Ben Folds Five is a trio formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United Stat… Read Full Bio ↴Ben Folds Five is a trio formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States in 1994, who until their breakup in 2000 were a mainstay of Piano rock. Much of their work was influenced by jazz, evident in frequent improv-styled passages through bridge and/or ending.

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.

Bad Idea
Ben Folds Five Lyrics

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Pull over the car, pull over the car
I think I see some sweet squirrel rim
Pull over the car, pull over the car
I think I feel like gettin' down on ya

I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I don't wanna, I don't wanna
You make me feel, make me feel

Make me feel retarded

I can't leave it alone, jerk off on the phone
I want you to come on over
Pretty bad idea, pretty bad idea
Really, really bad idea

I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I don't wanna, I don't wanna
You make me feel, make me feel
Make me feel retarded
Retarded, you make me feel so

When I stood you up
I thought that you'd give up
Now I realize you're just like a dog

I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I don't wanna, I don't wanna

You make me feel, make me feel
Make me feel retarded, retarded, retarded

Overall Meaning

The song "Bad Idea" by Ben Folds Five is a satirical take on casual sex culture and the foolish decisions that individuals can make when they give into their carnal desires. The first verse of the song features the singer urging the driver of a car to pull over because he sees something that he wants to have sex with. He even goes as far as to say that he feels "retarded" because of his strong desire. The second verse of the song introduces the idea of masturbating on the phone and wanting someone to come over, which the singer describes as a "pretty bad idea" and a "really, really bad idea." The chorus of the song has a recurring theme of the singer's struggle with his feelings and how they make him feel "retarded."

The song's title, "Bad Idea," is a clear indication of its subject matter, highlighting that the singer's desire for sex is, in fact, a bad idea. The lyrics also touch upon themes of objectification and the potentially degrading nature of sexual relationships, as the singer refers to his partner as a "sweet squirrel rim." The lyrics can be interpreted as a warning about the dangers of succumbing to our base desires and the adverse consequences that can result from such behavior.

Line by Line Meaning

Pull over the car, pull over the car
Stop the car immediately

I think I see some sweet squirrel rim
I may have seen something interesting

I think I feel like gettin' down on ya
I'm in the mood for some action

I don't wanna, I don't wanna
I really don't want to do this

You make me feel, make me feel
Your actions are causing me to feel

Make me feel retarded
Your actions are making me feel foolish

I can't leave it alone, jerk off on the phone
I can't stop thinking about you

I want you to come on over
I want you to visit me

Pretty bad idea, pretty bad idea
This is not a good plan

Really, really bad idea
This is an extremely bad plan

When I stood you up
When I didn't show up