Written by Allen and Blair MacKichan, while sampling Jackie Mittoo's "Loving You" melody, the song was released as the A-Side to her fourth single, "Alfie", exclusively in the United Kingdom on 5 March 2007, by Regal Recordings.

"Shame for You" samples parts of the melodic lines of "Loving You", a Jackie Mittoo song from his album, Evening Time.

[3] Lyrically, the song has a "nice-then-naughty approach" and a vindictive streak that belies the sugarcoated sounds around it, while she revels in being the one that got away from her ex-boyfriend.

[5] "Shame for You" was described by BBC reporter Lucy Davies to be a reggae-fused song, which "sticks in your head whilst you desperately suss out why [it's] familiar".

[7] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine praised the production of "Shame for You", as well as "Alfie", with "plenty of catchy melodies and clever samples", but claimed that Allen lacks charisma.