The Shamen were preceded by Alone Again Or, the Love-inspired name under which they recorded their first singles. After their name change, further singles picked up airplay from John Peel. Released in June 1987, The Shamen's first album Drop illustrated their love of 60s psychedelia, with influences such as Love, Pink Floyd and the 13th Floor Elevators.
By mid-1987, frontman Colin Angus was discovering the sounds of early house music pioneers such as S-Express and M/A/R/R/S and increasing his knowledge of the latest studio gadgetry. By September 1987, the Shamen were applying these techniques to their own music, mixing rock guitars, techno and hip-hop rhythms and sampled radio voices to create the prototype rock-dance sound which was to prove so influential to other indie dance groups like Pop Will Eat Itself, Jesus Jones and EMF. However, the newfound sound proved too radical for co-founder and vocalist Derek McKenzie, who the left the band in late 1987 to study at university. The Shamen were suddenly one crucial player short. Help was at hand in the charismatic form of Will Sinnott (23 December, 1960 - 23 May, 1991), who joined the group in October 1987, on bass and keyboards, freeing up Colin Angus to handle vocal and guitar chores.
Knature of a Girl was the first record by the Shamen to feature Sinnott, but it wasn't until June's Jesus Loves Amerika single that the techno influence began to show. By this stage, Angus and Sinnott had become hooked on the acid house movement taking place in London, and its music and clubs were to exert a massive influence on the pair. Keith McKenzie and Peter Stephenson were less impressed by these new developments, and left the group the following summer, after the January 1989 release of the In Gorbachev We Trust album, which saw the group further enhancing their sound.
Angus and Sinnott relocated to London, allowing them to start afresh, and plunge headfirst into the emerging rave scene. 1989 was to be a busy year. They set out on their legendary Synergy tour, a nightclub experience combined with live music from The Shamen and others and DJing from the likes of Mixmaster Morris. The tour was to last nearly two years. They also released the Phorward mini album, a genre-defining release in the history of the acid house movement.
Their third album, En-Tact, was released in 1990, and it spawned the hit singles Move Any Mountain, Hyperreal and Make It Mine. Also notable was the appearance of rapper and DJ Mr.C (real name Richard West). The transformation into a successful rave act was complete.
In May 1991, The Shamen headed to Tenerife to film a video for Move Any Mountain. On May 23, Sinnott drowned in an accident off coast of La Gomera. However, with the Sinnott family's encouragement, the group decided to continue.
With Mr C now a full member of The Shamen, and Jhelisa Anderson providing guest vocals, the Boss Drum album followed in 1992. The LP featured a noted spoken-word collaboration, Re:Evolution with Terence McKenna, and The Shamen's biggest and most controversial hit: Ebeneezer Goode. Ebeneezer Goode was accused of promoting drug use owing to the refrain "Ezer Goode, Ezer Goode" - homophonic with "E's are good" ("E" being slang for the dance drug ecstasy) - and to double entendre drug references throughout the song. This echoed similar references in previous songs such as Synergy's "M D M A-zing... we are together in ecstasy". Despite - or maybe because of - the subsequent storm of publicity, the song stayed at the top of the UK charts for 4 weeks.
Although the single was a commercial hit, it was considered a 'novelty record' and severely impacted on the 'underground' credibility of the band. Subsequent singles such as Boss Drum and Phorever People were chart hits, but some long term fans believed they paled in comparison to earlier singles.
However, The Shamen's new mainstream popularity enabled them to release an unusually large number of remix singles, EPs, and LPs during the Boss Drum era, including the Face EP, the S.O.S. EP, and the On Air and Different Drum albums. On Air featured a series of popular tracks from En-Tact and Boss Drum as performed live on BBC radio; Different Drum was a remix album containing alternate versions of every track from Boss Drum. The tracks Boss Drum, LSI (Love Sex Intelligence), Phorever People, Ebeneezer Goode, and Re:Evolution were all released as singles in their own right.
Axis Mutatis in 1995, with new vocalist Victoria Wilson James replacing Jhelisa Anderson, did not make as much of an impact. Early special editions of this album featured a bonus disk, Arbor Bona Arbor Mala, a bizarre ambient album. The Shamen continued recording into the late 1990s, releasing two additional LPs with an increasingly experimental bent. Their penultimate studio album, the instrumental Hempton Manor, followed an acrimonious split with their label One Little Indian. It is alleged to have been recorded in seven days to conclude the recording contract with One Little Indian, and the first letter of each track spell out F**k Birket, referring to label founder Derek Birket, who wanted the group to move back into more commercial territory. UV, in 1998, was their last album. UV was released independently and marked a return to form with both modern techno production and classic Shamen song structures. Mr C. has since continued as an inspiring house DJ and become a successful night-club owner.
Make It Mine
The Shamen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make it mine, everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Mean, lean, lazy and fine
Sure, slow, rolling with the flow
That's the way I make it make it show
That's the way I move it
That's the way I prove it
Just so you know, here's how to do it
Listen how I make it, make it mine
Everytime
Making it mine, radiating
Spreading out, contaminating
Double R balloon inflating,
KLA cooling out, meditating
Then I float on up to the Stylus sphere
Everything is clear up hereIn the atmosphere
And as I put on my headphones I can hear,
The sound of Silence in my ear Canal
MetamorphosisingI see a black sun rising
Higher and higher
But all happening prior to my existence
Which is far in the distance
Relating to the past, present and future tense
But we're still rotating
Creating and always alternating
Freewheeling, just like Franklin
Climbing, funking, rhyming
Double R logically timing
Making it yours, making it mine
Explore the labyrinth of your mind
Mean, lean, lazy and fine
That's the way I make it make it mine
Sure, slow, rolling with the flow
That's the way I make it make it show
That's the way I move it
That's the way I prove it
Just so you know, here's how to do it
Listen how I make it, make it mine
Everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Make it, make it mine
Make it mine, everytime
Mean, lean, lazy and fine
That's the way I make it make it mine
Sure, slow, rolling with the flow
That's the way I make it make it show
That's the way I move it
That's the way I prove it
Just so you know, here's how to do it
Listen how I make it, make it mine
Everytime
The lyrics of The Shamen's song, Make It Mine, convey a message of taking control and ownership over one's own life and experiences. The repetition of the phrase, "make it mine, every time," emphasizes the importance of actively making choices and creating one's own path. The lyrics also suggest that the way to do this is by being "mean, lean, lazy, and fine" and by "rolling with the flow" while also proving oneself to others. The lines about "exploring the labyrinth of your mind" suggest that this process involves introspection and self-discovery.
The later verses of the song take a more psychedelic turn, with reference to a "Stylus sphere" and a "black sun rising" that speaks to transcendental experiences. The song encourages the listener to embrace their own journey and to create their own reality, even as they explore the mysteries of the universe.
Line by Line Meaning
Make it, make it mine
I want to personalize and claim it as my own
Make it mine, every time
I want to maintain ownership and control
Mean, lean, lazy and fine
I am capable, confident, and relaxed in my approach
That's the way I make it make it mine
I have a certain method that works for me to claim ownership
Sure, slow, rolling with the flow
I am confident and steady in my approach, adapting to the situation as needed
That's the way I make it make it show
By taking ownership and adapting to the situation, I am able to showcase my mastery
That's the way I move it
My approach involves taking action and making it happen
That's the way I prove it
By taking action and making it my own, I am able to demonstrate my abilities
Just so you know, here's how to do it
I am sharing my personal approach and strategy for success
Listen how I make it, make it mine
By listening to and following my example, you too can take ownership and personalize your approach
Making it mine, radiating
When I personalize something, it reflects outwards and influences others
Spreading out, contaminating
My personalized approach is infectious and inspires others to do the same
Double R balloon inflating, KLA cooling out, meditating
These are personal code names for activities that help me relax and stay focused on my personalized approach
Then I float on up to the Stylus sphere
Once I am in a calm and focused state, I am able to access a higher level of clarity and understanding
Everything is clear up here in the atmosphere
From this higher vantage point, everything becomes clearer and more understandable
And as I put on my headphones I can hear, The sound of Silence in my ear Canal
By eliminating other distractions and focusing on a particular sound, I am able to concentrate and achieve clarity
Metamorphosising I see a black sun rising
As I concentrate and focus, I experience a personal transformation and gain new insights
Higher and higher
This transformation takes me to new heights of understanding and mastery
But all happening prior to my existence
These insights and transformations are timeless and have always existed, even before my personal existence
Which is far in the distance
This understanding stretches far beyond my personal experiences and is part of a larger universal truth
Relating to the past, present and future tense
This understanding is relevant and connected to all moments of time, whether past, present or future
But we're still rotating
Even as we gain new insights and understanding, life and the universe continue to move forward and evolve
Creating and always alternating
Life is constantly changing and evolving and we are a part of that process
Freewheeling, just like Franklin
Just as Benjamin Franklin was known for his innovative and free-thinking approach, I also embrace this approach
Climbing, funking, rhyming
I approach life with a sense of adventure, fun and creativity
Double R logically timing
This is another personal code name for an approach that involves staying focused and using logic and strategy
Making it yours, making it mine
By sharing my approach, I hope to inspire others to personalize and take ownership of their own lives
Explore the labyrinth of your mind
I encourage others to delve deeper into their own understanding and gain a greater sense of self-awareness
Writer(s): Will Sin, Colin Angus, Richard West Copyright: Amokshasong
Contributed by Jackson K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
FurryLippedSquid
The soundtrack to my teenage years. God bless you, Colin.
Frank Gell
Colin? Pardon my ignorance
FurryLippedSquid
@Frank Gell Colin Angus, founding member.
Frank Gell
@FurryLippedSquid 🙏🎵🎼
FurryLippedSquid
@Frank Gell You're welcome sir.
Davey Jones
Top top tune. Old skool techno/dance - I love it! 😍😎
doberchic
Tied for my favorite Shamen tune with Hypereal. This one is still fire <3
Simon Hall
Absolute tune 👌 🙌
Nick Smart
The pioneers of indie/dance/rock fusion
J-Sonnic
cheers for putting these up in such quality - I remember hearing the Eddie Richards mix of this out back in the day the bassline just went through you!