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!.
In My Life
Ben Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All my life, though some have changed
Some forever, not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life, I've loved them all
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life, I'll love you more
Ben Lee’s song “In My Life” is about reflecting on people and places from the past and comparing them to the present. The opening lyrics establish the theme of the song: the singer remembers the different places he’s been to over the years – some of them have changed, some are gone or still remain. The singer reminisces about the friends and lovers he had in each of these places and the moments they shared.
The second verse of the song shifts gears, bringing attention to someone who stands out among all the other people from the past. This person is so special that the singer’s memories of the past don’t compare to the current happiness he feels with them. Even though the singer values these memories, they begin to lose their importance when thinking about the present. The singer’s refrain “In my life, I’ll love you more” solidifies the theme of the present overshadowing the past.
Lee’s song speaks to the idea that we can look back on past experiences with affection without it taking away from the significance of the present. Additionally, it emphasizes the value and significance of people and places throughout one’s life. The song is a testament to the power of memory and the ways in which the past and present can work together to create meaning and significance in one’s life.
Line by Line Meaning
There are places I'll remember
There are certain locations in this world that I will always hold dear in my thoughts
All my life, though some have changed
Throughout my lifetime, although some of these places have undergone alterations
Some forever, not for better
Certain places never change for the better and are stuck in a state that is frustrating to me
Some have gone and some remain
Certain locations that I hold dear to my heart are no longer present, whereas some continue to exist
All these places had their moments
Each of these places I cherish had particular instances where they made an impact on my life
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
I can remember specific instances that occurred at these locations with both beloveds and pals
Some are dead and some are living
Certain individuals I encountered at these places are no longer alive, but others continue to exist
In my life, I've loved them all
I have loved all these places, despite their faults and my sentimental attachments
But of all these friends and lovers
Out of all the people I've had personal relationships with
There is no one compares with you
You are the one person who stands out, and nobody else rivals your significance to me
And these memories lose their meaning
These memories I possess become insignificant and insubstantial
When I think of love as something new
When I imagine love as a brand new aspect of my life that I've never encountered before
Though I know I'll never lose affection
Even though my love for the memories and people of the past will never fade
For people and things that went before
For those individuals and things that were a part of my life in the past
I know I'll often stop and think about them
I am fully aware that my thoughts will frequently drift towards the past events and individuals
In my life, I'll love you more
However, in the present at this specific point in time, I love you more than anything else in my life currently
Though I know I'll never lose affection
Although my love for past people and things will never fade
For people and things that went before
Towards those people and things that were a part of my life in the past
I know I'll often stop and think about them
I am fully aware that my thoughts will frequently drift towards past events and people
In my life, I'll love you more
However, at this specific point in time, I love you more than anything else in my life currently
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, ONErpm, Unison Rights S.L., Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind