As of fall 2006, Ben Folds has released five solo LPs. His first album, Fear of Pop: Volume 1, an album of spoken word and instrumental compositions, was recorded and released while Ben Folds Five was still together. Since it was an uncharacteristic release, and officially released under the moniker of 'Fear of Pop', it is widely considered that his first "proper" solo album was Rockin' the Suburbs (2001), on which he played all the instruments by himself. A year later, in 2002, he released Ben Folds Live, a collection of live solo recordings. In late 2003, two solo EPs, Speed Graphic and Sunny 16, were released, with a third entitled Super D released in mid-2004. In 2005, Folds released a second studio album called Songs for Silverman. Most recently Folds has released the album "Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the lp" a compliation of his EPs, a The Bens track called "Bruised," "Still" from the motion picture of 2006 "Over the Hedge" for which Folds wrote all the songs, his cover of the Dr. Dre song "Bitches Ain't Shit", and, with the kind permission of his good friend Neil Hannon, a cover of The Divine Comedy song "Songs of Love". "Supersunnyspeedgraphic, the lp" otherwise includes remastered takes from the three internet EPs from 2002-2004. Ben claims that he wanted to have the CD in hard format so he could "put it past him."
Ben resides in Nashville. He often tours the United States, the United Kingdom, other countries in Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Folds' tours are famous for his solo act as "Ben Folds and a piano", often having the audience become involved by "playing" the accompanying instruments (such as the trumpet and saxophone harmonies in "Army") and singing choir-like backing vocals on "Not the Same". His concerts are charismatic, yet calm - an enjoyable experience for most. And although Folds is constantly putting out new songs, his concerts rarely omit classic fan favorites such as "Philosophy," "One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces," and "Army." Also, a seemingly fan favorite that started in Chicago, IL was "Rock this Bitch," a song where Folds has to come up an impromptu new tune with the words "Rock this Bitch" in it; though the song seems to be phasing out, it still makes appearances on tours, such as the November 2006 tour and the Spring US College tour of 2007 and 2008.
Folds also produced and arranged the William Shatner album, Has Been (2004); he previously worked with Shatner on the songs "In Love" and "Still in Love" for Fear of Pop.
Folds described his former band, Ben Folds Five, as "punk rock for sissies," and his oddball lyrics often contain nuances of depression, melancholy and self-conflict. Folds also provided a number of songs for film soundtracks. Some of these include "Lonely Christmas Eve" for the Jim Carrey film How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (2000), and a rendition of the Beatles' "Golden Slumbers" for the film I Am Sam (2001). He (as The Bens) has also done charity compilations, from singing "Wicked Little Town" (from film and stage show Hedwig and the Angry Inch) on the benefit album "Wig in a Box" (2003) to appearing on No Boundaries, a benefit album for Kosovo refugees, with the song "Leather Jacket." (written by Darren Jessee)
On a planned tour of Australia, Folds teamed up with solo artists Ben Kweller and Ben Lee to travel the country together as The Bens, at the suggestion of a fan on Ben Kweller's official website. The trio also went on to record a four-track EP together, entitled The Bens.
In summer of 2004, Folds co-headlined an American tour with fellow rockers Rufus Wainwright and Guster. His second solo studio album, entitled Songs for Silverman, was released in the U.S. on April 26, 2005, featuring Jared Reynolds on bass, and Lindsay Jamieson on the drums, thus returning to the trio format, which had been so successful earlier, in earnest. This album includes the track "Late," a tribute to the late singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, and also features backing vocals from "Weird Al" Yankovic on "Time." (Folds had played piano for Yankovic's song "Why Does This Always Happen to Me?" and "Weird Al" directed Folds' music video for Rockin' the Suburbs). In January of 2007 Lindsay Jamieson left the band and was replaced by Sam Smith, of The Comfies on drums.
Folds performed with Rufus Wainwright and Ben Lee in the summer of 2005 as part of the "Odd Men Out" tour. In addition, Folds has performed with many other famous musical names, including Weezer. Folds has also shown the complexity behind his authentic sound by performing with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, in March 2005, and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, in November 2005. A DVD recording of Folds playing with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra was released in December, 2005.
Folds was the first artist to do a "Live at Myspace" concert, held on October 24, 2006 in his recording studio in Nashville, the show was an hour long and had requests from the internet submitted via Myspace's Messenger. It also entailed several stunts, including a suicide attempt, and a falling audience member during "Jesusland". The DVD of the broadcast (almost whole) was released in February of 2007.
Folds supports the independent music scene, creating his own record label (Attacked By Plastic) and doing promotional work for independent record stores across the country.
In 2008, September 16 marked the release of Amanda Palmer's solo album which was produced by Folds. Two days following that release, Ben Folds Five had a one-time reunion concert held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the same place the band was formed. Weeks later, he released his third solo album entitled Way To Normal, released on September 30. Folds also recorded a fake album that was leaked intentionally during the summer to please fans and in an attempt to stop the real album from leaking. The fake tracks were recorded and mixed over a period of only several days. The leak contained 6 fake songs with names similar to the real songs or the album, and three songs from the actual release (except the song Cologne, which was an orchestral version of a song by the same name on the final album).
Since December 2008, Folds has been collaborating with English novelist Nick Hornby, writing the music while Hornby writes the lyrics. This album was originally planned to be recorded over a course of 3 days, the same amount of time in which the fake album was recorded, but Folds has since been recording the album in a more standard format, albeit attempting to retain the live recording format. He has also played several songs from the upcoming album at live shows since mid-2009, and the album is slated to be released on September 27th of 2010.
From December 14 through 21, 2009, Folds was featured as a judge on NBC's a cappella competition The Sing Off alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Shawn Stockman and offered insightful, constructive comments and criticisms to the contestants. On the final show, in a departure from his a cappella purism, showcased his talents and played the roaring, riffing piano background on "Why Can't We Be Friends?" sung by the two finalist groups, Tufts Beelzebubs from Tufts University near Boston and Nota, from San Juan, Puerto Rico. He again returned for the show's second season, and has been confirmed to return for the third season in September 2011 alongside Stockman and new judge Sara Bareilles.
Recently Ben Folds was assumed to be the anonymous pianist playing songs to random ChatRoulette users, named "Merton." Although Ben Folds has admitted to NOT being Merton, he paid tribute to the YouTube star at a concert in Charlotte in "Ode To Merton."
Ben Folds recently released his first album since So There, What Matters Most in June of 2023 after a 12 year hiatus.
Sleazy
Ben Folds Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Or your bougie friends.
I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
I'ma get
Get
I'ma get
Get
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
You can't imagine the immensity of the fuck I'm not givin' about you money & man servant at the mansion you live in.
And I don't wanna go places where all my ladies can't get in.
Just grab a bottle, some boys & let's take it back to my basement and get Sleazy.
Sick of all your lines, So Cheesy!
Sorry daddy, but I'm not that easy!
I'm not gonna sit here while you circle jerk it & work it.
I'ma take it back to where my man & my girls is.
Get
'Cause I'ma get
Get
'Cause I'ma get
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
Over to your place.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
Over to your place.
I don't mean to critique on your seduction technique.
But your money's not impressing me, it's kinda weak,
That you really think you're gonna get my rocks off,
Get my top & socks off,
By showing me them dolla's in your drop box.
Me & all my friends, we don't buy bottles, we bring 'em.
We take the drinks from the table when you get up & leave 'em.
And I don't care if you stare, and you call us scummy,
'Cause we ain't after your affection.
And sure as hell not your money, honey.
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
Or your bougie friends.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
Over to your place.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
Over to your place.
The lyrics of Ben Folds's song "Sleazy" are about rejecting the materialistic and superficial world that the singer's romantic interest is associated with. The singer claims that they do not need their wealth, their luxury possessions like a brand new Benz or their rich friends. They also reject the idea of "love looking like diamonds," which can be interpreted as the idea that love should be based on genuine connection and not material possessions. The singer asserts their independence and their refusal to be impressed by money or opulence.
The singer goes on to explain that they are not interested in going to places where their friends cannot enter and instead suggests going back to their basement to have a good time. They acknowledge that they are not impressed by the man's attempts at seduction, which they critique as weak and unimpressive. The lyrics also suggest that the singer and their friends are not concerned with social niceties and are willing to take what they want, such as drinks from the table when their romantic interest leaves.
Overall, "Sleazy" is a song about rejecting superficiality and materialism in favor of genuine connections and having a good time with friends.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't need you or your brand new Benz.
I am not interested in you or your material possessions such as your new car.
Or your bougie friends.
I am not interested in the high-class lifestyle that you and your friends lead.
And I don't need love, looking like diamonds, looking like diamonds.
I am not interested in a relationship that is based purely on material wealth and status.
Get
I am going to take action to pursue what I want.
Get
I am going to take action to pursue what I want.
Ohh!
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm.
You can't imagine the immensity of the fuck I'm not givin' about you money & man servant at the mansion you live in.
I couldn't care less about your money and your servant in your luxurious house.
And I don't wanna go places where all my ladies can't get in.
I don't want to go to exclusive venues that don't allow my female friends.
Just grab a bottle, some boys & let's take it back to my basement and get Sleazy.
Let's have a party with some alcohol and male friends in my basement and have a wild time.
Sick of all your lines, So Cheesy!
Tired of your cheesy chat-up lines.
Sorry daddy, but I'm not that easy!
Sorry, but I am not an easy target for your flirtations.
I'm not gonna sit here while you circle jerk it & work it.
I am not going to sit here while you try to impress me.
I'ma take it back to where my man & my girls is.
I'm going to go back to where my boyfriend and female friends are.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The sound of the drum beat.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
The beat is so good that it will make me very excited.
Over to your place.
I'm going to come to your house.
I don't mean to critique on your seduction technique.
I don't want to come across as critical of your flirting style.
But your money's not impressing me, it's kinda weak,
Your money does not impress me at all, it's quite mediocre.
That you really think you're gonna get my rocks off,
You seem to believe that you can sexually satisfy me.
Get my top & socks off,
Get me undressed.
By showing me them dolla's in your drop box.
By showing me the money in your Dropbox account.
Me & all my friends, we don't buy bottles, we bring 'em.
I and all my friends do not purchase alcohol bottles, we bring them along to the party.
We take the drinks from the table when you get up & leave 'em.
We take the drinks from the table when you get up and leave.
And I don't care if you stare, and you call us scummy,
I don't care if you judge us and label us as low-life.
'Cause we ain't after your affection.
We don't need your attention or love because it's not what we're interested in.
And sure as hell not your money, honey.
We are definitely not interested in your money, honey.
Rat tat tat tat on your dum dum drum.
The sound of the drum beat.
The beat so phat, gonna make me cum, um, um, um...
The beat is so good that it will make me very excited.
Over to your place.
I'm going to come to your house.
Contributed by Bailey Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Planets Overload
I love both Ben and Ke$ha and it's great that this song made them friends. He did the violin score for her song Past Lives and had her on stage with him in Nashville, where they both live. I hope they work together a lot more.
Shannon Rae
earlyknowledgekids omg! Thank you for posting this!!!!!! He's the producer she always deserved. If only the in the Before Time.
Kesha does the BEST Millenial Whoop
Catherine Whiting
Ben folds saying "Imma take it back to where my man and my girls is" made my day
Steve Linkert
Hello Catherine, how are you doing and how is the weather with you
Bob B
After about 5 years of loving this version I finally listened to the original and it was unintentionally hilarious. Wha uh uh UHHH!
Robin Gardner
I just can't believe they made Ke$ha seem classy but they did. Excellent guys!
Steve Linkert
Hello Robin
netsirkson
Ben, you never cease to amaze me.
TheLellowhead
This is why Ben Folds is brilliant.
Ross Weisman
Carrying Cathy. It gets me every time and I can't explain why. Just how he weaves his words sends chills down my spine.