Shame About Ray (song).

It's a Shame About Ray is the fifth album by American alternative rock band the Lemonheads, released on June 2, 1992. The album was produced by the Robb Brothers. At the time of principal recording, the band consisted of Evan Dando (lead vocals, guitar), Juliana Hatfield (bass, backing vocals) and David Ryan (drums). Though not originally on the album, the band's cover of Simon & Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson" was added to the album in later pressings after it had become a major worldwide radio hit, and it features a later lineup of the band with Nic Dalton on bass.

It's a Shame About Ray
Studio album by Lemonheads
Released	June 2, 1992
Recorded	1991–1992
Studio	Cherokee (Hollywood)
Genre	Grunge[1][2][3] alternative rock[4] jangle rock[5]
Length	29:46 (original release) 33:28 (re-release) 57:20 (deluxe edition)
Label	Atlantic
Producer	The Robb Brothers
Lemonheads chronology
Lovey (1990) It's a Shame About Ray (1992) Come on Feel the Lemonheads (1993)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[6]
Chicago Tribune	[7]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[8]
Mojo	[9]
NME	8/10[10]
Pitchfork	8.4/10[11]
Q	[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[13]
Select	4/5[14]
Uncut	[15]

History

The title track was inspired by a quote that band leader Evan Dando had seen in a Sydney newspaper in reference to a kid called Ray who kept getting kicked out of every school he went to. ^[16]

The album became an international hit for the band, reaching #31 in the UK Top 100 as well as #5 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart in the U.S. The song was later included at #138 on Pitchfork's "Top 200 Tracks of the 90s" list.^[17] The music video features Johnny Depp.^[18]

Actress Polly Noonan and her car appear on the cover of the album.^[19]

Rereleases

After its initial release, the album was reissued with a cover of the song "Mrs. Robinson", written by Paul Simon and originally recorded by Simon & Garfunkel. The Lemonheads' version was recorded to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the release of the film The Graduate. The band recorded the song in Berlin while on tour, with Nic Dalton on bass guitar. It was released as a single.

The album was reissued by Rhino in 2008 as a collector's edition that includes several demo versions of album tracks, the B-side song "Shaky Ground" and a DVD containing the previously released (on VHS) Two Weeks in Australia.

Notable performances

The Lemonheads toured Australia in late 2010, playing the album in its entirety along with songs from their other albums.^[20]

The band performed the entire album at London's Shepherd's Bush Empire on September 14–15, 2005, as part of the All Tomorrow's Parties–curated Don't Look Back concert series, with "Mrs. Robinson" missing from the setlist.^{[citation needed]}

The band performed the album in its entirety while opening for certain dates of Jawbreaker's 2022 spring tour.^[21]

Track listing

All songs by Evan Dando unless otherwise stated.

1. "Rockin Stroll" - 1:48
2. "Confetti" - 2:47
3. "It's a Shame About Ray" (words: Dando, Tom Morgan; music: Dando) - 3:08
4. "Rudderless" - 3:21
5. "My Drug Buddy"- 2:52
6. "The Turnpike Down" - 2:34
7. "Bit Part" (studio version) (words: Dando, Morgan; music: Dando) - 1:52
8. "Alison's Starting to Happen" - 2:00
9. "Hannah & Gabi" - 2:41
10. "Kitchen" (Nic Dalton) - 2:55
11. "Ceiling Fan in My Spoon" - 2:00
12. "Frank Mills" (James Rado, Gerome Ragni, Galt MacDermot) - 1:45

Re-release bonus track

13. "Mrs. Robinson" (Paul Simon) - 3:45

Bonus material

1. "Shaky Ground" (B-side) - 1:49
2. "It's a Shame About Ray" (demo version) - 2:57
3. "Rockin Stroll" (demo version) - 1:49
4. "My Drug Buddy" (demo version) - 2:47
5. "Hannah & Gabi" (demo version) - 2:27
6. "Kitchen" (demo version) - 3:13
7. "Bit Part" (demo version) - 1:55
8. "Rudderless" (demo version) - 3:21
9. "Ceiling Fan in My Spoon" (demo version) - 2:18
10. "Confetti" (demo version) - 1:16

Personnel

The Lemonheads

• Evan Dando – guitar, vocals
• Juliana Hatfield – bass guitar, backup vocals
• David Ryan – drums
• Nic Dalton – bass guitar on "Mrs. Robinson"
• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter – slide guitar on "Hannah & Gabi"

Charts

Chart (1992)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22]	23
UK Albums (OCC)[23]	33
US Billboard 200[24]	36

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[25]	Gold	35,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[26]	Gold	100,000^
United States (RIAA)[27]	Gold	500,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. Johnson, Chloe (October 22, 2020). "The Lemonheads – Lovey (30th Anniversary Edition)". musicOMH. Retrieved January 29, 2022. Lovey is certainly not the confident, accessible grunge of Ray
2. Lindsay, Cam (April 24, 2008). "NME Awards USA Winners Announced". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
3. Gill, Andy (October 6, 1993). "ALBUMS / The answer is a Lemonhead: Break out the pop candy - Andy Gill reviews the Lemonheads and Crowded House". The Independent. Retrieved January 29, 2022.
4. Levith, Will (September 19, 2013). "The Lemonheads, 'Mrs. Robinson' - Terrible Classic Rock Covers". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
5. Jacobs, Mark (December 23, 2015). "Evan Dando, grunge god of style". GQ. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
6. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "It's a Shame About Ray – The Lemonheads". AllMusic. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
7. Caro, Mark (July 16, 1992). "Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray (Atlantic)". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
8. Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th concise ed.). Omnibus Press. ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8.
9. "The Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray". Mojo (173): 120. April 2008.
10. Cameron, Keith (July 11, 1992). "The Lemonheads – It's a Shame About Ray". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved May 4, 2016.
11. Deusner, Stephen M. (March 28, 2008). "The Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray [Collector's Edition]". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
12. "The Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray". Q (262): 148. May 2008.
13. Considine, J. D. (2004). "The Lemonheads". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p. 481. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
14. Perry, Andrew (August 1992). "Lemonheads: It's a Shame About Ray". Select (26): 91.
15. Mulvey, John (April 2008). "Lemonheads – It's A Shame About Ray". Uncut (131): 106. Archived from the original on October 22, 2016. Retrieved October 22, 2016.
16. Simpson, Dave (13 June 2022). "'I hadn't slept for 10 days' – the Lemonheads on making It's a Shame About Ray". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
17. "The Top 200 Tracks of the 1990s: 150-101". Pitchfork. August 31, 2010. p. 2.
18. Anderson, Kyle (June 2, 2010). "The Lemonheads Feel Some Shame: Wake-Up Video Bonus". MTV. Archived from the original on June 11, 2016. Retrieved May 29, 2016.
19. Conner, Thomas (May 1, 2008). "Cover girl relives 'Ray' before Lemonheads". Chicago Sun-Times. Thomas Conner.
20. Smith, Sarah (September 29, 2010). "The Lemonheads 'It's A Shame About Ray' tour". FasterLouder. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012.
21. Pearis, Bill (January 25, 2022). "Jawbreaker add more 'Dear You' shows with Dillinger Four, Lemonheads, Lucero & more". BrooklynVegan.
22. "Australiancharts.com – The Lemonheads – It's a Shame About Ray". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
23. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
24. "The Lemonheads Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
25. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1996 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
26. "British album certifications – Lemonheads – It's a Shame About Ray". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
27. "American album certifications – Lemonheads – It's a Shame About Ray". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved November 28, 2021.