They recorded a demo (which now circulates as 'The Original Demos') and eventually an album, 'The Fatherless and the Widow' for R.E.X. Records in 1993. The record featured Chris Dodds (of Slocum's band Love Coma) on drums. Shortly after the release of the album, Slocum left Love Coma to pursue Sixpence full time. The band added Tess Wiley (guitar), J.J. Plasencio (bass) and Dale Baker (drums) for 1995's 'This Beautiful Mess'. Both albums, with featured the group's early explicit Christian contemporary music sound, were produced by Armand John Petri.
In 1997, the group signed to Steve Taylor's Squint Entertainment and prepared for the release of a self-titled album, with their work slowly began garnering attention from a wider audience. In 1999, "Kiss Me" was released as a single, propelling Sixpence into the national pop spotlight. This song was also notably used in the romantic comedy film 'She's All That'. The next year, the band recorded a cover of Britpop originators The La's "There She Goes", which became their second hit single. This recording was added to Sixpence's self-titled album, an album that received several releases, as a 13th track.
'Sixpence None the Richer', featuring a confessional, melodic sound reminiscent of contemporary power pop bands as well as the softer side of earlier classic rock groups, provided both a critical and commercial breakthrough for the band. The group, made up then of Leigh Nash with Dale Baker, Matt Slocum, Sean Kelly, and Justin Cary, had both "Kiss Me" and "There She Goes" as top 40 hits receiving lasting airplay, and the parent album took the #1 slot on Billboard's 'Top Contemporary Christian' chart. In terms of the group's religiously inspired melodies and lyrics, they had evolved to even more of a subtle, emotionally minded focus based on personal storytelling rather than proselytizing.
The band had a follow up album ready to release, but Squint Entertainment started to fall apart. Though leaving the band in limbo for several years, they still toured to an enthusiastic fan-base. Finally, Squint Entertainment was taken over by Word Records, allowing Sixpence None the Richer to record the album 'Divine Discontent', which was released in October of 2002. It differed significantly from the first pre-release version of the album that had circulated, with five songs removed and six added, but still received some positive critical reviews.
On February 26, 2004, Matt Slocum announced via a letter to CCM Magazine that the group had disbanded. That same year, Best of was released, which also collected some of the Divine Discontent outtakes, and tracks from compilations.
Matt Slocum has started a new band, the Astronaut Pushers which released their debut EP in 2005. He has also recorded and performed with the seminal ambient rock group Hammock. Leigh Nash released her debut Solo Album Blue on Blue on 15 August 2006 on her personal label, One Son Records. The first single, My Idea of Heaven, was released to USA radio the week of 14 July 2006.
In November 2007, Sixpence None the Richer reunited. The band has released a new EP, entitled My Dear Machine, with tour dates planned throughout 2008 in the States and Europe. In October 2008, they released their first Christmas album entitled, The Dawn of Grace.
Website: http://www.sixpencehq.com/
Brighten My Heart
Sixpence None the Richer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My soul is as heavy as the peat freshly dug from the bog.
My thoughts swirl like willow branches caught in autumn winds.
My body as tense as a cat�s as it stalks it's prey.
Chorus
Help me open my heart to you,
Help me open my heart to you,
It's what I long to do.
My heart is as dark as the soil sodden with winter rains.
(lord, brighten my heart)
My soul is as heavy as the peat freshly dug from the bog.
(lord, lighten my soul)
My thoughts swirl like willow branches caught in autumn winds.
(lord, still my thoughts)
My body as tense as a cat�s as it stalks it's prey.
(lord relax my body)
(repeat chorus)
The lyrics to Sixpence None the Richer's song Brighten My Heart paint a vivid picture of a person who is burdened with a heavy heart, soul, thoughts and body. The opening lines describe the heart as dark as soil sodden with winter rains, indicating the weight of despair and darkness being experienced by the person. The next line compares the soul to peat freshly dug from a bog, implying a heavy burden that needs to be lifted. The third line alludes to the chaos and confusion in the person's mind like willow branches caught in autumn winds, depicting the inability to focus and find peace. The final line refers to the tense body of a stalking cat, highlighting the sense of unease and restlessness that the person is experiencing.
The chorus of the song is a plea for help to Jesus to open the heart to Him. The repetition of the line "Help me open my heart to you" emphasizes the urgency in the person's request for help. The song acknowledges the need for divine intervention to alleviate the burdens that are weighing the person down. It expresses a desire for Jesus to brighten the heart, lighten the soul, still the thoughts, and relax the body.
Overall, the song Brighten My Heart is a powerful prayer for deliverance from the darkness and burden of life's challenges. The use of vivid imagery creates a lasting impact on the listener, and the plea for help is a universal theme that resonates with many.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is as dark as the soil sodden with winter rains.
My emotions and feelings are currently filled with darkness, just like the soil filled with rainwater during the winter season.
My soul is as heavy as the peat freshly dug from the bog.
My inner being and spiritual self are carrying a heavy burden, similar to the weight of fresh peat dug up from the bog.
My thoughts swirl like willow branches caught in autumn winds.
My mind and thoughts are in constant motion and chaos, akin to the way willow tree branches move and swirl in the autumn winds.
My body as tense as a cat�s as it stalks it's prey.
My physical body is in a state of high alert and tension, similar to how a cat's body tenses up when it is stalking its prey.
Help me open my heart to you,
I am reaching out for help to open my heart to Jesus.
It's what I long to do.
Opening my heart to Jesus is something that I deeply desire and yearn for.
My heart is as dark as the soil sodden with winter rains.
Once again, I express that my heart is filled with darkness and I need the help of Jesus to brighten it.
My soul is as heavy as the peat freshly dug from the bog.
I continue to express that my soul is weighed down by a heavy burden and I need Jesus to lighten it.
My thoughts swirl like willow branches caught in autumn winds.
I acknowledge that my thoughts are still chaotic and unsettled, and I need Jesus to still them.
My body as tense as a cat�s as it stalks it's prey.
Lastly, I ask Jesus to relax my tense body and provide me with inner peace.
Help me open my heart to you,
The chorus is repeated once again to emphasize my plea for Jesus' help in opening my heart to him.
Help me open my heart to you,
Help me open my heart to you, oh jesus.
It's what I long to do.
Contributed by Amelia C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.