Music Review: Len "Steal My Sunshine"
Len
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Steal My Sunshine
Album: You Can't Stop The Bum Rush
Year: 1999
Siblings Marc and Sharon Constanzo search for acceptance in the opaque "Steal My Sunshine."
Spacey, airy sounds start the single. Following the rocket ship takeoff sounds is a bit of the Andrea True Connection hit "More More More." Over the sample, bandmates Tim and Matt discuss lead singer Marc's glum mood. Although its suggested it may be from chemical enhacements, from Tim's knowing laughter. Matt suggests curing his munchies with breakfast pastries.
A gruff Marc remarks that he moped around and slept on his lawn during the weekend. He pitied himself and likely took marijuana to fog his mind. Otherwise, he couldn't think. His thoughts didn't make sense. Even though he's low, he's become accustomed to it. He had been groggy and fatigued all week. It caused him to give people the wrong impression of himself. He views his what-ifs as useless. He can't consider himself an adult if he only thinks of the right thing to do and not act on it. As a result, he was left out of those people's plans for the weekend.<"I was lying on the grass on Sunday morning of last week/Indulging in my self-defeat/My mind was thugged all laced and bugged all twisted wrong and beat/A comfortable in three feet deep/Now the fuzzy stare from not being there on a confusing morning weak/Impaired my tribal lunar-speak/And of course you can't become if you only say what you would have done/So I missed a million miles of fun."
In the chorus, Marc is sure he doesn't have any chance to prove himself. Sharon then chirps if anyone should knock them down anymore. Marc is trying to keep himself on his toes and not screw up. He doesn't want to take on more than he can handle.
Tim gossips about Sharon to another bandmate, Chad. Tim beckons Chad to see Sharon's worn face. Chad is shocked at how awful she looks. Tim comments he's seen Sharon that one way one other time. But this is the worst by far. Chad wonders exactly what she did the night before. Tim and Chad chortle. Tim mocks Sharon, pretending she was drunkenly throwing herself at a guy they know.
Sharon explains that she was napping on a bench in the park. She was playing with her slurpee and making thin straws out of she had left. People gave her weird looks, observing her weight and making fun of her as she created frozen soda straws.. People didn't want to be around her. She pouts that it was lonely pigging out by herself.
The original chorus is sung once.
In the second chorus, Marc says everything is over for him if people take away what little happiness he has. He's like regular people and people may find it difficult to see the real him. He decides to keep to himself and toughen up.
Sharon and Marc alternate at the end. She chirps "my sunshine" and Marc says "if you steal my sunshine" until the end.
"Steal My Sunshine" is a terrific update of the synth pop hits of the 80s (Human League's "Don't Want You Want Me" and Animotion's "Obsession" in particular.) Marc and Sharon obviously studied the 80s and succeeded in recreating the sound. Sharon the standout, though. Her ironic perkiness suits the single and is a near perfect imitation of Susan Sulley.
The Andrea True Connection sample is subtle and used sparingly. It also adds to the nostalgic tone to the single. However the single's hallucinogenic lyrics are out of place.
Album: You Can't Stop The Bum Rush
Year: 1999
Siblings Marc and Sharon Constanzo search for acceptance in the opaque "Steal My Sunshine."
Spacey, airy sounds start the single. Following the rocket ship takeoff sounds is a bit of the Andrea True Connection hit "More More More." Over the sample, bandmates Tim and Matt discuss lead singer Marc's glum mood. Although its suggested it may be from chemical enhacements, from Tim's knowing laughter. Matt suggests curing his munchies with breakfast pastries.
"Tim: Hey Matt./Matt:Yeah Tim?/Tim: Hey you talked to Marc lately?/Matt: Uh..haven't really talked to him but..he looks pretty uh..down./Tim: He looks pretty uh..down? (while laughing)/Matt: Yeah well maybe we should cheer him up then.Tim: What do you uh..suppose we should do?/Matt: Well does he like butter tarts?"
A gruff Marc remarks that he moped around and slept on his lawn during the weekend. He pitied himself and likely took marijuana to fog his mind. Otherwise, he couldn't think. His thoughts didn't make sense. Even though he's low, he's become accustomed to it. He had been groggy and fatigued all week. It caused him to give people the wrong impression of himself. He views his what-ifs as useless. He can't consider himself an adult if he only thinks of the right thing to do and not act on it. As a result, he was left out of those people's plans for the weekend.<"I was lying on the grass on Sunday morning of last week/Indulging in my self-defeat/My mind was thugged all laced and bugged all twisted wrong and beat/A comfortable in three feet deep/Now the fuzzy stare from not being there on a confusing morning weak/Impaired my tribal lunar-speak/And of course you can't become if you only say what you would have done/So I missed a million miles of fun."
In the chorus, Marc is sure he doesn't have any chance to prove himself. Sharon then chirps if anyone should knock them down anymore. Marc is trying to keep himself on his toes and not screw up. He doesn't want to take on more than he can handle.
"I know it's up for me/If you steal my sunshine/Making sure I'm not in too deep/If you steal my sunshine/Keeping versed and on my feet/
If you steal my sunshine."
Tim gossips about Sharon to another bandmate, Chad. Tim beckons Chad to see Sharon's worn face. Chad is shocked at how awful she looks. Tim comments he's seen Sharon that one way one other time. But this is the worst by far. Chad wonders exactly what she did the night before. Tim and Chad chortle. Tim mocks Sharon, pretending she was drunkenly throwing herself at a guy they know.
"Tim: Chad..come here come here come here./Chad: Wow! Look at her./Tim: I know./Chad: Wow..I've never seen Sharon look so bad before./Tim: I did once before..but this is pretty bad./Chad: Yeah..what do you think she got up to last night?/(Tim and Chad laugh)/Tim: Well..I..Jared, I love you!"
Sharon explains that she was napping on a bench in the park. She was playing with her slurpee and making thin straws out of she had left. People gave her weird looks, observing her weight and making fun of her as she created frozen soda straws.. People didn't want to be around her. She pouts that it was lonely pigging out by herself.
"I was lying on the bench slide in the park across the street l-a-t-e-r that week/My sticky paws were into making straws out of big fat slurpy treats/An incredible eight foot heap/Now the funny glare to pay a gleaming tare in a staring under heat/Involved an under usual feet/
And I'm not only among but I invite who I want to come/So I missed a million miles of fun."
The original chorus is sung once.
In the second chorus, Marc says everything is over for him if people take away what little happiness he has. He's like regular people and people may find it difficult to see the real him. He decides to keep to himself and toughen up.
"I know it's done for me/If you steal my sunshine/Not as some and hard to see/If you steal my sunshine/Keeping dumb and built to beat/If you steal my sunshine."
Sharon and Marc alternate at the end. She chirps "my sunshine" and Marc says "if you steal my sunshine" until the end.
"Steal My Sunshine" is a terrific update of the synth pop hits of the 80s (Human League's "Don't Want You Want Me" and Animotion's "Obsession" in particular.) Marc and Sharon obviously studied the 80s and succeeded in recreating the sound. Sharon the standout, though. Her ironic perkiness suits the single and is a near perfect imitation of Susan Sulley.
The Andrea True Connection sample is subtle and used sparingly. It also adds to the nostalgic tone to the single. However the single's hallucinogenic lyrics are out of place.