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Shine (Gwen Stefani song)

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"Shine"
Song

"Shine" is a song recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani and featuring vocals by American singer Pharrell Williams. It was written and produced by Williams, with additional songwriting from Stefani, for the 2014 film Paddington. "Shine" is a pop song that incorporates elements of reggae pop. Stefani initially disagreed with Williams' choice to use literal references to the film's lead character Paddington Bear, like "bear" and "station", in the lyrics. Stefani later praised the lyrics after watching the film with her children. She reported that her involvement with the recording was inspired by her then husband Gavin Rossdale and children's connection to England.

The track was released on January 13, 2015, through a lyric video on The Weinstein Company's official YouTube channel. The song was also promoted in the American trailer for the film. While a low-quality version leaked on December 31, 2014, a full version of the record remains digitally unreleased and was omitted from the film's official soundtrack and Stefani's third studio album This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016). Critical response to "Shine" was mixed: some critics praised Stefani and Williams' chemistry as a team while others negatively compared it to their previous collaborations and singles. It was frequently compared to Willams' 2013 single "Happy", and Stefani and Williams' 2014 song "Spark the Fire".

Background and composition

A statue of a bear with a hat.
"Shine" is written about Paddington Bear (pictured).

In November 2014, Stefani and Williams announced they were collaborating on a record for the film Paddington.[1] The pair had previously cllaborated on the singles: "Hella Good", "Can I Have It Like That", "Hollaback Girl", and "Spark the Fire". They also served as judges on the American reality television singing competition The Voice in 2014.[2] Williams considered the song to be "a wonderful opportunity, as a parent, to contribute to something as classic, authentic and generational to all of our lives, as Paddington Bear"; Stefani said she was "honored to join forces with Pharrell and be part of bringing this beloved classic to life for Paddington's next big adventure".[3] In an official statement, film executive Bob Weinstein called Stefani and Williams "the perfect artistic duo", saying their work "brought to life the charm that Paddington represents".[4] Stefani said her involvement was motivated by the film's English setting; "there's such a connection being married to an Englishman and having these kids and going to England all these years and the story".[5] She also said the film and track allowed her children to "recognize where they come from".[6]

The lyrics discuss Paddington Bear and his travels; Rolling Stone called "Shine" "a pop-reggae allegory about a bear with an identity crisis".[7] Andy Morris from Gigwise described the lyrics, "So we're in a strange new land in Paddington station / But you end up in good hands in the fancy British nation" and "that bear with the red hat", as obvious references to Paddington.[8] In an interview with MTV News, Stefani said she initially disagreed with Williams' approach to the song; while he "was very specific about the lyrics" and wanted to include words directly connected to the film and its character like "bear, Paddington, station", Stefani said she "wanted it to be a little more abstract". She later reversed this view, saying she agreed with Williams' interpretation of the lyrics after watching the film with her children.[9] In an interview with American Top 40's Kathleen Perricone, Stefani credited Williams as being central to the song's development, saying he was "the one who really got in there and was able to channel the film lyrically and make it really happen".[10] MTV's John Walker questioned whether it could repeat the success of Williams' previous single "Happy" from the 2013 animated film Despicable Me 2.[11]

Promotion and music video

On December 31, 2014, the song was leaked online before its official release.[12] A short video displaying clips from the film was uploaded to The Weinstein Company's official YouTube channel on January 13, 2015; it received over two million views in 24 hours.[13] The video featured scenes from the film in which "the iconic Peruvian bear finds himself in all manner of mishaps while trying to find a home and ultimately working his way into our hearts".[14] It was featured in a trailer for Paddington,[15] but was not included in the British version of the film.[1] Idolator's Christina Lee wrote that the track was "a U.S. and Canada exclusive for Paddington".[16] It remains unavailable for commercial purchase because of its exclusion from the film's official soundtrack[17] and Stefani's third studio album This Is What the Truth Feels Like (2016).[18]

Critical reception

"Shine" received mixed reviews from music critics. E! News' Bruna Nessif gave the song a positive review, stating, "When it comes to feel-good music, leave it up to Gwen Stefani and Pharrell to get the job done".[14] A reviewer from Vibe praised it as "the perfect theme song".[19] The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra described it as a "sharp, hip tune" in the Boston Herald.[20] They compared its opening trumpet riff to music by British composer Herbert Chappell, who created the theme for the 1975 television series Paddington.[21] Chappell also composed music for the 1986 concerto "Paddington Bear's First Concert", which premiered as a part of the Cambridge Symphony Orchestra Family Concerts. They praised Stefani and Willams' ability "to compose new music for existing source material intended for children".[20] A reviewer from AntiMusic described the recording as "even more feel good" than the pair's collaboration on "Spark the Fire".[22] After listening to the leaked version of the song, Aaron Butterfield of BreatheHeavy called it "a catchy tune which feels much more like vintage Stefani than anything we've seen so far this era".[23] Rolling Stone's Daniel Sannwald gave it three and a half stars out of five, praised its "party-vibe production", and favorably comparing its melody to the chorus of Irish rock band The Cranberries's 1994 single "Zombie". Sannwald wrote that it would appeal to both children and their parents.[7]

Negative reviews criticized "Shine" for lacking the energy of Williams' and Stefani's previous releases. Kevin Apaza of Direct Lyrics described it as "just average" and said it was worse than "Spark the Fire".[24] While reviewing the leaked version, Music Times's Carolyn Menyes wrote that it was too slow in comparison to the "crazy, happy beats and earwormmy hand claps" of "Happy" and the "inane catchiness" of Stefani's previous singles "Spark the Fire" and "Baby Don't Lie". Menyes was also critical of Stefani's vocals, saying she used "an oddly harsh tone" throughout the song.[12]

Credits and personnel

Credits adapted from American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.[25]

Management
  • ASCAP/Harajuku Lover Music
Personnel
  • Songwriting – Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams
  • Performance – Gwen Stefani, Pharrell Williams

References

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  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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