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!.
Shine
Ben Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been waiting for you
See less, be more
Where've you been?
Where the teenage head and the trouble you bought
If you slow down now then your gonna get caught
I've been waiting for you
Charlie, Brando
Where've you been?
Where the teenage head and the trouble you turn
If you slow down now then your gonna get burned
All I wanted was to live on my blind side
Every shadows like another bad dream
Move fast unless I dim those headlights
Don't let them shine infront of me
Silent, swallow
I'm still praying for you
Darkness, shadow
Where you been?
Where the teenage head and the trouble you turn
If you slow down now then your gonna get burned
All I wanted was to live on my blind side
Every shadows like another bad dream
Move fast unless I dim those headlights
Don't let them shine infront of,
All I wanted was to live on my blind side
Every shadows like another bad dream
Move fast unless I dim those headlights
Don't let them shine infront of me
Where the teenage head, and the trouble you bought
If you slow down now then your gonna get caught
All I wanted was to live on my blind side
Every shadows like another bad dream
Move fast unless I dim those headlights
Don't let them shine infront of,
Don't let them shine in front of,
Don't let them shine in front of me
The lyrics to Ben Lee's song "Shine" are rich with metaphorical interpretation. The first line "Ocean, sea floor, I've been waiting for you" sets the tone for the rest of the song, as it appears to be an allusion to the depths of the human psyche. The second line "See less, be more, where've you been?" suggests a need to cut out distractions in order to focus more on oneself. The next verses, "Where the teenage head and the trouble you bought," and "Where the teenage head and the trouble you turn," appear to be references to the impulsiveness and mistakes of youth. The phrase "All I wanted was to live on my blind side" further supports the idea of avoiding harsh truths in order to keep up a facade of naivety. The chorus, "Move fast unless I dim those headlights, don't let them shine in front of me," speaks to a fear of the harsh realities of life and a desire to avoid confronting them head-on.
The song appears to be about the difficulty of facing one's own flaws and fears. The constant repetition of "Where've you been?" and "I've been waiting for you" suggests a desire to confront or overcome something, possibly the singer's own self-doubt. The use of celebrities like Charlie and Brando also helps to convey the idea that the singer is striving for something unattainable or unimportant, further emphasizing the need to stay grounded and focused on oneself. Overall, "Shine" is a poignant and thought-provoking examination of the human tendency to avoid direct confrontation with one's own flaws and fears.
Line by Line Meaning
Ocean, sea floor
I have been waiting for something as vast and deep as an ocean or sea floor to come into my life.
See less, be more
I find it beneficial to focus less on shallow, surface-level things and instead strive for profound experiences and personal growth.
Where've you been?
I am curious where this deeper level of life has been hiding from me and why it has taken so long to find it.
Where the teenage head and the trouble you bought
I used to be caught up in the risky, impulsive mindset of my teenage years and the negative consequences that came with it.
If you slow down now then your gonna get caught
If I let myself be consumed by that same mindset again, it will only lead to more trouble.
Darkness, before
I have experienced darkness and difficulty in my life before.
Charlie, Brando
I am reminded of iconic figures like Charlie Chaplin and Marlon Brando, who represented complex and profound ideas in their work.
Where the teenage head and the trouble you turn
Again, I reflect on the negative mindset and actions of my younger years.
If you slow down now then your gonna get burned
If I start heading down that path again, I risk getting hurt and facing more darkness in my life.
All I wanted was to live on my blind side
I used to want to avoid facing the difficult truths and realities in my life, and instead live in ignorance.
Every shadows like another bad dream
Every dark and uncertain situation that arises feels like a nightmare or a reminder of my past struggles.
Move fast unless I dim those headlights
To keep moving forward, I need to stay focused and not let myself be distracted or blinded by uncertain situations.
Don't let them shine infront of me
I need to look away from the distractions and focus on the path ahead in order to avoid getting sidetracked.
Silent, swallow
Despite my efforts to avoid difficult situations, I still find myself having to swallow and confront them in silence.
I'm still praying for you
Despite the darkness and struggles I face, I still hold onto hope and continue to pray for guidance and strength.
Darkness, shadow
Again, I am reminded of the difficult and uncertain situations I have faced in my life.
Don't let them shine in front of me
I am determined to push through the challenges and not let them distract or discourage me from my path.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SE JUN PARK, EUN KYUNG JUNG, YOUNG JUN LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind