The members of the band are Ben Folds, the lead singer and pianist, who also wrote most of the songs; Robert Sledge on bass; and Darren Jessee on drums. The group enjoyed the success of the single Brick in 1997, a ballad written by Folds (with a chorus by Jessee) about his high school girlfriend getting an abortion. This song has, to a large degree, misrepresented the band to fans who aren't familiar with their other work; "Brick" is a serious ballad, whereas most of their music is characterised by jazz inflections and witty, humorous lyrics.
After the band's not-so amicable breakup in October 2000 over Ben's over shadowing of Sledge and Jessee, Folds began a solo career. Robert Sledge's subsequent band International Orange has broken up, while Darren Jessee is the frontman for the band Hotel Lights.
Folds once described their music as "punk rock for pussies" - a reaction to the angst prevalent in 90s rock. When asked about his band's name he jokingly responded "you mean a trio isn't five?". In other interviews the band said that the name was simply because Ben Folds Five sounded better than Ben Folds Three.
Ben Folds has continued with producing music on his own, striking a subtler tone than Ben Folds Five's earlier recordings. His personal relationship with William Shatner has opened the doors for a great professional one. Ben Folds produced William Shatner's album Has Been and they have since worked together on The 'Over The Hedge' soundtrack.
On September 18, 2008 at the UNC Memorial Hall in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, the band reunited for the first time in nearly 10 years for one special gig playing their critically acclaimed final album: The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in its entirety.
The House Songfacts reports that the trio got together in 2011 to record three new Ben Folds Five songs for the compilation,The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective.
Their 4th studio album "The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind" released September 18th, 2012. A live album titled "Ben Folds Live" released soon after on June 3rd, 2013.
Another live album "The Complete Sessions at West 54th" originally recorded in June of 1997, released on July 10, 2018.
Air
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Floating overhead, undoing his helmet
Through the murky beams and blue-green sea life
I saw him spinnin' towards the moonlight
I pull him in, he wasn't breathin'
His eyes were wide and I saw two of me there
There's an ugly buzz that hovers just above the quiet
Found a way to make it silent
Air [Repeat: x2]
They hold my hand and ask me to pull through
A voice I know says "Dear, he probably can't hear you"
Comin' up for air [Repeat: x3]
The song "Air" by Ben Folds Five tells the story of a person who rescues another person who was drowning. The first verse describes the moment of rescue, with the singer seeing a silhouette across a fluorescent light and pulling in the drowning person. However, the person wasn't breathing and had wide eyes, and the singer sees two of themselves in the other's eyes, suggesting a deep sense of empathy and connection is created between the two.
The second verse talks about the aftermath of the rescue, with the singer being held by someone and asked to pull through. This person's voice is familiar, but they say that the drowning person cannot hear them. The chorus repeats "I'm coming up for air," which can be interpreted as the singer taking a break from the traumatic experience to catch their breath.
Overall, the lyrics paint a vivid picture of a dramatic and emotionally intense event. The idea of coming up for air represents a moment of respite from the overwhelming emotions of the situation. The use of sensory details also adds to the emotionality of the song, with the fluorescent light and blue-green sea life conjuring vivid mental images for the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Saw a silhouette across a fluorescent
I saw something or someone in the distance, illuminated by a bright light.
Floating overhead, undoing his helmet
This thing or individual was hovering above and removing a helmet.
Through the murky beams and blue-green sea life
The surroundings had a hazy, unclear appearance, possibly underwater with sea plants and creatures present.
I saw him spinnin' towards the moonlight
The individual and/or object was rotating in a manner that indicated it was moving towards the bright moonlight.
I pull him in, he wasn't breathin'
The artist pulled the individual closer but noticed they were not breathing.
His eyes were wide and I saw two of me there
The person being pulled in had wide eyes that gave off the impression that they were seeing double of the singer.
There's an ugly buzz that hovers just above the quiet
There's a negative aura or disturbance that lingers even in quiet moments.
Found a way to make it silent
The artist found a way to remove or lessen this negative energy or disturbance to create peace and quiet.
I'm comin' up for air [Repeat: x2]
The artist is ready to emerge from a suffocating or drowning situation and seek fresh air.
They hold my hand and ask me to pull through
Others are offering support to the artist to help them make it through a difficult time.
A voice I know says "Dear, he probably can't hear you"
A familiar voice tries to comfort the singer by letting them know that the person they are trying to help may not be able to hear them or be aware of what is happening.
Comin' up for air [Repeat: x3]
The artist continues to move towards getting air and space, repeating the urgency of the situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BEN FOLDS, DARREN JESSEE, ROBERT SLEDGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lewis Wood
Saw a silhouette across a fluorescent
Floating overhead, undoing his helmet
Through the murky beams and blue-green sea life
I saw him spinnin' towards the moonlight
I pull him in, he wasn't breathin'
His eyes were wide and I saw two of me there
There's an ugly buzz that hovers just above the quiet
Found a way to make it silent
I'm comin' up for air
I'm comin' up for air
I'm comin' up for air
Air
Air
They hold my hand and ask me to pull through
A voice I know says,
"Dear, he probably can't hear you..."
I'm comin' up for air
Comin' up for air
Comin' up for air
brennanhuff48
This is an extremely underrated song
campinatorxbox 1
Hell yeah it is
AL- i
I was 9 when this soundtrack came out. The first CD i ever bought with my own money. I still have it. So many memories. Takes me to a great place in time.
heavenmind gonzo
me too!
thatguyagain
No idea what to do with the intense feels this song brings out
the max archive_01
I feel you man
Cheeseyflynn
Me too
Jeremy Durant
Jamiroquai, The Wallflowers, Rage Against The Machine, Jimmy Page w/ Sean Combs, Silverchair, Green Day, Fuel, Foo Figters, Days of the New, Ben Folds Five. God damn that was an amazing soundtrack. I was 12 when it came out. Man that was a great time for music.
Kinto Zero
Whoever put together that album had immaculate taste.
Adam Flowers
One of the best!