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!.
Ship My Body Home
Ben Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Country music playing
Cursing all of them who stayed
In the city
I own this city
Get drunker than a poet who just got paid
That I'll be torn open
So that every word I say is true
The words I'm shouting
While I work it out
In case trouble takes me and I don't make it through
You have to ship my body home
Ship my body home
All I ever wanted was to finish what I started
But there's no way I could do it on my own
You have to ship my body home
Driving through the mountains
Cutting through the night time
Stopping now and then to wonder why
I left the city
The quiet city
I killed it's memory just to watch it die
And I'm finally hoping
That I'll be torn open
So that every word I say is true
The words you're hearing
While I make it clear
In case trouble takes me and I don't make it through
You have to ship my body home
Ship my body home
All I ever wanted was to finish what I started
But there's no way I could do it on my own
You have to ship my body
Ship my body
Ship my body
All I ever wanted was to finish what I started
So ship my body
All I ever wanted was to finish what I started
So ship my body
All I ever wanted was
All I ever wanted was
All I ever wanted once I finished what I started
Was to ship my body home
In Ben Lee's song "Ship My Body Home", the singer is driving through the mountains, feeling lost and disillusioned, after leaving the city he once owned. The opening lines depict him coming out of Sydney, with country music playing in the background, cursing those who stayed back in the city. He gets drunker than a poet who just got paid, hoping to be torn open so that his every word is true. He then shouts out the words, while working it out, in case he doesn't make it through whatever trouble he might encounter.
The chorus serves as a plea, where he asks someone to ship his body home. All he ever wanted was to finish what he started, but he knows he couldn't do it alone, needing that someone to ship his body home. The lyrics then return to him driving through the night, cutting through the mountains, stopping every now and then to wonder why he left the city. He killed its memory just to watch it die, which justifies his feeling lost and confused, yearning for someone to help him complete what he started.
In summary, the song portrays a sense of melancholy and alienation, depicting how the singer is in search of answers and help from someone to complete his journey. It's a rather straightforward and emotional piece, dripping with the essence of failure, hopelessness, and the desire to finally finish something he started.
Line by Line Meaning
Coming out of Sydney
Starting a new journey outside of the busy, chaotic city of Sydney
Country music playing
Setting the scene for a road trip, with the singer enjoying the music of the country
Cursing all of them who stayed
Feeling bitter towards those who chose to stay behind in the city, while the singer ventures out into the unknown
In the city
Reflecting on his past experiences living in the city
I own this city
Feeling a sense of ownership over the city as if it were his own
Get drunker than a poet who just got paid
Indulging in alcohol to the point of excess, like someone who just struck it rich and wants to celebrate
And I'm finally hoping
Expressing a desire for something significant to happen on this journey
That I'll be torn open
Wishing for a transformative experience that will reveal his true self
So that every word I say is true
Wanting to speak nothing but the truth, free from the constraints of society
The words I'm shouting
The thoughts and emotions he is expressing through his music
While I work it out
Using music as a tool to process the emotions he is feeling
In case trouble takes me and I don't make it through
Preparing for the worst-case scenario, where danger follows him on his journey
You have to ship my body home
A request to ensure that his body is brought back to his home if something happens to him on his journey
All I ever wanted was to finish what I started
Desiring to complete whatever he sets out to do, no matter the cost
But there's no way I could do it on my own
Acknowledging that he cannot accomplish everything alone
Driving through the mountains
Continuing his journey through unfamiliar lands, traversing through towering mountains
Cutting through the night time
Traveling at night, braving the darkness and the unknown
Stopping now and then to wonder why
Taking pauses to reflect on the choices he has made and the reasons why he embarked on this journey
The quiet city
Remembering the peacefulness of the city, in contrast to the chaos of the outside world
I killed it's memory just to watch it die
Deliberately choosing to forget the city so that he could move forward and explore newer horizons
The words you're hearing
The message he is conveying through his music, meant for his listeners to understand
While I make it clear
Striving to communicate his message loud and clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation
All I ever wanted once I finished what I started
Stating once again his desire to complete his journey, no matter the consequences
Was to ship my body home
Reiterating his request, knowing that his journey may end in tragedy
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BENJAMIN MICHAEL LEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind