Steal My Sunshine
by Len

Album: You Can't Stop The Bum Rush (1999)
Charted: 8 9
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This breezy but rather trippy tune is built on a sample of the disco hit "More, More, More" by the Andrea True Connection.
  • There is no Len in Len - the name comes from one of their friends. The group started out as the Toronto brother-and-sister duo of Marc and Sharon Costanzo; they released two albums in the alternative rock vein before adding three members for their 1999 album You Can't Stop the Bum Rush. "Steal My Sunshine" was written by Marc Costanzo with Gregg Diamond, who wrote "More, More, More," also getting a songwriter credit. Len had a minor UK hit with the follow-up "Cryptik Souls Crew," but in America and Canada are a prototypical one-hit wonder.
  • Marc Costanzo told Stereogum the story of the song:

    "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, of Broken Social Scene]'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."
  • "Steal My Sunshine" first appeared in March 1999 on the soundtrack of the movie Go starring Katie Holmes. It was included on Len's album You Can't Stop The Bum Rush in May and released as a single in July. It's a very summer song, but it didn't become a hit until early winter, charting at #9 in America on November 13.
  • Len were given a $150,000 budget for the music video. They spent so much of it on alcohol that they broke the hotel service elevator trying to load up all the liquor.
  • On the 2011 Parks and Recreation episode "Camping," Amy Poehler's character plays this song while struggling to come up with a big idea to follow up her successful Harvest Festival. "I'm listening to 'Steal My Sunshine' by Len," she says. "A one-hit wonder, just like me."

    The song has also been used on:

    Cold Case ("Resolutions" - 2004)
    Mr. Robot ("eps1.2_d3bug.mkv" - 2015)
    South Park ("Skank Hunt" - 2016)
    Future Man ("Prelude to an Apocalypse" - 2017)
  • The late '90s were filled with nu metal and boy bands, but there was a niche for sunshine pop by the likes of Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray that fit this song perfectly.

Comments: 32

  • Mark Ulrich from Coral Springs, FloridaAbsolutely love this song...always will. I wish the siblings were more popular. They seem like such a hip team to pal with.
  • Morse from Nova ScotiaTry the cover by The Maine
  • Anthony from ColoradoLove this song. Started listening to it again. Yes, it was overplayed, but it's a song that I never tire of hearing. To me, this song is a warning about partying so hard, you miss out on all the fun (like they are having in the video). Waking up on the lawn on Sunday morning, after partying Saturday night... what did I miss out on... can't remember. "My mind was thugged all laced and [drugged] all twisted wrong and beat." So hold onto some sunshine by keeping on your feet.
  • The Nabster from TxSome people thought it was incestuous
  • Melinda from AustraliaSorry but as soon as I heard this wonderful clever song in 1999, I immediately knew that part of of the sample is also from a KC And The Sunshine Band song. Not Just the Andrea True 1970’s classic song, More More More. That they claim.
    Anyone like me, who grew up on the many many hit singles of KC And The Sunshine Band. (And they were huge). Would recognise it.
    I’m not sure if the sample has been taken from Please Don’t Go, or another KC And The Sunshine Band song. But a sample has definitely been nicked. Cause I listened to every one of them in the car, of their songs on Spotify a few years ago. And heard the sample that Len helped themselves too.
    And it’s obvious to me that’s why the song has been named Steal My Subshine. Pretty obvious hey. When you look at it.

    I certainly hope an eagle eared, hardcore KC And The Sunshine Band fan, can detect what song specifically they have taken it from.
    I danced my arse off to their songs in the 1970’s. And they were radio favourites in my country. So I know I’m right.

    And I certainly hope the writers and composers of KC And The Sunshine Band songs all those years ago, were financially paid for borrowing a sample.
    Their songs were infectious in gettin people up on the dance floor. Literally, everyone hit the dance floor.
    I love Steal My Sunshine. And I think it wonderful they used Andrea True’s, More More More. Cause I always loved the intro to it.
    But give credit... where credit is due.
  • Joe from El Paso, TxI was told that this song is about Marc getting drunk/high and getting Sharon knocked up, (kinda scary considering that they're brother and sister) but I think that its about the two of them getting in an argument which tore a hole in their close friendship. I hope you all know that "love" has multiple different meanings, not just the romantic-couple-valentines kind, but also the brotherly-friends-and-family kind.
  • Ben from Rohnert Park, Cathis song takes me back to preschool
  • Ben from Rohnert Park, Cathis song takes me back to preschool
  • John from Beltsville, MdThe fact that the two singers are brother and sister makes this song and the video incestuosly creepy.
  • Nessie from Danville, Va@Jarod: He says "Sharon, I love you"...Sharon is the female singer in this song.
  • Nick from Arlington Heights, IlIf ever a song captured the essence of the year 1999..this is it..happy happy
  • Jarod from Taylor, AzIn this song, betwine the course the second verse, the guys talk about what the girl has been up to. And it sounds like they say "Jarod, I love you." does anybody really know what they are talking about?
  • Anthony from North Cape May, NjSmile on your face is by Vitamin C lol..
  • Jade from Washington D.c., DcThat's strange. I thought that they also had a song called 'Put A Smile On Your Face'. It was used a candy bar ad.
  • Harry from New York, NySunshine is slang for LSD. This song seems to be more or less about an acid trip. I could be wrong, but the lyrics lead me to believe that.
  • Tonessa from Danville, VaI love this song.
    They're a Canadian group.
  • Billy from Calgary, CanadaAgreed with Ash, but I have a feeling it's about a guy who had a crush on a girl, and due to shyness + etc. they never ended up together.

    I only have one line that can possibly support this which is "and i'm not only among but i invite who i want to come" which is can kind of translate that the girl had a party, and she did not invite the guy that had a crush on her, so she 'missed a million miles of fun'.
  • Paul Marlo from Perth, Australiajust a little fun track! by the way bum rush (as in album name) is what happens when you shoot up amphetimes cut with epsom salts. was very common around the time of this songs release before crystal meth more common today..
  • Brandon from Saskatoon, Canadasuch a good song. heard it on the radio so i downloaded it. amazing song. reminds me of sunny days in the summer. as you know in saskatchewan there are hot summer with lots of sun. but right now it's -20 outside...
  • Ash from Charleston, WvThe lyrics make absolutely no sense whatsoever.
  • Michael from San Diego, CaGood song, better video! I lived in Florida about the time it was shot there, and it captures the fun spirit of the Sunshine State real well.
  • Erin Miller from Portland , OrMy brother just passed away in November of 2005, and he always loved this song, he was like ' how can you NOT smile and be in a great mood when you hear it' and about a month ago i heard it on the radio, and sure enough....giant smile. I LOVE this song now!


    erin miller
  • Dylan from Cape Town`, FlThe video is all filmed in beautiful daytona beach florida... Which used to be a cheap town... Meaning the band were cheapskates....Sort of one hit wonders.
  • Jessie Ann from Purchase, NySomeone mentioned this song to me, so i ran to my room and found a sampler I got that it was on... like... 6 years ago. I remembered how silly it was, but also good. Catchy and fun.
    The video kinda grosses me out though.
    Um.. they shouldnt look like after the shoot they're gunna go bang.
    Heh.
  • Marlow from Perththey are canadians
  • Grace from Fairfax Station, VaI don't know why people don't like this song! It's awesome!
  • Andy from Hamilton, CanadaI used to love this song but now it drives me insane...
  • Leon from Waterbury, CtThis song is one of the most annoying songs I've ever, ever heard. And at one point, it's ALL you ever heard on the damn radio. Torture.
  • Pete from Nowra, Australiagreat song , nice and fun , sisters a cutey...by thw way Andrea True used to do porn movies...well i never
  • Nick from Arlington Heights, IlKids In America was covered on the Clueless soundtrack by a band called The Muffs
  • Chris from Albuquerque, NmLEN may have, but "Kids in America" has also been covered by white rappers Bloodhound Gang on their disc Use Your Fingers.
  • Vrai from A Small One, IdIs this the same group that did a cover of the Kim Wilde song "Kids in America"?
see more comments

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