1999's Breathing Tornados marked a new direction for Lee as he introduced synths and increased instrumentation into his sound. The album was a huge success, with the first single, "Cigarettes Will Kill You", finishing second in that year's Triple J Hottest 100. Lee also enjoyed success with the single "Something Borrowed, Something Blue" - from the album hey you. yes you. - reaching no 22 in 2002's Triple J Hottest 100.
In 2001 he joined forces with Evan Dando, Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick and Jason Schwartzman of Phantom Planet and acting fame. Calling themselves Dando Lee Petersson Schwartzman, they recorded a single, "Dead or Anything", at Globe Studios, New York.
During 2003 he teamed up with Ben Kweller and Ben Folds for a side project entitled The Bens. They recorded four songs together in Nashville, resulting in a self-titled EP.
In late 2004, he left Steve Pavlovic's Modular Recordings and started up his own record label, Ten Fingers. The first release on the label was the single, "Gamble Everything For Love", followed by the album, Awake Is The New Sleep in February 2005. A defining release in his career, the album showcased a much brighter, positive side of Lee's personality, in contrast to his previous darker musings. Awake Is The New Sleep received several nominations for the 2005 Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) awards, and Lee won Best Male Artist, Best Independent Release, and Single Of The Year for "Catch My Disease". Catch My Disease was also number 2 on the 2005 Triple J Hottest 100.
In September 2007, Lee released his sixth solo album, named "Ripe" after the final song on the record. The album is somewhat controversial, with most songs relating in some way to sex, lust and love. Mandy Moore features on the album in the song "Birds and Bees", and Benji Madden plays electric guitar in "Sex Without Love". It also features Sara Watkins, Rachael Yamagata, Charlotte Martin, Ned Bower, Taylor Locke and Robert Schwatzman (who is also credited for co-writing 'Sex Without Love'). It was a big step away from the spiritual "Awake is the New Sleep", but shows Lee's need for change in songs. The album was produced by John Alagia and released under the Inertia/Ten Fingers label 'Awake is the New Sleep' was released under.
February 2009 brought the release of his latest LP entitled "The Rebirth of Venus." This release also includes a bonus disk that includes six cover songs that Ben has done including "Kids" by MGMT and "New Wave" by Against Me!.
10ft. Tall
Ben Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm higher than a kite
I sidle up beside
Awake for five days and five nights
I've got a glow today
For everyone I know
It hurts to watch me glow
I hit the ground and I'm downtown
The street's alive there's people 'round
Wonder how I did it all before
You know, I've walked away from more...
I'm ten feet tall today
And no one can explain
And no one can obtain
And I will buckle under strain
I hit the ground and I'm downtown
The street's alive there's people 'round
Wonderin' how I did it all before
You know, I've walked away from more than this
I've walked away from more than this
Away from more
I'm ten feet tall today
I'm higher than a kite
The lyrics of Ben Lee's song "10ft. Tall" describe a feeling of invincibility and heightened sense of being, bordering on deliriousness. The singer describes feeling "ten feet tall" and "higher than a kite", suggesting a drug-induced state, as they have been "awake for five days and five nights." The glow and energy they feel is palpable and outwardly affecting to those around them, but it also causes them pain ("It hurts to watch me glow"). The singer has reached a state of transcendence and is no longer bound by the limitations of their body or mind, as they describe "buckling under strain" but also being "able to walk away from more than this." The final line reinforces their sense of being on top of the world, without anyone else understanding or achieving the same feeling: "I'm ten feet tall today/And no one can explain/And no one can obtain."
This song can be interpreted as a commentary on drug use and its effects on the psyche, as well as the undeniable allure of feeling invincible and powerful. It may also speak to the idea of being separate or different from others, and the loneliness that comes with experiencing something that cannot be shared or understood by others. Overall, the lyrics evoke a sense of both awe and discomfort, as the listener is drawn in by the singer's exaltation but also made aware of the costs of such a state.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm ten feet tall today
Today I feel like I have reached the pinnacle of my existence
I'm higher than a kite
I feel ecstatically elevated beyond rational comprehension
I sidle up beside
I am standing, positioned next to someone or something
Awake for five days and five nights
I have been awake and alert for 120 hours consecutively
I've got a glow today
I radiate with self-confidence and happiness
For everyone I know
All the people I have relations with witness my visible bliss
It hurts to watch me glow
The brightness of my aura can cause physical pain to those who observe me
I'm blind so watch me grow
My eyes are closed, but I am still evolving from this state of exaltation
I hit the ground and I'm downtown
After being in a state of extreme elation, I am now back in a normal environment of a downtown street
The street's alive there's people 'round
The city is bustling with pedestrian activity
Wonder how I did it all before
I am pondering how I managed to survive without feeling as good as I currently do
You know, I've walked away from more...
I have overcome many challenges and obstacles in my life
And no one can explain
Nobody can clarify why I am feeling as good as I am today
And no one can obtain
Nobody else can grasp or experience this feeling but me
And I will buckle under strain
I am so overwhelmed with emotion that I may collapse under pressure
Away from more
I have successfully walked away from difficult situations and therefore, I can keep going regardless of what comes next.
Contributed by Savannah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zz
Thanks Junvine, you posted gold!