To build on the momentum, Benjamin began uploading new songs to his YouTube channel at a rapid clip and eventually earned a viral hit with “I Built a Friend” and a deal with Atlantic Records.
Benjamin connects to listeners by incorporating using his life struggles to tell stories and give meaning to his songs. You can see this in “Let Me Down Slowly,” “Paper Crown,” “I Built a Friend,” “Death of a Hero,” and “If We Have Each Other.”
Benjamin released his first studio album mixtape, Narrated for You on November 16, 2018, and released his first studio album, These Two Windows on May 29, 2020
I Built A Friend
Alec Benjamin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With three pieces of plastic and a pen
I made him on the table in the den
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
And we spent holidays in my house
And we left presents in a stocking
And we bought bolts and things and strings
And a new watch, that's what he got
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
Then I left for college in September
And we wept 'cause we can't be together
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
Then I met this girl at graduation
And forget my oldest creation
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
Send my best, I send my best
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I came home to find him on the table
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
Next to him, an empty glass of water
That he spilled, all over the body
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
And then it killed, and then it killed
And we had so much fun together
We thought we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I built a friend
The song “I Built a Friend” by Alec Benjamin tells the story of a young boy who creates an imaginary friend using only three pieces of plastic and a pen. The boy gives his creation a head made from his old cell phone and spends holidays with it, even going as far as to purchase gifts for the friend. The two have a cherished relationship, and share many memories together.
However, as the boy grows older and leaves for college, his imaginary friend fades away from his memories. He meets a girl at graduation and forgets about his old creation. But when he returns home, he finds his imaginary friend on the table, along with an empty glass of water and a note scribbled out in pencil. The friend had been alone and unstable, leading to its eventual demise.
Through this song, Alec Benjamin explores the themes of loneliness, memory, and the power of imagination. The story of the young boy and his creation highlights the importance of companionship, even in the form of an imaginary friend. However, it also serves as a reminder of the fragile nature of memory and the possibility of forgetting those important to us. Overall, “I Built a Friend” is a poignant and thought-provoking song about the power of our imaginations and the lasting impact of our relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I built a friend
The singer created a friend from three pieces of plastic and a pen.
With three pieces of plastic and a pen
The friend was made with only three materials.
I made him on the table in the den
The friend was created on a table in a specific room of the singer's house.
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
The head of the friend was made from the artist's unused cellphone.
And we spent holidays in my house
The artist and the friend spent time together during holidays at the artist's house.
And we left presents in a stocking
The singer and the friend exchanged gifts by leaving them in a stocking.
And we bought bolts and things and strings
The singer and the friend purchased various materials together.
And a new watch, that's what he got
The friend received a new watch as a gift from the artist.
And we had so much fun together
The artist and the friend enjoyed their time together.
We knew we'd be friends forever
The artist and the friend believed their friendship would last forever.
Then I left for college in September
The singer left for college in September.
And we wept 'cause we can't be together
Both the artist and the friend were sad because they couldn't be together anymore.
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
The singer kept pictures of the friend to remember him by.
Then I met this girl at graduation
The singer met a girl at their graduation ceremony.
And forget my oldest creation
The singer forgot about their friend they created.
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
The artist plans on seeing their friend next time they have a vacation.
Send my best, I send my best
The artist sends their best regards to their friend.
I came home to find him on the table
The singer returned home to find their friend on the table.
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
The friend left a note for the singer, hastily written in pencil.
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
The friend wrote that he was not stable without the artist's company.
Next to him, an empty glass of water
An empty glass of water was found near the friend on the table.
That he spilled, all over the body
The friend accidentally spilled the water all over himself.
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
The friend, who the singer created, began to malfunction.
And then it killed, and then it killed
The friend malfunctioned to the point of its destruction.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alec Shane Benjamin, Brandon Rogers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@appleglaze2
I built a friend
With three pieces of plastic and a pen
I made him on the table in the den
I gave him my old cell phone for a head, for a head
And we spent holidays in my house
And we left presents in a stocking
And we bought bolts and things and strings
And a new watch, that's what he got
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
Then I left for college in September
And we wept 'cause we can't be together
So I kept pictures to remember my old friend, my old friend
Then I met this girl at graduation
And forget my oldest creation
And I guess I'll see him next vacation
Send my best, I send my best
And we had so much fun together
We knew we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I came home to find him on the table
With a note, scribbled out in pencil
And he wrote, that he just wasn't stable all alone, all alone
Next to him, an empty glass of water
That he spilled, all over the body
That I built, it fizzled and it popped
And then it killed, and then it killed
And we had so much fun together
We thought we'd be friends forever
And we had so much fun together
We had so much fun
I built a friend
@chae_wonton
every time this song comes on shuffle, i think of my 'friend'.
we listened to this song together, in a park. i wanted to turn the volume up, but he didn't want to be a nuisance so I turned it down.
we had so much fun together, we held hands, hugged for hours, and talked for hours on end. we got lost together. he often asked me 'where would I be without you?', and he said we'd be 'forever'. I guess now he knows where he is, and that our 'love' was just infatuation.
i deleted the pictures we had together, i deleted our texts full of banter and i tried to delete the memories of us together.
and it's been quite a while, I admit that he's faded somewhat. but even if my mind forgets, my heart won't fully forget. i still tear up a little if i think of him.
i often wonder how he's doing.
a seven-month relationship with another guy couldn't completely erase him. rather, i was devastated at how he would feel once he knew about it but i simultaneously had a perverse desire to hurt him like he hurt me.
but i've met a genuinely sweet guy now, and i hope he's met another friend too. i think, this is moving on.
hi pufferfish-eating-carrot, i know you won't ever read this but you were my first love. i won't cling onto this anymore, and you'll always be a part of me. thank you, for being my friend.
@AlecBenjaminMusic
THE ALBUM IS COMING MAY 29TH !!! pre order here : https://alecbenjamin.lnk.to/TheseTwoWindowsID
@katherinesnell6231
Dang I wasn’t expecting to be the first response
@patty8572
YEEEEAS
@itsovermyhead940
Your music is a drug because it so addictive to listen even tho it may be sad but it you make them for a lot of pepole and i love that
@qu1rkyth1ngs11
YAY!!!!!! I'M SO.HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!!!
@paizleestevens4011
you’ve come so far🥺
@Cinnaswagxx
Me: crying
My mom: why you crying
Me: because a cardboard robot died
@heathra68
Y E S
@adrianalong1502
We watched this in our classroom we all cried
@atrix514
this is so sad : (