Shine over Babylon
Encyclopedia
"Shine over Babylon" is a song written and recorded by American rock singer Sheryl Crow
. It was the first single released from Crow's album Detours
. The song gained some radio airplay but was only released as a digital download
and did not chart in the United States
.
In the summer of 2007, well before its release, Crow told Billboard
that the song "is very environmentally conscious, in the tradition of Bob Dylan
." She said:
In additional comments on her website, Crow describes the single as "in every way a desperate cry for understanding. Perhaps it is even a battle song in the face of fear."
Then, in contrast, comes "Shine Over Babylon," the album's first single. Here, Crow's voice echoes out with much more fierce determination. It's the most Dylanesque moment on the album, as she tries to fit everything into one moment of overwhelming revelation. From "great highways" to the "waning sun," "mindless filler" and "the bloated bank account."
was added to the popular video sharing site YouTube
on 21 November 2007. The video comprises Crow singing with an acoustic guitar with newspapers scrolling behind her, relating to headlines that have recently been in the press regarding environmental and poverty issues.
Sheryl Crow
Sheryl Suzanne Crow is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, musician, and actress. Her music incorporates elements of rock, folk, hip hop, country and pop...
. It was the first single released from Crow's album Detours
Detours
Detours has been praised by music critics and her fans, scoring a 75 on the website Metacritic. Many deem this album as marking Crow's return to prominence, linking the tracks to her original sound as heard on The Globe Sessions.-Track listing:...
. The song gained some radio airplay but was only released as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
and did not chart in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In the summer of 2007, well before its release, Crow told Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
that the song "is very environmentally conscious, in the tradition of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
." She said:
In additional comments on her website, Crow describes the single as "in every way a desperate cry for understanding. Perhaps it is even a battle song in the face of fear."
Then, in contrast, comes "Shine Over Babylon," the album's first single. Here, Crow's voice echoes out with much more fierce determination. It's the most Dylanesque moment on the album, as she tries to fit everything into one moment of overwhelming revelation. From "great highways" to the "waning sun," "mindless filler" and "the bloated bank account."
Music video
The music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was added to the popular video sharing site YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
on 21 November 2007. The video comprises Crow singing with an acoustic guitar with newspapers scrolling behind her, relating to headlines that have recently been in the press regarding environmental and poverty issues.
Chart performance
| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Italy Singles Top 100 | 42 |