[no pics, sorry]
Shine:
dull as dirtMuch love to Seeklyrics.com.
you can't assert the kind of light
that might persuade
a strict dictator to retire
fire the army
teach the poor origami
the truth is in
the proof is when
you hear your heart
start asking, "What's my motivation?"
and try as you may, there isn't a way
to explain the kind of change
that would make an Eskimo renounce fur
that would make a vegetarian barbecue hamster
unless you can trace this about-face
to a certain sign...
SHINE
MAKE 'EM WONDER WHAT YOU'VE GOT
MAKE 'EM WISH THAT THEY WERE NOT
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING BORED
SHINE
LET IT SHINE BEFORE ALL MEN
LET 'EM SEE GOOD WORKS, AND THEN
LET 'EM GLORIFY THE LORD
out of the shaker and onto the plate
it isn't Karma
it sure ain't fate
that would make a Deadhead sell his van
that would make a schizophrenic turn in his crayons
Oprah freaks
and science seeks a rationale
that shall excuse
this strange behavior
when you let it shine
you will inspire
the kind of entire turnaround
that would make a bouncer take ballet
(even bouncers who aren't...happy)
but out of the glare
with nowhere to turn
you ain't gonna learn it on "What's My Line?"
SHINE...
Stevie has had one interesting career. I'm not as fond of his earlier stuff as I used to be, probably as much for the instrumentation as anything. Kinda sad that he released most of his albums in the 80s. Shudder. I like everything after I Predict 1990 a lot better. But he really had his game on for Chagall Guevara and running things at Squint.
ReplyDeleteactually, i think he fits that whole new wave thing well. and 'i predict' had a lot of great tracks, although you, i and he would admit that a lot of the music and lyrics were simplistic or overwrought (think: lifeboat, although the concept was great, upon reflection).
ReplyDeleteunlike stevie wonder, though, he got better at controlling those demons.
I lost interest in the Newsboys after Take Me To Your Leader (great album), but "Shine" is one whopper of a song. Love it.
ReplyDeletei just read an interview piece last week where steve taylor (the lyricist) said he wrote it while traveling - kind of all at once, either in a car or plane.
ReplyDeletei do love its quirkiness.
thanks for tagging me, by the way. i needed something simple to write. trying these longer posts is killing me.
newsboys had albums after take me to your leader?
ReplyDeletewait, the disco one.
The disco one...I didn't bother to listen to.
ReplyDeleteI think I have it (I may have gotten it free from my college radio station). But, maybe I don't.
I totally noticed the similarities between the instrumental backing of the Newsboys' "Shine" and Hot Chocolate's "You Sexy Thing." I wonder if Peter Furler was inspired or if he just subconsciously plagiarized part of the latter song. Hmmm ...
ReplyDeletei'm not used to getting responses a year and a half after writing the original post, but thanks for replying anyway, Van.
ReplyDeleteyeah, i think the song was recorded before the record industry got overly-litiguous (is that the word for it?) and nobody besides Kanye could afford to rip-off so blatantly. the beat's almost as similar here as the beats between Queen/Bowie's "Under Pressure" and Vanilla Ice's "Ice, Ice Baby."