This and That: Shame and Scandal

Madness: Shame and Scandal

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A guy walks into a bar...

If you want to learn to be a story teller, first learn the elements of an effective joke. One classic structure goes like this: something a little strange happens, it is repeated, and it is repeated a second time, but with a twist and punch line.

Shame and Scandal is an excellent example of this structure. Each occurrence of the incident is followed by the chorus, and the punch line is well worth it.

The version of Shame and Scandal heard here is from 2005, but the song dates back to 1943. It was written by the calypso singer Sir Lancelot for the movie I Walked With a Zombie. Over the years, various performers of the song have added and subtracted verses, but I think Madness got it just right.