Vocalist Rob Birch and DJ)/producer Nick Hallam founded their Gee Street recording studio and record label with money they were given to leave their London flat and, dispensing with using a backing band, travelled to early gigs on public transport.
They recorded their debut album, 33-45-78 in 1989 on a shoestring budget, with DJ Cesare, drummer Owen If and backing vocalist Cath Coffey. In 1990, "Elevate My Mind" became first British hip hop single to reach the United States R&B record chart. However, in the emerging UK alternative dance scene, it took an alliance with the Jungle Brothers to ensure chart success for Supernatural. Remix work for U2, PM Dawn, Queen Latifah, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, Monie Love and Electronic followed.
Their live band included singers Andrea Bedassie and Verona Davis, and they were one of the few hip hop acts to play at rock music festivals at the time. Stereo MCs' mainstream breakthrough came in 1992 with the album Connected, which contained the hit singles "Connected", "Step It Up", "Creation", and "Ground Level", and also won them the BRIT Awards for Best Group and Best Album.
The follow-up to Connected did not appear for almost a decade. Further remix duties for Madonna and the Jungle Brothers in 1998 kept the Stereo MCs' name in the limelight. Madonna went on to use the Stereo MCs remix of "Frozen" as the basis of the live arrangement of the song on her 2001 Drowned World Tour.
2001 saw the release of Deep Down & Dirty, followed by a tour including slots opening for the recently re-united Jane's Addiction. Their sixth studio album, Double Bubble, was released in July 2008, followed by their seventh album, Emperor's Nightingale, in August 2011.
Show Your Light
Stereo MC's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We don?t know what to believe no more
Did they bless us all to control our lives
Is the joke on us there?s none (?)
This light of ours don?t shine so bright
Faith?s all gone, hope?s out of sight
Show YOUR light
Show YOUR light
The preacher stuck a steeple in my arm as a child
Dipped me in the tap water from the reservoir
To cleanse my soul or to wash my brain
He still was playin? chess with guns and bombs in YOUR name
This light of ours don?t shine so bright
Faith?s all gone, hope?s out of sight
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish ?
Show YOUR light
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish ?
Show YOUR light
Show YOUR light
Show YOUR light?
(talk/rap)
Heaven help us, hear our pain
The conflict, peace talks, the cocaine shame
Unmarked graves bearing YOUR name
As we?ll get richer, the poor get slain
Sitting in the blues and the news don?t change
The sun still shine and the rain still rain
Broke and insane within the mainframe
Won?t somebody stop the train?
Armed for the with (?) the dollars to (?)
Worship the peace that takes life away
Tryin? to shine but it?s all in vain
But my butt was blown (?)
I?m in the dark again?
Answer me
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish ?
Show YOUR light
The Stereo MC's song "Show Your Light" is a powerful commentary on the confusion and disillusionment many people feel in the face of traditional religious beliefs and practices. The lyrics express a frustration with the way religious institutions and leaders seem more interested in controlling people's lives than in truly helping them find faith and hope. The idea that the "light" of faith and hope has dimmed reflects a sense of despair and disillusionment that many people feel in the face of the challenges of modern life. The use of the term "Good LORD" is a plea to a higher power to intervene and show the way forward.
The song also contains a critique of the way some religious leaders use their power to influence people for their own gain. The line "The preacher stuck a steeple in my arm as a child" suggests a baptismal ceremony that had the effect of indoctrinating the child into a particular belief system, rather than helping them find their own way to faith. This is reinforced by the reference to "guns and bombs in YOUR (the Lord's) name", which suggests that violent acts committed in the name of religion have undermined people's faith in God.
Overall, "Show Your Light" is a powerful statement about the need for people to find their own way to faith and hope, rather than blindly following the dictates of religious institutions and leaders. It is a plea for a higher power to intervene and help people find the strength to carry on in the face of the challenges of modern life.
Line by Line Meaning
Heaven help us all
Expresses a sense of desperation, a plea for divine intervention.
We don?t know what to believe no more
Expresses confusion and disillusionment, suggesting that the singer has lost faith in something or someone.
Did they bless us all to control our lives
Questions the motives behind religious or spiritual practices, implying that they may be used to exert power over people.
Is the joke on us there?s none (?)
Suggests that the artist feels deceived or misled, as if they are the victim of a cruel hoax.
This light of ours don?t shine so bright
Metaphorically refers to the artist's sense of hope or faith, which they feel has faded or dimmed.
Faith?s all gone, hope?s out of sight
Reinforces the idea that the singer feels hopeless and lost, as if they have lost their way.
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish?
Another plea for divine intervention, asking for guidance or clarity.
Show YOUR light
A call for a higher power to reveal or offer guidance, as if the artist is lost in the dark and needs a guiding light.
The preacher stuck a steeple in my arm as a child
Remembers a traumatic or confusing experience with religious or spiritual authority figures, implying that the artist feels wounded or violated.
Dipped me in the tap water from the reservoir
Refers to a ritualistic or symbolic act of purification, which the artist feels may have been manipulative or sinister.
To cleanse my soul or to wash my brain
Questions the true intention of the act of baptism, suggesting that it may have been a form of psychological manipulation.
He still was playin? chess with guns and bombs in YOUR name
Seems to criticize religious leaders who preach peace and love, but engage in or support violent actions in the name of their faith.
The preacher stuck a steeple in my arm as a child
Remembers a traumatic or confusing experience with religious or spiritual authority figures, implying that the singer feels wounded or violated.
This light of ours don?t shine so bright
Metaphorically refers to the singer's sense of hope or faith, which they feel has faded or dimmed.
Faith?s all gone, hope?s out of sight
Reinforces the idea that the singer feels hopeless and lost, as if they have lost their way.
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish?
Another plea for divine intervention, asking for guidance or clarity.
Show YOUR light
A call for a higher power to reveal or offer guidance, as if the artist is lost in the dark and needs a guiding light.
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish?
Another plea for divine intervention, asking for guidance or clarity.
Show YOUR light
A call for a higher power to reveal or offer guidance, as if the singer is lost in the dark and needs a guiding light.
Show YOUR light
A continuation of the call for divine guidance.
(talk/rap)
Indicates a shift in tone or style, possibly signaling a change in the artist's perspective or attitude.
Heaven help us, hear our pain
Another plea for divine intervention, addressing the pain and suffering in the world and asking for relief.
The conflict, peace talks, the cocaine shame
References various social and political issues, suggesting a sense of frustration or disillusionment with larger societal problems.
Unmarked graves bearing YOUR name
References violence or death that has occurred in the name of religion or spirituality, implying that the artist feels disillusioned or betrayed by these institutions.
As we?ll get richer, the poor get slain
Links issues of economic inequality and social justice, suggesting that the singer feels frustrated with a society that values wealth over human life.
Sitting in the blues and the news don?t change
Reflects a sense of resignation or despair, suggesting that the singer feels stuck or powerless in the face of larger social issues and injustices.
The sun still shine and the rain still rain
A philosophical statement that suggests the cyclical nature of life, implying that even in the face of change, some things remain constant.
Broke and insane within the mainframe
Metaphorically refers to feeling trapped or confined within a larger system or structure, such as society or religion, which can be both disempowering and damaging to one's mental health.
Won?t somebody stop the train?
A plea for someone to intervene and stop the destructive or harmful aspects of society, religion, or other institutions.
Armed for the with (?) the dollars to (?)
Unclear lyrics that may reference the power dynamics of society or the role of money in shaping people's lives and motivations.
Worship the peace that takes life away
An indictment of hypocrisy and the dangers of religious or political ideologies that claim to promote peace, but actually perpetuate violence and suffering.
Tryin? to shine but it?s all in vain
Expresses a sense of frustration or failure, as if the artist has tried to make positive changes but has been unsuccessful in doing so.
But my butt was blown (?)
Unclear lyrics that may reference a personal or social trauma, possibly related to violence, war, or other forms of conflict.
I?m in the dark again?
A return to the earlier metaphor of light and darkness, implying that the artist feels lost, alone, or hopeless.
Answer me
A plea for a response, either from a higher power or from society at large, asking for clarity or guidance in the face of confusion or despair.
Good LORD don?t make us look foolish?
Another plea for divine intervention, asking for guidance or clarity.
Show YOUR light
A call for a higher power to reveal or offer guidance, as if the singer is lost in the dark and needs a guiding light.
Contributed by Vivian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.