The current lineup consists of Ben Harper (vocals, guitar/slide guitar), Jason Mozersky (lead guitar), Jesse Ingalls (bass and keyboards), and Jordan Richardson (drums).
Harper met Jason Mozersky in the late nineties when Mozersky was working for an Austin, Texas music promoter. Mozersky was chauffering Harper to a gig, and asked if he could play a demo for his band, Wan Santo Condo. Harper resisted initially, fearing the music would interfere with his mental preparation for the show, but then felt remorseful and agreed to hear the demo. He was "blown away," and the association led first to a record contract for Wan Santo Condo, and then to a collaboration between the two. He also recruited him to work on Harper's album Both Sides Of The Gun. Mozersky recommended Ingalls and Richardson to Harper, thus yielding the song Serve Your Soul.
In November 2008, the band debuted their new material on the Vote For Change Tour for Barack Obama's presidential campaign, where they also breathed new life into the Queen & David Bowie classic Under Pressure which has since become a staple of their live set. They ended the year cutting their teeth with a series of small club shows from famed venues such as Spaceland and The Mint in Los Angeles, to The Mercury Lounge and Kenny's Castaway in NYC. The band is scheduled to tour extensively across the world in 2009.
Their debut album White Lies For Dark Times released on May 5th, 2009.
http://relentless7.benharper.com
Shimmer & Shine
Ben Harper and Relentless7 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To heal a mile of pain
I never say goodbye to the scene
And I never blow out a flame
And I got
White lies for dark times and I don't need your crutch
I'm kicking out stained glass windows and I'm
Shimmer and shine
We leave it all behind
Shimmer and shine
When you tell me that you're mine
Shimmer and shine, shimmer and shine
Bring me the music for the revolution
It puts my mind at ease, to know
We're the problem, we're the solution
The cure and the disease
But life is trying to force me
Force me to trust
I've done all I can
I do what I must
Shimmer and shine
We leave it all behind
Shimmer and shine
When you tell me that you're mine
Shimmer and shine
We leave it all behind
Shimmer and shine
When you tell me that you're mine
Shimmer and shine, shimmer and shine
In Shimmer & Shine, Ben Harper sings about the power of love to heal emotional pain and his rejection of any false solutions. He recognizes that a hundred miles of love can be required to heal even a short distance of pain, showing the depth of emotional work required to overcome our struggles. He stands in opposition to those who offer easy solutions or crutches, instead opting to confront his issues head-on. This is exemplified in the line "I'm kicking out stained glass windows," where he takes control of his life and rejects the manipulative, iconographic symbolism of organized religion. Despite this, he remains "tender to the touch," showing that he remains open to the love and support of those around him.
The chorus of "Shimmer and Shine" is a call to leave one's past behind and celebrate new beginnings. The shimmer and shine could represent hope and the light of a new day, offering a guiding path out of darkness. Meanwhile, the bridge of the song suggests that music can serve as a catalyst for positive change. It acknowledges that there are problems in this world, but the solution to them lies within ourselves. We must trust that we have the power to make positive changes in our lives and in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
It takes a hundred miles of love
It's incredibly difficult to heal a small amount of pain, but surrounding someone with love can help
To heal a mile of pain
Even small moments of hurt can have a significant impact on someone's life
I never say goodbye to the scene
I'm always here, I don't want to leave this place behind
And I never blow out a flame
I don't give up on things easily, I hold on to hope
And I got white lies for dark times and I don't need your crutch
I have my own ways of coping with difficult times and I don't rely on anyone else's aid to get me through
I'm kicking out stained glass windows and I'm tender to the touch
I'm strong and forceful in breaking free of old habits or beliefs, but also sensitive and compassionate towards others
Shimmer and shine, we leave it all behind
We're moving forward, leaving the past behind and looking forward to the future with hope
When you tell me that you're mine
When you're with me, everything else fades away and I feel complete
Bring me the music for the revolution
Music can be a powerful tool to inspire positive change in the world
It puts my mind at ease, to know, we're the problem, we're the solution
Realizing that we're both the cause of and solution to our problems can be comforting and empowering
The cure and the disease
We hold the key to our own healing, but also to our own destruction
But life is trying to force me force me to trust
Even when life is difficult and uncertain, we must learn to trust ourselves and others in order to move forward
I've done all I can, I do what I must
We must accept our limitations and do the best we can with the resources available to us
Shimmer and shine, we leave it all behind
We're moving forward, leaving the past behind and looking forward to the future with hope
When you tell me that you're mine
When you're with me, everything else fades away and I feel complete
Shimmer and shine, shimmer and shine
Repeating the chorus emphasizes the idea of moving forward with hope and leaving the past behind
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BEN HARPER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind