The song became a sleeper hit when radio stations began playing it in March 1999, three months before Len planned to release its album. "Steal My Sunshine" had a commercial single release in July 1999 (see 1999 in music). It received positive reviews from music critics, and its chart success has made Len a one-hit wonder. The song earned a nomination for "Best Single" at the Juno Awards of 2000.
The song's music video was directed by Marc Costanzo and Bradley Walsh, under the stage names The Burger Pimp and B-Rad.When Len had signed to Work Records, one of its demands was to be able to direct its own videos. The group used a $100,000 budget to make the video. It flew to Daytona Beach, Florida with two dozen friends while the area was crowded with people on their spring vacations. They spent much of the budget on alcohol, buying enough that they broke their hotel's elevator trying to lift it. They shot the video in an afternoon so that they could recover from hangovers in the morning and drink in the evening. The scenes were shot without a script or storyboard. In the video, Len and its friends are shown relaxing together and riding on skis, scooters, and go-karts.
Motorrad, whose scooters were included in the music video, later held a promotion giving away scooters of the same model. At the 1999 MuchMusic Video Awards, "Steal My Sunshine" won awards for "Best Video", "Best Pop Video", and "Favourite Canadian Video".
Steal My Sunshine
Len Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Indulging in my self-defeat
My mind was thugged, all laced and bugged, all twisted, wrong and beat
A comfortable three feet deep
Now the fuzzy stare from not being there on a confusing morning week
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
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)
I was frying 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 feat
And I'm not only among but I invite who I want to come
So I missed a million miles of fun
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)
I know it's done for me
(If you steal my sunshine)Not some and hard to see
(If you steal my sunshine)
Keeping dumb and built to beat
(If you steal my sunshine)
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
The lyrics of Len's song "Steal My Sunshine" presents a narrative about the singer enjoying a lazy summer day while lying on the grass, experiencing a self-defeating mindset. The singer's thoughts and speech are twisted and confused, but their headspace remains comfortable. The singer realizes that they have ignored a million miles of fun because they were too lazy to move. The lyrics indicate that they are laying in the grass because they have given up on the opportunities that life has presented them, causing them to feel unaccomplished.
The second verse picks up in the singer's future, where they recall being near a park with their friends, playing on the benches. The singer feels that they do not have time to enjoy themselves because they are preoccupied with making straws out of big fat slurpy treats. In this verse, the singer repeats the previous verse's theme that missing out on the fun opportunities life has presented them has become a habit. They miss out because their mind is elsewhere, distracted by trivial things; they continue not to take advantage of the moment, which they may regret later.
Overall, "Steal My Sunshine" by Len evokes a mood of nostalgia and idleness, accompanied by upbeat music. The lyrics encourage one to take opportunities and to live in the moment to avoid feeling the same regret the singer seems to be experiencing.
Line by Line Meaning
I was lying on the grass of Sunday morning of last week
I was relaxing on the grass on a Sunday morning last week.
Indulging in my self-defeat
I was engaging in unhelpful, negative thinking patterns.
My mind was thugged, all laced and bugged, all twisted, wrong and beat
My thinking was in disarray and full of negative thoughts.
A comfortable three feet deep
I was feeling comfortable in my negative state of mind.
Now the fuzzy stare from not being there on a confusing morning week
I was confused and disoriented during the entire week.
Impaired my tribal lunar speak
My ability to communicate was negatively affected.
And of course you can't become if you only say what you would have done
Talking about what you want to do is not sufficient. You have to take action.
So I missed a million miles of fun
My negative mindset prevented me from having fun experiences.
I know it's up for me (If you steal my sunshine)
I am responsible for my happiness.
Making sure I'm not in too deep (If you steal my sunshine)
I am making sure I don't get lost in negative thoughts.
Keeping versed and on my feet (If you steal my sunshine)
I am staying informed and alert to avoid getting bogged down.
I was frying on the bench slide in the park across the street
I was sitting on a slide in the park across the street, feeling overheated.
L-A-T-E-R that week
At a later time that week.
My sticky paws were into making straws out of big fat slurpy treats
I was making straws out of large, sugary treats.
An incredible eight-foot heap
There was a massive pile of these treats.
Now the funny glare to pay a gleaming tare in a staring under heat
The heat was making it hard to focus and causing a strange glare.
Involved an under usual feat
I did something unusual.
And I'm not only among but I invite who I want to come
I spend time with the people I like most.
So I missed a million miles of fun
I missed out on having fun experiences because I was focused on negativity.
I know it's up for me (If you steal my sunshine)
I have the power to control my own happiness.
Making sure I'm not in too deep (If you steal my sunshine)
I am making sure I do not become too focused on negative thoughts or feelings.
Keeping versed and on my feet (If you steal my sunshine)
I am staying informed and staying alert.
I know it's done for me (If you steal my sunshine)
My happiness is ultimately up to me.
Not some and hard to see (If you steal my sunshine)
It is not something that is always readily apparent.
Keeping dumb and built to beat (If you steal my sunshine)
I need to stay strong and focused to overcome negative thoughts.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
My positivity and joy can be taken away if I allow negativity to rule my thoughts.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I have to actively choose to maintain a positive outlook.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I need to stay strong and focused to avoid getting caught up in negativity.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I have to protect my own positivity and happiness.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I need to make sure my own thoughts and feelings are not controlled by negativity.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I am responsible for my own happiness and well-being.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I can't allow negativity to rule my thoughts or control my mood.
My sunshine, if you steal my sunshine
I have to actively work to maintain a positive outlook and protect my own joy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Gregg Diamond, Marc Francis Costanzo
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Jesse__H
It's:
"And of course you can't become, if you only say what you would've done."
You're right that it's a good line. I wonder if you actually know why tho..
jk 90s love peace out X
@leokimvideo
The song that echoes the end of the amazing 90's. A song so good it sounds fresh many years later
@ackack2560
I listen to it everyday damn day
@Atomshamradio
Well put love it👍💯
@ackack2560
@@Atomshamradio thanks
@TsvetanDudulov
I absolutely agree! I wish it had a portal between present days and 90's! It would be wonderful!
@joshcook4515
Can not think of a better way to describe this master piece 🙌
@richarddavis9151
Born in Jan of 82, graduated in 2000. Long live the 90’s music era ❤️ can’t steal our sunshine!
@brianb.5661
Same. We were the last of Gen X. Saw the end of the landline, the beginning of the internet, the ridiculous idea that the boomers had something to sell out from, and aghast at the protective bubbles in which the fragile millenials were placed.
@Quake120
'83 here, graduated in 2001. This song takes me back to that beautiful end of the 90s where my summers were spent hanging out at the local waterpark in the blazing hot summer sun, laying on an innertube, listening to the 90s jams pumping out of the nearby speakers with not another single care in the entire world other than THAT moment right there. It feels like absolute bliss now.
@djcrownvic
@@brianb.5661I consider myself a little more gen X than millenial