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!.

Eight Years Old
Ben Lee Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You know, you never change your ways
And I don't mean the way you brush your hair
You know, you never change your ways
And I don't mean the clothes you wear
And I don't want you to lose your inhibitions
Just be a bit more flexible

By dictionary definition

Be a bit more ductile like me

You know, you never change your ways
And I don't mean the life you lead
You know, you never change your ways
And I don't know what you need
And I don't want you to lose your inhibitions
Just be a bit more flexible

By dictionary definition
Be a bit more ductile like me

I'm hoping you'll be
A bit more ductile like me
I'm hoping you'll be
A bit more ductile like me

Here's hoping you'll be
A bit more ductile like me

Overall Meaning

The song Eight Years Old by Ben Lee talks about wanting someone to be more flexible and open to change. The song starts with the line "you know, you never change your ways" which sets the tone for the rest of the song. Ben Lee is expressing his desire for the other person to be more adaptable and open-minded rather than being stuck in their ways. He emphasizes this by saying he doesn't mean the way they brush their hair or the clothes they wear, but it is about their life and what they need.

Through the chorus, Ben Lee is encouraging the other person to not lose their inhibitions, but to be a bit more flexible like him by the dictionary definition of ductile, which means to be able to be molded or shaped easily. The repetition of "I'm hoping you'll be a bit more ductile like me" shows the longing he has for the other person to change.

Overall, the song Eight Years Old is a reflection of the universal desire for people to be open to change and growth in their lives, to not be stagnant and stuck in their ways.

Interesting facts about the song Eight Years Old:

Line by Line Meaning

You know, you never change your ways
By dictionary definition, you've repeatedly exhibited unchanged behavior

And I don't mean the way you brush your hair
I'm not referring to your grooming habits as an indicator of unchanging behavior

You know, you never change your ways
By dictionary definition, you've repeatedly exhibited unchanged behavior

And I don't mean the clothes you wear
I'm not referring to your fashion choices as an indicator of unchanging behavior

And I don't want you to lose your inhibitions
I'm not asking you to abandon your self-restraint

Just be a bit more flexible
Simply be open to new ideas and ways of doing things

I'm hoping you'll be
I wish for you to become

A bit more ductile like me
More adaptable and flexible, like my own behavior

Here's hoping you'll be
Once again, I express my hope that you will become

A bit more ductile like me
More adaptable and flexible, like my own behavior