Well, today I'm doing a twofer! Unless I get bored of this idea and don't finish until tomorrow. In such a situation, disregard this message.
The title should tell you everything you need to know. I would have included The Bens or Fear of Pop or any other Ben Folds side-project, but none have made songs which will land them on this list.
If anyone is wondering why it's a Top 15, they should listen to everything Folds has done and narrow their favourites down to less than this. I must say, many of the lists I do are just all equal, but this one is lowest to highest, with the top three being about equal.
I'd absolutely love any feedback, even if it's a simple as saying I suck (how often do people ask you to do that online...outside of porn sites?) as long as you tell me why I suck. [Insert quote from top of blog].
15. The Ascent of Stan (Rockin' The Suburbs B-Side, 2001) - Ben Folds
The only version of this song I own is on the "Best Imitation of Myself" retrospective, but the basic story is the song is just fantastic. Telling the tale of a bored office worker turning to a job as a drug-dealer just to sate his boredom with the world. Please notice that it is more than possible to make an entire movie on this concept, but Folds used it as a bloody B-side.
14. Levi Johnston's Blues (Lonely Avenue, 2010)- Ben Folds & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I honestly love all of the stories told in Lonely Avenue, and Hornby is one of the best music writers I have ever read. Do yourself a favour and read his "31 Songs". This song is all the more entertaining due to the fact it tells a true story, with the chorus apparently coming from a myspace post by Mr Johnston himself. Johnston, for those who aren't aware, is the man who impregnated and married Sarah Palin's daughter. Very much in that order. American politicians' lives are hilarious, especially when you're not in the same country as them.
13. Video (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love the simple, but clearly very real sentiments behind this song. A mixture of pining for the past and fearing for the future has made many people do many stupid things, but Folds merely put his fears in a lovely simple song, with a delightful musical accompaniment, to discuss how he feels change is affecting the world. Lovely and simple.
12. House (The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective, 2011) - Ben Folds Five
I've moved a hell of a lot in my life, and I know exactly how it feels to just look at a building you've resided in and know that it would take more than the world could afford to make you go back in there, even for a moment. House has a wonderful, loud kick which just shows the rage that Folds is feeling about having wasted his life in such a building. I imagine someone shouting out the chorus while grabbing onto a door frame to prevent friends pushing him into the house in the title. House is also important in the history of Folds musical career, as it was the first released proof that Ben Folds Five were working together in the 21st Century, even if just for a single track.
11. Fair (Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997) - Ben Folds Five
This song is one of the first which really introduced me to the idea that Folds had more to offer than his radio play singles implied. A fantastic use of backing singers, a verse played straight, followed by a chorus highlighting the comedic situation the characters have found themselves in. This is one of the few songs about a couple by Folds which I really like.
10. On Being Frank (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
A precursor to all TSOTLOTM songs on this list: they may change in my mental position with time. I've only had this album since 6 a.m., Thursday the 13th of September. A lot of the novelty value of the song may wear out with time, but we'll see. Now, this is probably the most emotional of all the songs on this list, and certainly one of the best demonstrations of Folds strong and adaptable vocals. The song seems to be about the life of another passed musician, this time Frank Sinatra (Folds has done songs on both Elliot Smith and Doc Pomus). I can't make any real statement about the lyrics, but the music and lyrics are more than enough to make it on this list.
9. Bastard (Songs For Silverman, 2005) - Ben Folds
This song is one of the most lyrically fascinating I've heard in quite a while. The song tells the story of either a man acting far older than he is, barely college age and acting as if he has done all that there is to do, but it could also be seen as a young man going through the attic and possessions of a deceased older relative. According to the Internet, Folds has backed both of these options, which absolutely frustrates and fascinates me. I haven't come to a conclusion, but I continue to question. And that is a great thing for a song to make someone do.
8. Draw A Crowd (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five
Although the lyrics for this song aren't among the strongest of Folds' career, they hold up reasonably and have a reasonable "don't let the man get you down" vibe which makes it seem less as if Folds is just dicking around. The music is the absolute forte of this song , with a strange array of instruments, and a piano beat which I will die of before I tire of it. Just bloody fantastic in the vocal department as well. Well worth a listen, so buy the album on Sept. 18.
7. Regrets (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This song starts out slow, talking about how Folds' mind works, but soon develops both musically and in narrative, discussing an incident in which Folds is arrested due to a computer mistake, as they are after someone with a similar name, depressing Folds' and forcing him to think about how insignificant he is. Whether this is meant to be Folds or one of his characters is rather unclear, and I think that makes the song all the stronger.
6. The Last Polka (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
I love this song for a single line. The entire song is about a rather dysfunctional couple, with the woman justifying her actions in a somewhat questionable manner, with the man living in his past. The lyric I love is in the argument which develops between the couple:
"He said 'Well I hate that it's come to this, but baby I was doing fine. How do you think that I survived the other 25 before you?'"
The way in which that line is sung perfectly shows how the man is escalating the fight, bringing up the fact they had a life apart, and demonstrating that he was and is able to be perfectly happy without her. I just love this line, enough that this song warrants this spot. Deal with it.
5. The Sound of the Life of the Mind (The Sound of the Life of the Mind, 2012) - Ben Folds Five & lyrics by Nick Hornby
I'm aware that this is a rather high position to give a song I heard for the first time this morning, but it deserves it. No doubt whatsoever. The lyrics tell the story of a girl named Sara who is sick of how her peers act, hiding in history books to defend against reality. This song hits home as a history nerd, a book nerd and especially as a music nerd. I love the characters, the world and the way it is portrayed. I love the "We Didn't Start the Fire" vibe given by listing the subjects Sara is reading about. I love the way in which Folds slowly escalates the panic in his voice as he sings the verses. I love the way that Sara, still a schoolgirl, is ready to give her entire life up for knowledge. I love this song, and no amount of time is going to take that away from me. Also, this is the only song by Ben Folds Five and written by Nick Hornby. I'm going to bleeding cherish it.
4. Philosophy (Ben Folds Five, 1995) - Ben Folds Five
There is just something special about this song. I think it might have to do with where it is located. It is the second song on Ben Folds Five's first album. This is one of the stepping stones to what the BFF and Folds are today. This is also the first song which captures the "I'll do what I want" theme, which seems to be in a very large amount of Folds songs. Worth a listen, just to see what he has built upon over the past 17 years.
3. Adelaide (Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the LP, 2006) - Ben Folds
From here on in, all of these songs rank about the same, no matter what position they hold. Now, I'm a sucker for songs about Australia. Call me a patriotic sucker, but I love to know that I live in a country immortalised in one form or another. I've never been to Adelaide, but I can still appreciate what Folds likes about it. The real draw of this song is the beat. The lyrics and vocals are lovely, but this song just draws you in with a simple, but fantastically catchy beat. In the end, I love this song because Folds defends living in Australia.
2. Army (The Unauthorised Biography of Reinhold Messner, 1999) - Ben Folds Five
This is honestly the only Folds song I've learnt off by heart. The lyrics tell such a fascinating story, although I have no idea how much is actually based upon Folds' experiences. The music has a great role in this song, too. The piano and trumpet piece in the middle of the song is absolutely perfect for showing the passing of time and passing into a different scene. I could talk about this song more, but I'd start making less sense. It's just a lovely song.
1. You Don't Know Me (Way To Normal, 2008) - Ben Folds, featuring Regina Spektor
This song is incredibly important to me. Not only was this the song that introduced me to Ben Folds, it was also the song that introduced me to Regina Spektor. This song, despite being another of Folds break-up songs, is just brilliant for it's use of two voices to tell a single story, metaphor, allusion, and just.... music. What more can I say? This is beautiful, beautiful music. There really is nothing else knowing about it, except it is worth listening to. So hear it.
To conclude, I'm aware that there are many very popular songs (Rockin' the Suburbs and Underground spring to mind) which are not on this list. They are not in my Top 15. Live with it. If any choice of claim I have made surprises or outrages you, I have done my job. But I will defend any of my stances. Unless they are wrong. In that situation, you are right. Congratulations in advance. I really need some sleep.
Feedback optional, as the comment button may imply.
H. Rourke
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