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Shine (Collective Soul song)

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"Shine"
Song

"Shine" is a song by American post-grunge band Collective Soul. It served as the lead single from their 1993 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. [citation needed] The track also reached the top of the Album Rock Tracks for eight weeks and peaked at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1] VH1 would later place "Shine" at #42 on their list of the "100 Greatest Songs of the '90s." In 2001, it was included on the band's 7even Year Itch: Greatest Hits, 1994-2001.

Overview

Due to the song's lyrical themes, particularly the mention of "heaven," Collective Soul was often early on regarded as a Christian band. Frontman Ed Roland elaborated, "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.'" He went on to stress that such classification would unite the bandmates' beliefs and that a particular doctrine can not speak for all its members.[2] Roland did note, however, his religious background and the fact that his father is a Southern Baptist minister but that this does not justify a Christian label.

Collective Soul rhythm guitarist and Ed Roland's brother, Dean 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.[3]

"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 increases tempo for a hard rock guitar solo before returning to its previous state of calmness.

Legacy and appearances

"Shine" has remained a symbol of '90s alternative rock. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic regarded the song "a tremendous guilty pleasure, built on a guitar riff so indelible you swear it's stolen, blessed by a sighing melody that makes this a fine album-rock single that would have sounded as good in '74 as it did in '94."[4]

Due to its popularity among '90s music, "Shine" has been included on various era-themed compilation albums including VH1: I Love the '90s, Whatever: The '90s Pop and Culture Box, Big Shiny '90s, and The Buzz. Live versions have been included on the Woodstock '94 and Much at Edgefest 1999 compilations.[5]

Cover versions

In 2001, Dolly Parton recorded a cover of "Shine" 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 Christian rock band Pillar recorded a cover version of this song as the 7th track on their Confessions album.

Phish performed a short version of the song 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.

The Holmes Brothers covered "Shine" on their 1994 album, Simple Truths.

The San Diego-based progressive rock band Audiofishtank always plays their cover version of the song at the end of each show.

The Smashing Pumpkins have 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.

Music video

The song's video, which achieved popularity on MTV, features various footage, largely black & white. Youths are seen carrying seemingly random items across a rural area and railroad tracks before arriving at an old shed and watching the band perform. "Shine" was included on the era-themed compilation Essential Music Videos: '90s Rock.

Virginia Tech massacre

In the aftermath of the April 2007 Virginia Tech massacre it was revealed by two roommates that gunman Cho Seung-Hui played "Shine" over and over.[6] He even wrote some of the lyrics of the song ("Teach me how to speak/ Teach me how to share/ Teach me where to go") on his wall.[7] In response to this news, the band issued a statement saying that "It is an enormous tragedy and we deeply regret the loss of life. The issue is not about the song. It is about the innocent lives that were lost that we regret deeply, as do all Americans."[8]

Chart performance

References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 137.
  2. ^ Garrett, Jonathan A RETURN TO HAVING FUN: Collective Soul Remembers Why It Makes Music PopMatters (January 25, 2005). Retrieved on 4-25-09.
  3. ^ Farley, Mike Interview with Dean Roland Bullz-Eye (July 28, 2005). Retrieved on 4-25-09.
  4. ^ Thomas Erlewine, Stephen Review - Hints, Allegations, and Things Left Unsaid Allmusic. Retrieved on 4-25-09.
  5. ^ Shine - Collective Soul Allmusic. Retrieved on 4-25-09.
  6. ^ Collective Soul's "Shine" Soon To Be Christened Virginia Tech's "Helter Skelter" - Sound of the City - Village Voice
  7. ^ Roommates Give a Glimpse Into the Mind of a Killer
  8. ^ Collective Soul issue statement on killer's connection to song
  9. ^ http://www.billboard.com/song/collective-soul/shine/3467325#/song/collective-soul/shine/3467325
  10. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/radio-songs?chartDate=1994-09-03
  11. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/artist/collective-soul/chart-history/35341?f=377&g=Singles
  12. ^ http://www.billboard.com/#/charts/pop-songs?chartDate=1994-08-13
  13. ^ "Billboard Top 100 - 1994". Retrieved 2010-08-27.
  14. ^ "Top Singles - Volume 60, No. 21, December 12 1994". RPM. Retrieved 2010-10-22. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
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