Collective Soul: Shine
Time for a Mid-week Jam!
It's a new month. Monday was just here visiting, and Tuesday wasn't any easier than Monday. So let's let our hair down for just a few minutes and get in the right mindset for the rest of the week!
"Shine" is the debut single by the American post-grunge band Collective Soul. It served as the lead single from their 1994 debut album Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid. "Shine" would remain the band's most well known song and a hallmark of 1990s alternative rock. It became the #1 Album Rock Song of 1994, and won a Billboard award for Top Rock Track.
Because the song mentions "heaven", Collective Soul was often regarded as a Christian band. Frontman Ed Roland elaborates:
"I remember around the time ["Shine" came out] getting into an argument with a writer who said, 'You're a Christian band.' I said, 'No, we're not.' 'Well, you have the word heaven in your song.' And I said, 'Well, so does Led Zeppelin. I don't remember anyone saying they were a Christian band.'"
Collective Soul rhythm guitarist Dean Roland has called the song's chorus "basically a prayer" and noted that the uplifting single was released during an odd time amidst heavy grunge. He noted that, despite the song's unique feel, this circumstance wrongfully pigeonholed the band as being grunge.
"Shine" features guitar with a slight distortion and mellow atmosphere throughout the verses. Its chorus pounds with staccato riffs before brightening up with the lyrics "Heaven let your light shine down." Later, the song's bridge modulates into double-time behind a hard rock guitar solo before returning to its previous state of calmness.
Other interesting notes about the song:
- Phish poked fun at the song with their short version of "Shine" in the middle of "Fly Famous Mockingbird" at Madison Square Garden on New Year's Eve 1995 with songwriter Tom Marshall on vocals. This version can be found on the live album Phish: New Year's Eve 1995 - Live at Madison Square Garden.
- Dolly Parton recorded a cover of "Shine" for her 2001 album Little Sparrow with members of the alt/bluegrass band Nickel Creek. Parton's recording of the song earned her a Grammy Award for Best Female Country Vocal Performance.
- The Holmes Brothers recorded a cover of "Shine" for their 2004 album Simple Truths.
- Pillar recorded a cover of "Shine" for their 2009 album Confessions.
- The Smashing Pumpkins played parts of "Shine" during their 2010 tour. Billy Corgan has expressed his hatred of the song and noted its similarities to the Smashing Pumpkins' song "Drown". Corgan lost a lawsuit in the mid-'90s to Ed Roland after Roland was able to produce a demo tape featuring "Shine" that preceded the Smashing Pumpkins' release.
- A video uploaded by Girl Talk's Gregg Gillis titled "Collective Soul Cat" became popular in 2012 which featured the cat singing the famous "Yeah!" in the song's exact key.
Alright now, time to put on your headphones (if you're at work), turn up the speakers and Get your Shine on!
https://youtu.be/_m0bI82Rz_k
What does tomorrow bring?
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