The Sunscreen Song was a huge global hit 18 years ago and produced by Baz Lurmann. Australian voiceover artist Lee Perry did the voice for the song but admits that 18 years later, "No one really knows".

One of the reasons this might be the case is because with Perry's talents, a lot of people probably thought the voice really was an old American man.

Perry explained that he was in his 20s at the time but when thinking about the brief he decided to do an "old American voice, that had been through the mill, gathered life experience and could deliver the words in a 'non-selly' way".

The song is based on a column by Chicago columnist Mary Schmich and is the column read by Perry over some very relaxing music.

"We did a few takes, we recorded it on a handheld recording device. No one knew it was going to do what it did." said Perry.

After a Radio Producer in Portland did an edit of the song and shared it with other radio producers, it went the 90s equivalent of viral as everyone started playing it and calling up radio stations to request it.

"I got a call from my agent saying 'You are going to be on the Jay Leno show in two weeks' It freaked me out completely as you I had to time the words with the music" Perry recalled.

There's a lot of wisdom in the song and now Perry says the line 'Be kind to your knees' resonates with him more than it used to.

"When you combine music and powerful words it stirs emotions in people, each line resonated in different ways with people."

Listen in to hear more of the story and also more about Lee Perry's career- including the fact that he worked with Steve Irwin and Robin Williams on the film Happy Feet.

Read more from the original source:

The Sunscreen Song- Not many people know this.. but Australian Lee Perry is the voice of the song - ABC Online