They toured Australia, playing nine concerts, in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide, Newcastle and Surfers Paradise. A tenth at a Melbourne shopping centre was cancelled.
Lee, Folds and Kweller would play individual sets at each concert, but at the beginning and end of each one, all three would play several songs as a band. They all also improvised on various instruments and 'jammed' for the crowd. Two performances were recorded live for the Live at the Wireless (the Melbourne concert) and Live at the Basement (one of the Sydney concerts) radio series.
They recorded a four-track EP, which was initially only sold at venues, but was some months later released in Australia and overseas. Several live tracks from the two radio recordings were included on the Japanese release. One track from the original EP, Just Pretend, made it into the Triple J Hottest 100, 2003.
Though various combinations of the three have toured together at various times, as of 2005, they have not reformed as a group, and have not recorded any more material. Although rumors of a United States or United Kingdom tour persisted for more than a year afterwards, these have largely subsided and both major fan-sites have since allowed their domains to expire.
Both Kweller and Lee have mentioned recently (late 2006) that a LP from The Bens and a US tour would be "soon." Folds has said, "eventually."
Stop!
The Bens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Stop the name calling
Stop the fighting
Stop the unnecessary things you say
When you are mad and you want to make someone feel sad
Stop the meanness
Stop the fighting
Stop the meanness
Stop the unnecessary things
That you say when you are mad and you want to make
Someone feel sad
Someone feel low
Someone feel small
Someone feel like they have nowhere to go
They have nowhere to go
It's not right
Mean comments are not right
In The Bens's song "Stop!" the singer describes the feeling of being haunted by the memory of someone they used to communicate with through their phone. The loneliness of a Saturday night and the desire for connection and comfort lead the singer to reach out to the person by tapping on their avatar. However, this connection is bittersweet as it reminds the singer of what they have lost and the pain they have experienced. The lyrics convey a sense of longing and the confusion of whether what they experienced was reality or just a dream, yet the memory of the person continues to haunt them.
The chorus of "You're in my light and it feels so right, but tonight, stop haunting me" illustrates the singer's internal struggle of wanting to hold onto the memory of the person, yet also wanting to let go and move on from the pain of the past. The juxtaposition of the light and the darkness, the reality and the fantasy, combined with the upbeat tempo of the song create a hopeful yet melancholic feeling.
Overall, the song can be interpreted as a commentary on the nature of modern relationships and communication. Our ability to connect with others through technology has its benefits, but it can also create a sense of detachment and emotional distance, particularly when a relationship ends.
Line by Line Meaning
It was a Saturday night
The events of the song took place on a Saturday night
I was all alone again
The singer was alone and possibly feeling lonely
A feeling I couldn't hide
The singer was experiencing a strong emotion that they couldn't keep concealed
I picked up my phone and then
The singer found comfort or escape by reaching for their phone
I tapped on your avatar
The singer interacted with a digital representation of another person, possibly through social media or messaging
Felt so real, right next to me
Despite being a digital representation, the singer felt a strong connection to this person and perceived them as close
You were so close and so far
The singer felt both proximity and distance from the other person
Opened up my eyes to see
The singer experienced a revelation or realization after interacting with the other person
You're in my light
The other person is a major presence in the singer's life
And it feels so right
Despite any complications, the connection between the two feels positive to the singer
But tonight, stop haunting me
Despite these feelings, the singer asks the other person to leave them alone for the night
It might have been just a dream
The singer reflects on the possibility that their interaction with the other person was not real, but a dream or fantasy
I woke up, tears in my eyes
The singer had an emotional reaction immediately after waking up from the fantasy or dream
Or was it a fantasy?
The singer further reflects on the possibility that their interaction wasn't real, but instead a product of their imagination
Heart was chasing butterflies
The singer's emotions were intense and possibly confusing, like the feeling of chasing after butterflies
The pain had vanished away
The sadness or loneliness the singer was feeling earlier goes away
Darkness deep inside of me
The previous sadness is described as a darkness inside of the singer
Turned into sunshine ok
The sadness transforms into a positive feeling, described as sunshine
Rainbows ripe with ecstasy
The new positive emotion is described as a rainbow, full of joy and ecstasy
You're in my light
The other person remains a major influence on the singer's life and emotions
And it feels so right
The singer is still positive about the connection with the other person
But tonight, stop haunting me
The singer still asks the other person to leave them alone for the night
You're in my light
Repeating the idea that the other person is still a major presence for the singer
And it feels so right
Repeating the idea that the connection with the other person is still positive, despite any complications
But tonight, stop haunting me
Repeating the request for the other person to leave them alone for the night
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Benjamin Stager
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind