Such a Shame was inspired by Luke Rhinehart's The Dice Man,[1] one of composer Mark Hollis' favourite books. When asked what drove him to respond to Rhinehart's book, Hollis replied, "A good book, not a lifestyle I'd recommend
It was released as the album's second single in 1984 (see 1984 in music) and became a big hit in continental Europe in 1984 and 1985, reaching the Top 10 in several countries, and becoming a number one in certain territories (their third number one single after the remixed version of their song "Talk Talk" which topped the South African charts in 1983 and the single "It's My Life" which was number one in the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play in 1984); but strangely this single was largely ignored in the UK. In the US, the song entered the Billboard Hot 100, and was a Top 20 hit in the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play