Ben Lee (born on September 11, 1978) is an Australian musician. He began as… Read Full Bio ↴Ben Lee (born on September 11, 1978) is an Australian musician. He began as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band, Noise Addict. Lee's solo career started at the age of 16, while he was still in Noise Addict, with his first solo album, Grandpaw Would. This was followed by the 1997 album, Something To Remember Me By, also produced by Wood.

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!.

Dirty Mind
Ben Lee Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah
It's the only way that I want it - Inside
Yeah
Don't you want me to want it - Oh no
Yeah
And other things I consider
You know you'll never forgive me
'Cause a dream is a weapon

And I think about you everyday
So come for the danger, stay for the strange
But I'm never going to give it away

[Repeat: x2]
You'll never clean my dirty mind
You'll never clean my dirty mind
All right

Yeah
And I don't need protecting
From the way I'm connecting
Yeah
'Cause it's never as good
IF you do as you should
Yeah
You've gotta let yourself dream it
You've gotta let yourself mean it

'Cause a dream is a weapon, and I think about you everyday
So come for the danger, stay for the strange
But I'm never going to give it away

[Repeat: x2]

'Cause a dream is a weapon
And I think about you everyday
So come for the danger, stay for the strange
But I'm never going to give it away

[Repeat: x4]

Overall Meaning

In Ben Lee's song "Dirty Mind", he explores the idea of indulging in desires and fantasies without any inhibitions. The lyrics convey a desire for freedom to think and dream about whatever he wants without fear of judgment or condemnation. The repetition of the line "a dream is a weapon" emphasizes the power of thoughts and desires to shape one's reality, and refuses to let anyone else control or change that. The chorus "You'll never clean my dirty mind" emphasizes the idea of owning one's thoughts and desires, and that one should never be ashamed of who they are and what they think.

The verses further express the idea of living freely and taking risks to pursue one's dreams. Lee sings about not needing protection and that it's never as good if you do as you should. He encourages the listener to let themselves dream and mean it, suggesting that one should embrace their desires and pursue them with conviction.

Overall, "Dirty Mind" is a celebration of individuality and self-expression. It encourages the listener to embrace their innermost desires and dreams, and not to be afraid of being judged or rejected for them.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah
Confirming a positive feeling

It's the only way that I want it - Inside
I want things to be close and personal with someone I care about

Don't you want me to want it - oh no
I hope you appreciate my feelings and desires

And other things I consider
I have other thoughts and feelings on my mind

You know you'll never forgive me
You have a hard time accepting how I feel

'Cause a dream is a weapon
My imagination empowers me

And I think about you everyday
You occupy my thoughts constantly

So come for the danger, stay for the strange
I'm an exciting, bizarre person to be around

But I'm never going to give it away
I won't give up on my desires and personality

You'll never clean my dirty mind
My unconventional thoughts and desires cannot be changed

All right
I'm content with my outlook on things