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!!!"
Kiss In The Sky
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And when we go we won't go slow we'll put up such a fight
When they fade into the dust and into ash
But all children know this pain will surely pass
Strong and wise and you are love
And When the tide it come you will float above and
And you will be one day exactly what you are
Just keep your head up high kiss your fist and touch the sky
Too late to keep the world from dying this time
Too late to spread the love you have
One day when we are ready for crying
One day I know that we'll be there
Too Late
The sound we hear it is our hearts they are the time
They're marching clear and swift the beat forever in our mind
It gives us hope it gives us strength you know to carry on
Keep fighting till the end and past the end you will be strong
Too late to keep the world from dying this time
Too late to spread the love you shared
And one day, ooh, we'll all be there
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Yes we will
The lyrics to Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra's song Kiss the Sky convey a message of hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. The first verse speaks of holding one's head up high to see the sky, possibly indicating a sense of optimism or a desire to rise above difficult circumstances. The following lines suggest that when faced with obstacles, the fight will be intense and unyielding, but ultimately the pain will pass. The lyrics then address the listener directly, describing them as strong, wise, and capable of weathering any storm. The imagery of floating above the tide conveys a sense of triumph and resilience.
The second verse acknowledges the world's current state of crisis and the futility of reversing it. However, the lyrics do not give in to despair, instead offering comfort in the idea that a time for mourning and healing will come. The line "too late to spread the love you have" may refer to missed opportunities for kindness and compassion in a world that often prioritizes individual gain. The following lines reaffirm the power of the heart and its ability to keep us moving forward through uncharted territory, despite the beat being sometimes "clear and swift" and sometimes slow and uncertain.
Overall, Kiss the Sky encourages the listener to remain steadfast in the face of adversity, to hold onto hope, and to keep fighting for what is right.
Line by Line Meaning
I hold my head up just enough to see the sky
Despite the struggles faced, I remain hopeful and always look up
And when we go we won't go slow we'll put up such a fight
In the face of adversity, we will resist with determination and strength
When they fade into the dust and into ash
The challenges we face may diminish and disappear over time
But all children know this pain will surely pass
Even the youngest among us understand that difficult times are fleeting
Strong and wise and you are love
You possess qualities of fortitude and intelligence, and you are filled with love
And When the tide it come you will float above and
The difficulties that come will not overwhelm you, but you will rise above them
And you will be one day exactly what you are
One day, you will fully realize your potential and become who you were meant to be
Just keep your head up high kiss your fist and touch the sky
Remain positive, strong and reach for greatness, salute it by rising up high
Too late to keep the world from dying this time
The state of the world is already beyond saving at this point
Too late to spread the love you have
There is no time to share or spread love anymore
One day when we are ready for crying
A time will come when we are fully capable of and willing to mourn
One day I know that we'll be there
Eventually, we will reach a better state of being, in life or afterlife
The sound we hear it is our hearts they are the time
Our internal rhythms and passions dictate the way we process our experiences
They're marching clear and swift the beat forever in our mind
Our hearts beat rhythmically, influencing us in a lasting way
It gives us hope it gives us strength you know to carry on
Hope and strength spring from within, and help us persevere
Keep fighting till the end and past the end you will be strong
Keep standing strong, even beyond the point when things seem hopeless
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
An exclamation of agreement and understanding
Yes we will
An expression of confidence that things will work out
Lyrics © O/B/O CAPASSO
Written by: Nino Moschella, Shawn Lee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@colbyc.7796
I hold my head up just enough to see the sky
And when we go we won't go slow, we'll put up such a fight
When they fade into the dust and into ash
But all the children know for sure this pain will surely pass
Strong and wise and you are love
And when the tide it comes you will float above
And you will be one day exactly what you are
Just keep your head held high, kiss your fist and touch the sky
[Chorus]
Too late to keep the world from dying
It's not too late to spread the love you have
One day when we are ready for crying
One day I know that we'll be there, little girl
Too late
[Verse 2]
The sound we hear it is our hearts they are in time
They're marching clear and swift, the beat forever in our minds
It gives us hope, it gives us strength, you know, to carry on
Keep fighting till the end and past the end you will be strong
[Chorus 2]
Too late to keep the world from dying
It's not too late to spread the love you share
One day, we'll all be there, yeah
Yes we will
@satori-in-life
I hold my head up just enough to see the sky
And when we go we won't go slow, we'll put up such a fight
When they fade into the dust and into ash
But all the children know for sure this pain will surely pass
Strong and wise and you are love
And when the tide it comes you will float above
And you will be one day exactly what you are
Just keep your head held high, kiss your fist and touch the sky
Too late to keep the world from dying
It's not too late to spread the love you have
One day when we are ready for crying
One day I know that we'll be there, little girl
The sound we hear it is our hearts they are in time
They're marching clear and swift, the beat forever in our minds
It gives us hope, it gives us strength, you know, to carry on
Keep fighting till the end and past the end you will be strong
Too late to keep the world from dying
It's not too late to spread the love you share
One day, we'll all be there, yeah
Yes we will
@owl913
Holy fuck! When that Rak Nest got Moonshot and this song started playing I lost my shit! That was masterful direction! I fucking love Telltale!!
@sfall616
Fuck yeah, that shit gave me goosebumps
@RexSolstace
I never would have thought that Borderlands could get anymore badass, but that was before the moonshot hit.
@SahilP2648
Aaaand... the most BADASSest game of the year award goes to... Loader Bot. BRO.
@UraharaShoten
SAME. I had a fucking ARTgasm. Epic beyond words.
@seeker11
it looked like he was going to do some badass stuff...and he did :P
@JaimeYeyoquin
That Intro was like, the coolest shit ever
@Skitz0frenix
Broooooooo, bro, bro broooo.
@buhramyou
King Kula BROOO
@VanityOrdies
buhramyou bro.