LCD on the MBED

I have been trying to get a LCD (16x2, model LCD-09052) to work with a MBED. I have verified all the connections, but all I am getting is the top row being slightly brighter than the bottom row. When I hold the mbed in reset, the LCD turns off. All of these light only with DB7 connected, it doesn’t matter if the other data buses are connected. Any idea why this is happening?