Talent will out, they say, but sometimes the exit route is a long and winding road. For Shawn Lee, the journey began in Wichita, Kansas.
Shawn grew up in a rural area on the outskirts of the city. 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 in its gospel choir, he discovered some of his white 'friends' were racists who disapproved. "Fuck this," he thought. "I'm leaving the Mid-West" It was 1988.
Next stop Los Angeles. Already an able multi-instrumentalist (guitar,drums,bass,etc) Shawn now set about developing his songwriting. There were bands, publishing deals, relationships and day jobs: more notches on the bedpost of experience. This period also saw Shawn befriend the late Jeff Buckley, and somebody, somewhere has a tape of them jamming "Honky Tonk Woman" Be sure that Buckley would have recognized Shawn's talent.
In 1995, Shawn moved to London, where he recorded his solo debut. 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 passed CD's of songs to friends with no agenda other than "hope you enjoy it." As Shawn continued to do it his way, air play garnered by a self-financed EP prompted several major labels to phone him. He had no intention of re-boarding the corporate merry-go-round, though. Instead, he opted to sign a deal with Mark Jones at Wall of Sound. "The label's got real credibility," he says "and 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....
Which brings us to Monkey Boy, an inspired and beautifully crafted album which warrants your undivided attention. Like the best work by The Isley Brothers, it takes rock, soul, funk and folk textures, then fuses them with unquestionable panache. For afters, there's deft scratching, sumptuous bossa-nova and a dark waltz which evokes Burt Bacharach on downers. What's new pussycat? This is.
The bossa track is 'Happiness', all itch-scratching Latin percussion a la Sergio Mendez. Had Arthur Lee's Love formed in Rio rather than Los Angeles, they might have sounded like this. Further in, A&R Man of Love (yes, the title's ironic) was inspired by Vincent Gallo's fabulous soundtrack for Buffalo 66. You'll be pleased to know that as much as Shawn admires Gallo's many talents, he doesn't share his arrogance.
Shawn's album was self-produced, and although friends dropped by to add strings, double bass, brass and woodwind, Shawn's skills as a multi-instrumentalist hold court. You'll notice, too, that his voice is a marvel throughout; check out "Harmony In Falsetto" (a self-explanatory ballad), or his sweet-honey-in-the-rock delivery on "Floating" Class.
If Ian Brown is the king of the swingers, I'm a baboon's arse and Britney's Nina Simone..
It's time to swap bravado and pap for soul and a solid gold talent. Shawn Lee, aka Monkey Boy, is top banana....
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http://www.shawnlee.net
8 Million Ways To Die
Shawn Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You′ve never seen it look so easy
I got a river for a soul and baby you're a boat
Baby, you're my only reason
If I didn′t have you there would be nothing left
The shell of a man that could never be his best
If I didn′t have you I'd never see the sun
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
All these lights that can′t blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
All these lights that can't blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
I′ve got fire for a heart, I'm not scared of the dark
You′ve never seen it look so easy
I got a river for a soul and baby you're a bow
And baby you're my only reason
If I didn′t have you there would be nothing left
The shell of a man who could never be his best
If I didn′t have you I'd never see the sun
You taught me how to be someone, yeah
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
All these lights that can′t blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
All these lights that can't blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
All these lights that can′t blind me
With your love, nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Nobody, nobody
Nobody can drag me down
Compositor: Jamie Scott, John Ryan, Julian Bunetta, Alfie Grant
The lyrics to Shawn Lee's "8 Million Ways To Die" speak to the idea that having someone to lean on can be the greatest source of strength. The singer suggests that this person has brought light into their life and taught them how to be the best version of themselves. The repetition of "all my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me" emphasizes the importance of having consistent support from someone who truly cares.
The metaphors in the song also contribute to this idea of support and guidance. The singer compares their fire-filled heart to their fearlessness, and their soul to a river, with the person they love as their boat. These images suggest that the love and support they receive is not just emotional, but also provides a sense of direction and purpose.
Overall, the message of the song is that even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles or the darkest of times, having someone who loves and supports you can make all the difference.
Line by Line Meaning
I’ve got fire for a heart, I'm not scared of the dark
I am passionate and brave, unafraid of the unknown
You've never seen it look so easy
My confidence is evident and effortless
I got a river for a soul and baby you're a boat
My spirit runs deep, and you guide me through life's currents
Baby, you're my only reason
You are the only thing that matters to me
If I didn't have you there would be nothing left
Without you, I am hollow and incomplete
The shell of a man that could never be his best
I would be an empty vessel, incapable of reaching my potential
If I didn't have you I'd never see the sun
Without you, my outlook on life would be bleak and joyless
You taught me how to be someone, yeah
You helped me discover my identity and become the person I am today
All my life you stood by me when no one else was ever behind me
Throughout my entire existence, you have supported and encouraged me when no one else has
All these lights that can't blind me
The distractions of the world cannot take away from the love that we share
With your love, nobody can drag me down
Your love is my source of strength and protection against any negativity
Nobody, nobody
No one on this earth
Nobody can drag me down
Can weaken my resolve or diminish my love
Writer(s): Shawn Lee
Contributed by Charlotte N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.