Shawn grew up in a rural area on the outskirts of Wichita, Kansas. His mother is half Lebanese, half American Indian, his father Irish-American. While his peers got off on cheesy corporate rock and the kind of line-dancing tunes recently fashionable in Gap ads, Shawn was groovin to the blaxploitation funk Sly and the Isleys. Later, his local Baptist Church widened his appreciation of black music, but when he sang and played drums in its gospel choir, he discovered some of his white friends were racists who disapproved. F**k this, he thought, time to leave the Mid-West but not before playing in local band Lotus with future country superstar Martina Mcbride.
Next stop Los Angeles. Already an able multi-instrumentalist (guitar, drums, perc,bass, etc) Shawn now set about developing his songwriting. There were bands, publishing deals, relationships,tours and day jobs: more notches on the bedpost of experience. Shawn was introduced to producers the Dust Brothers( post Paul's Boutique) and spent much time hanging out,drinking cappuccino's and making mix tapes from their dusted record collection. .This period also saw Shawn befriend the late Jeff Buckley, and somebody, somewhere has a tape of them jamming Honky Tonk Woman. "Keith your fired"!!!!!
In 1995, Shawn moved to London, where he recorded his solo debut for DJ Gilles Peterson's Talkin Loud label. For all the wrong reasons, the album was never released. It was soul destroying; a bit like somebody erasing 3 years of your life. Resolving to write and record on his own terms, Shawn kept working. He created the infamous "Planet of the breaks" series aswell as 5 volumes of "Ape Breaks" becoming the most sampled drummer of his generation in the process. He passed CDs of songs to friends with no agenda other than hope you enjoy it. As Shawn continued to do it his way, airplay garnered by a self-financed EP prompted several major labels to phone him. He had no intention of reboarding the corporate merry-go-round. Instead, he opted to sign a deal with Mark Jones at Wall of Sound. "The labels got real credibility" he says, "Mark was happy to put out a record which sounds exactly like I wanted it to". Subsequently Shawn became the flagship artist for the new Wall of Sound imprint, We Love You with his album Monkey Boy which features the cult song Happiness. The song was later covered by million selling english artist Will Young on his Keep On album. Say what?!
2004 saw the release of two Shawn Lee albums. Soul Visa (in Japan only, on Rush!) and the debut release of Shawn's instrumental side project Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra. The first of which is entitled Music and Rhythm on Ubiquity Records. 2005 also saw two more records from Mr. Lee; Harmonium (in Japan only, on Rush!) and the second Ping Pong album Moods and Grooves. As the success of the Ping Pong series grew Shawn was offered his first full movie soundtrack. The movie is entitled "Save Angel Hope" and will be released in 2007. The Industry has been quick to embrace the Ping Pong sound. PPO tracks have been featured in the TV series: Malcom In The Middle, Lost, Desperate Housewives, CSI: Miami, Ugly Betty, Boston Legal, Rodney,Damages, Good Morning America etc., Movies: Oceans 13, The Break Up,The Bank Job, Pool Hall Prophets. Ads for BMW, Cinemax, Jaguar, Barclays, Exxon, Head & Shoulders and numerous Skate,snowboarding & Surf films. Shawn also has composed a video game soundtrack for Rockstar (Grand Theft Auto etc.). The game is entitled "Bully" and was released in october 2006. The selected soundtrack album for Bully/Canem canis edit is available on itunes,emusic and was released in stores december 2006 on Ultra.
2006 an American and European release for Soul Visa and the release of volume three Strings and Things by the Ping Pong Orchestra. Also look out for Mr. Lee doing "No Surprises " on an a Radiohead covers album called "Exit Music". Plus vocal collaborations with Muallem, Silent Poets, Sparo and Blackjoy. Remixes for The Thievery Corporation, Nino Moschella, Dust Galaxy, Jack Arel, Tony Joe White, Elmer Bernstein and Lord Large. November 2006 saw Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra vs Nino Moschella EP hit the streets featuring "Kiss The Sky".
January 2007, the fourth Ping Pong Orchestra album "Voices and Choices" was released and features guest vocals from: Ohmega Watts, Nino Moschella and Pierre D. Shawn chips in with textural vocals and takes the PPO sound onto some next level shit! Kiss The Sky (from the 4th Ping Pong album "Voices and choices"), becomes itunes "single of the week" and is downloaded a quarter of a million times in one week! Not one to rest, Mr. Lee has been beavering away in his London studio "Trans-Yank" on a number of new albums including a Ping Pong POP covers album entitled "Hit's The Hits" which was released on October 9, 2007, followed swiftly by a Ping Pong Christmas album called "A Very Ping Pong Xmas".
2008: Feb. 5th see's the release of the enigmatic Clutchy Hopkins album "Walking Backwards". Look out for this supremely dope album featuring a collaboration track with yours truly called "Song For Wolfy"! April will see the release of the 7th Ping Pong Orchestra album entitled "Miles Of Styles". It features some new musical maneuvers and the first lead vocal from Shawn on a PPO record! The Funky Tiger is also putting the finishing touches on the "Under The Sun" surf film soundtrack as we speak. The original soundtrack album will be released on Ubiquity later in the year. So move over, Shawn Lee is now "the new hardest working (tiger) man in show business!!!"
Dirty Birdy
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
This is for the dirty girls
All around the world
Here we go
Dirty dirty dancer
′Nother day, 'nother night
She's a five when she drinks
But she's a ten when she′s on top of me
She don′t wanna love she just wanna touch
She's a greedy girl to never get enough
She don′t wanna love she just wanna touch
She's Got all the moves that make you get it up
She′s a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She's a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You′ll never be her only
She's a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She's a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You′ll never be her only
It′s a game
That she plays
She can win with her eyes closed
It's insane how she tames
She can turn you to an animal
She don′t wanna love she just wanna touch
She's a greedy girl to never get enough
She don′t wanna love she just wanna touch
She's got all the moves that make you give it up
She′s a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She's a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You'll never be her only
She′s a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She′s a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You'll never be her only
Never be her only
She never satisfied
You better do it right
Before you′re lonely
No, she's never satisfied
You better do it right
Before you′re lonely
She's a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She′s a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You'll never be her only
She's a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer,
Never ever lonely
She′s a dirty dirty dancer, dirty dirty dancer
You′ll never be her only
You'll never be her only
The girl don′t stop
Dirty dancer
The girl don't stop
The girl don′t stop
Dirty dancer
The girl don't stop
The girl don′t stop
Dirty dancer
The girl don't stop
The girl don't stop
The song Dirty Birdy by Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra featuring Nino Moschella is about a woman who is not interested in love, but rather in sensual pleasure. The opening verses introduce her as a woman who is only interested in physical pleasure and not emotional attachment. She is a "dirty dirty dancer," who is never lonely because she always has someone to satisfy her desires. This woman is unpredictable, and the singer compares her to a game. She can win with her eyes closed, and she can turn any man into an animal with her moves. The chorus repeats the same line over and over, "She's a dirty dirty dancer, never ever lonely. You'll never be her only," which emphasizes the woman's commitment to never being tied down by anyone, despite how much pleasure they might give her.
Overall, this song is about a woman who knows what she wants and is not afraid to take it. She is confident and unapologetic about her sexual desires, and the singer is both attracted to her and aware that he could never be enough for her. The song presents a relatable and enjoyable dance beat that encourages the listener to let go and dance.
Line by Line Meaning
Enrique, Usher
This song is a tribute to women who are down and dirty.
This is for the dirty girls
The song is dedicated to women who are not afraid to get their hands dirty.
All around the world
These crazy fearless women exist everywhere.
Here we go
Let's get things started!
′Nother day, 'nother night
No matter the time of day or night, the girl is always up for a wild ride.
And she acting like she don′t sleep
She's always on the move with never any rest.
She's a five when she drinks
Her rating usually hovers around a 5 when she's had a few drinks.
But she's a ten when she′s on top of me
But when she's in bed with someone, she becomes a perfect 10.
She don′t wanna love she just wanna touch
She's not interested in any true connection, just a physical one.
She's a greedy girl to never get enough
She's always wanting more.
She's Got all the moves that make you get it up
She knows the right moves and can turn anyone on.
She′s a dirty dirty dancer dirty dirty dancer
She's a dirty girl who knows how to move.
Never ever lonely
She's never without company.
You′ll never be her only
You'll never be her one and only.
It′s a game
Love and sex are just games for her without any true emotional connection.
That she plays
She knows how to play them well.
She can win with her eyes closed
She's so confident in her skills that she can win even with her eyes closed.
It's insane how she tames
She has the power to turn anyone into her animal.
She can turn you to an animal
Her physical control can make someone lose all sense of rationality.
Never be her only
No one can be her one and only.
She never satisfied
She's never fully satisfied.
You better do it right
You better make sure you please her the right way.
Before you′re lonely
Or else you'll be left with nothing.
The girl don′t stop
She's always going.
Dirty dancer
She's a dirty, sexy dancer.
Writer(s): Mahan Shawn Lee
Contributed by Abigail N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.