The band's long career has seen them successfully adopt many different musical genres; including glam pop, power pop, electronic dance music and mainstream pop. Despite these many styles, a recognizable "Sparks sound" remains throughout, and they have enjoyed a large cult following since their first releases. Sparks have been highly influential on the development of popular music, in particular on the late 1970s scene, when in collaboration with Giorgio Moroder (and Telex subsequently), they reinvented themselves as an electronic pop duo, and abandoned the traditional rock band line up. In contrast to the esteem in which they are held by such peers as Depeche Mode, New Order, Morrissey and They Might Be Giants, who all cite Sparks as a major influence, their almost constantly changing styles and unique visual presentations have sometimes seen them dismissed as a novelty act.
The 2002 release of Lil' Beethoven, their self-described "genre-defining opus", and 2006's Hello Young Lovers (their 20th studio album) have brought Sparks renewed critical and commercial success, and seen them continue to "steer clear of pop conventions."
The 2021 documentary film 'The Sparks Brothers', directed by Edgar Wright, has renewed interest in the band for a new audience.
This is The Renaissance
Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spent all day in prayer
Judgement Day was everyday and
Witches burning everywhere
But now we are in luck
Beauties everywhere
Paintings filled with foxy women
No one's got a cross to bear
This is the Renaissance
Came upon us all at once
Oh what a Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
Renaissance or Renai'ssance
It's still a Renaissance
If you like to read
Man, you are in luck
Gutenberg is cranking out The Bible with a centrefold
So let it all hang out
No one's gonna care
Flash a little ankle and the guys will lose their self-control
Cause this is the Renaissance
Came upon us all at once
Oh what a Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
Renaissance or Renai'ssance
It's still a Renaissance
Science is here
Nothing left to fear
Though the Earth is flat
It's not as flat as we feared
Music's gone wild
No Gregorian here
Contrapuntal music is the music that your parents fear
This is the Renaissance
Oh what a Renaissance
This is the Renaisssance
Oh what a Renaissance
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls
Welcome to The Renaissance
The dawning of a new day
Where every man is a king and every woman a queen
This is the Renaissance
What a Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
What a Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
We can see the moon
We can see the stars
We can see the future and
The freeways and electric cars
And they might think we're quaint
We don't really care
We've got Michaelangelo and they graffiti everywhere
Cause this is the Renaissance
Came upon us all at once
Oh what a Renaissance
This is the Renaissance
Renaissance or Renai'ssance
It's still a Renaissance
It's still a Renaissance
Sparks's This Is The Renaissance is a celebration of the Renaissance period and a contrast to the default world of the Middle Ages when judgment and prejudice were everyday norms. The lyrics highlight how the Renaissance shattered the chains of the past and ushered in new ways of thinking and equality. Their admiration is visible throughout the song as they sing about how the Renaissance has brought beauty in the form of paintings of foxy women and music that is wild, exciting and free from the inhibitions that existed before.
The song also touches on how the Renaissance brought scientific discoveries to the forefront and how the power balance shifted as men and women discovered new freedoms. The lyrics cleverly speak to modern-day society, for example, mentioning the Earth being flat, which suggests that many people still hold outdated beliefs despite scientific discoveries pointing towards the opposite. In conclusion, the song celebrates the vibrant and transformative era of the Renaissance period, paving the way for progress and ushering in the modern age that we live in now.
Line by Line Meaning
Middle ages sucked
The era of the Middle Ages was terrible and unpleasant.
Spent all day in prayer
People of that time used to spend their entire day praying.
Judgement Day was everyday and
People used to fear that the day of Judgment would arrive every day.
Witches burning everywhere
People accused women of being witches and burned them alive everywhere.
But now we are in luck
Fortunately, things have changed for the better.
Beauties everywhere
There are beautiful things and people all around.
Paintings filled with foxy women
Paintings depict a lot of beautiful and attractive women.
No one's got a cross to bear
Nobody has to bear the burden of religious guilt anymore.
This is the Renaissance
The Renaissance is the era of cultural and intellectual rebirth, and this is its instance.
Came upon us all at once
It arrived unexpectedly one day.
Oh what a Renaissance
How great this cultural and intellectual rebirth is!
If you like to read
For those who love reading, it's a time of fortune.
Man, you are in luck
Being alive in this time is fortunate for those who love to read.
Gutenberg is cranking out The Bible with a centrefold
The printing of the Bible is being done by Gutenberg and is novel since it features a table in the center.
So let it all hang out
One can display themselves openly without any issue.
No one's gonna care
There is a refreshing and carefree attitude towards life.
Flash a little ankle and the guys will lose their self-control
The women can show a little bit of their ankles, and it would drive men crazy at that time.
Science is here
Science is making progress in the Renaissance Era.
Nothing left to fear
There is nothing to be afraid of in this time.
Though the Earth is flat
Despite the incorrect belief that the Earth is flat.
It's not as flat as we feared
It is not as flat as the people of that time feared it to be.
Music's gone wild
Music in the Renaissance Era is developing in a wild and exciting manner.
No Gregorian here
Music compositions are diverse, and they are not following the traditional Gregorian style.
Contrapuntal music is the music that your parents fear
The type of music called Contrapuntal is the kind of music that parents don't like.
We can see the moon
Humankind has made advancements in science to observe the moon.
We can see the stars
Furthermore, people have improved their ability to see and observe the stars.
We can see the future and
People are now more optimistic and are visualizing a brighter future.
The freeways and electric cars
People are envisioning a future where roads will not be congested, and electric cars will help reduce pollution.
And they might think we're quaint
Other people from different eras might view the Renaissance Era as old-fashioned and charming.
We don't really care
However, the people of that time are enjoying themselves, and they are not concerned with how others perceive them.
We've got Michaelangelo and they graffiti everywhere
While other people might have graffiti as their art, people of the Renaissance Era have the talented Michelangelo.
It's still a Renaissance
In sum, this era is clearly a time of great cultural and intellectual rebirth.
Contributed by Tristan C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Philip Kassabian
on Scheherazade
A great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Aeroflot
This song is amazing.
Philip Kassabian
on Irreplaceable
Sparks is an absolutely fantastic band.
Philip Kassabian
on It's Educational
An absolutely great Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on The Calm Before the Storm
A great and fantastic Sparks song.
Philip Kassabian
on Perfume
A very catchy and great Sparks song.