“Steal My Sunshine” by Len: A 90s Hit That Still Shines Bright

"Steal My Sunshine" by Len is an upbeat song that took the world by storm in the late 1990s. With its catchy lyrics, this track continues to be a favorite for many, bringing a sense of nostalgia whenever it plays. 

The Sound of Sunshine

Len is a sibling duo made up of Marc and Sharon Costanzo. Their song, "Steal My Sunshine," is known for its infectious melody that's impossible to resist tapping your foot to. 

Built on a sample of “More, More, More,” a disco track by The Andrea True Connection, “Steal My Sunshine” is a unique concoction of musical styles. 

The lyrics of "Steal My Sunshine" are all about enjoying life and not letting anything get you down. It's a celebration of the simple pleasures, like hanging out with friends and soaking up the sun. 

The song was the result of a 3-day long rave. Marc explains, “I was at an outdoor electronic music festival up north, like a rave, and I just got caught up in the night. The song is about how I felt, and then it was exaggerated by the fact that I'm sitting in the middle of a field looking at the stars, about 1000 feet away from the stage, watching everybody dancing at 3 a.m. And I wrote part of it on my leg and a lot of it on a napkin.

And then we were hanging out at Brendan [Canning]'s place, and Brendan ended up playing that Andrea True Connection record, and I just sampled it right then. I looped it and I just tied the two together.”

Creating The Music Video

The music video, with its vibrant colors and retro fashion, captures the essence of that era. It's a snapshot of a time when life seemed a bit simpler. And the song itself has the power to bring back fond memories of the past.

Production cost about $100,000 dollars and most of that budget was spent on booze. So much in fact, that they almost broke the hotel service elevator trying to load it all in. 

With a tab that large, the band was unsurprisingly drunk for most of the 1-week filming. As a result, they had to drive scooters instead of motorcycles. 

Following the release of “Steal My Sunshine,” Len was unable to see similar commercial success. As a result, they decided to stop while they were ahead. 

"Steal My Sunshine" was a massive hit when it was released in 1999. Today, it continues to resonate with new generations of listeners. Its feel-good vibes and timeless message make it a classic that never gets old. And if you’re in the right place at the right time, you may even catch Marc, who has admitted to occasionally getting up to sing this song at various karaoke bars, singing it live.

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