The Story Behind Len's “Steal My Sunshine”

Disco, Scandinavian porn, and the greatest one-hit wonder of the '90s.

I’ll get to all of that. But first…

Remember the movie Go? 

No? Katie Holmes, Scott Wolfe, Breckin Meyer…Taye Diggs. 

I know what you’re thinking. Is that a movie cast, or the red carpet at a late-90s Teen Choice Awards?

Probably both. But in this case, it’s part of the ensemble that came together for a minor cult classic of the era. Go is sort of a Pulp Fiction Jr., with various converging storylines, split narrative time jumps, and a whole bunch of drugs. The movie is solidly of-the-era, but genuinely forgettable. 

So why am I so excited that Real Gone Music is dropping new copies of this 1999 soundtrack on vinyl?

Because it is the birthplace of an entirely unforgettable one-hit wonder—Len’s “Steal My Sunshine”.

Never was there a more perfect summer concoction of indie rock, hip hop, and pop than this one. But “Steal My Sunshine” isn’t just the quintessential one-hit wonder. It was also built on a sample from another one-hit wonder—Andrea True Connection’s equally quintessential “More, More, More”. 

This is the story of both songs.

How you gonna keep them down on the farm after they’ve seen Karl Hungus?

Like most rock and roll stories, this one begins in the Scandinavian pornographic film industry of the late ‘60s. It was here that Andrea Truden took her first in a series of uncredited roles. 

In spite of her chosen profession, Truden came from a robust musical background. She trained in classical piano as a child, studied at Vanderbilt’s George Peabody College, and even hosted her own local Nashville television program called Teen Beat at age 15. 

Her mother had also been a professional polka singer—and not just any polka singer. She performed vocals in Frankie Yankovic’s band. Frankie Yankovic is like the Elvis Presley of polka, so that’s pretty much the peak of the polka pyramid.

Nonetheless, in the late ‘60s, Truden was largely focused on her film career. She performed under a variety of stage names including Inger Kissin, Sandra Lips, and Hooker #1. She would become increasingly prolific after relocating to the U.S. In 1975 alone, IMDB lists 12 film credits including Every Inch a Lady, The Charity Ball, and The Wetter the Better. 

But that same year would mark the beginning of her full-time transition into music. 

There’s a Riot Goin’ On

Given her early pedigree, Truden’s transition into music was not completely out of left field. Actually, it was out of Jamaica, and came right in the midst of tremendous political upheaval for the Caribbean nation.

Truden was hired by a Jamaican real estate firm to appear in a series of commercials beginning in 1975. This placed her in Jamaica on the approach of a highly-contested election between populist Prime Minister Michael Manley and Jamaica Labor Party Leader Edward Seaga.

Political tension and violence were on the rise. Supporters for both candidates clashed in the streets. Manley was also openly sympathetic to Cuba’s Fidel Castro, a position which prompted a series of sanctions from the U.S.

Jamaica responded to these sanctions by banning asset transfers. This meant that anybody attempting to enter the U.S. from Jamaica would be required to forfeit assets earned there. In order to return home, Andrea Truden would have to surrender her commercial earnings from her time in Jamaica.

Jamaican Diamond Mine

She chose a different route. She adopted the stage name Andrea True and used the money to invest in studio time. She called pianist, percussionist and producer Gregg Diamond to join her in Jamaica.

Gregg Diamond arrived with his own interesting resume. In the mid-70s, he played drums in the backing band for Jobriath–one of the first openly gay American rock musicians (and, in 1983, an high-profile early casualty of the mounting AIDS crisis). 

Back to 1975…

Gregg Diamond joined True in Jamaica, where they enlisted a group of studio musicians. Their November recording sessions spawned the demo for “More, More, More.”

Unfortunately, True and Diamond were out of money by this point. Unable to pay the aforementioned studio musicians, they instead surrendered their master tapes. “More, More, More” was originally released to zero interest by Jamaica’s Federal Records. 

Back to Buddah

The song, and Andrea True, finally made their way back to the U.S. in early 1976, as Jamaica erupted into greater civil unrest. Buddah Records released True’s first single in February 1976–but exclusively to disco DJs.

Turns out, that was really all she really needed. “More, More, More” was an immediate and massive dancefloor smash–easily a definitive hit of the disco era. Buddah brought in disco mastermind Tom Moulton to remix the single and prime it for mainstream commercial release in May of 1976. 

“More, More, More” reached all the way up to #4 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Disco Chart, and #1 on the Canadian National Singles chart. 

More…But Not That Much More

Andrea True supported the song with a herculean touring schedule, playing as many as 300 shows in 1976 alone. She was rewarded with a series of minor charting singles in the next two years. 

And in 1977, she recorded quite possibly the worst reggae song ever conceived with the title track to her sophomore record, White Witch. (Personal Disclosure: I wish I could go back in time and buy a van just so I could pay somebody to airbrush this album cover on the side.)

Gregg Diamond enjoyed his own success as the chief songwriter for an amazingly-named group called Bionic Boogie, fronted on vocals by a young Luther Vandross. 

But like all things disco, Andrea True’s career in music declined sharply by the turn of the decade.

This was the end of her run at the charts until…

Steal My Instrumental Bridge

Andrea True would earn renewed interest and appreciation in 1999, courtesy of “Steal My Sunshine”.

But where exactly did this sunny slice of summer pop originate? If Andrea True found inspiration in Jamaica, what balmy tropical destination inspired this breezy, cloud-gazing aural cocktail? 

Toronto, of course.

Like I said, “More, More, More” was a Canadian chart-topper.

And that’s also where the band Len originated. At first, Len was not so much a band as it was the on-again, off-again music project of one Marc Costanzo and, occasionally, his sister Sharon. Marc began creating his own independent recordings at age 13 (circa 1985), and started recording as Len in 1991. 

The next year, Sharon joined and the duo went on to record two better-than-you’d-expect independent albums–Superstar (1995) and Get Your Legs Broke (1997). They sold modestly around Ontario, but made little impact beyond Canadian soil.

As the decade wore on, Costanzo began to incorporate elements of hip hop into his home recordings. Still, a major label contract remained elusive. 

Then, in 1996, Marc attended a two-day rave–like I said, it was 1996. When the DJ played Andrea True Connection’s “More, More More”, Marc was immediately struck by the bridge. When he returned home, he looped the sample, then composed “Steal My Sunshine” based on the events surrounding said rave.

Though Marc and his sister were not on proper speaking terms when the idea for the song struck him, he woke her up early one morning and asked if she wanted to record a vocal.

She agreed, arrived at the studio, and laid down the demo for “Steal My Sunshine.” Marc produced the session, which was mixed by John King of the venerable Dust Brothers production team (a fact that kind of explains why it sounds so damn good). 

Do Not Pass Go

Anyway, once it was done, Marc literally tucked the master away under his bed and forgot all about it for three years. But in that time, he did manage to expand his band into a five-piece, land a recording contract with Work Records, and begin preparations for the band’s major label debut–You Can’t Stop the Bum Rush. 

Marc pulled “Steal My Sunshine” out from under his bed and prepared it for inclusion on the album, which was scheduled for release in June 1999. 

However, it was also picked up for inclusion on the soundtrack for the movie Go. (Remember Go?) Upon its release in March of ‘99, the soundtrack launched “Steal My Sunshine” into alternative radio programming.

Gregg Diamond earned a partial songwriting credit for composing “More, More, More”. Sadly, he would pass away this very month at age 49 from gastrointestinal bleeding, never living to see his song return to platinum status. 

Bum Rush the Album

However, in light of the single’s early success, the label pushed the band’s album release date up to May. By mid-summer, “Steal My Sunshine” broke into the Top 40 in 8 countries. It peaked at #9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, giving Len its first major hit. (Ironically, the Toronto band stalled at #3 on the Canadian singles chart, falling just shy of Andrea True’s north-of-the-border chart-topper).

As you probably know, “Steal My Sunshine” was Len’s one and only hit. Though a pair of full-length albums and a small clutch of singles have followed in the 25 years since, a return to the charts never did. 

But Len does leave us with a moment of pure pop perfection worthy of the preceding alliteration. Len deserves to wear the mantle of one-hit wonder with pride.

Anyway, all of that to say that I totally preordered the Go soundtrack and I’m pretty amped about it.