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.
Brick
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I throw some clothes on in the dark
The smell of cold
Car seat is freezing
The world is sleeping
I am numb
Up the stairs to her apartment
Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte
They're not home to find us out
And we drive
Now that I have found someone
I'm feeling more alone
Than I ever have before
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
They call her name at seven-thirty
I pace around the parking lot
Then I walk down to buy her flowers
And sell some gifts that I got
Can't you see
It's not me you're dying for?
Now she's feeling more alone
Than she ever has before
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
As weeks went by
It showed that she was not fine
They told me "Son it's time to tell the truth"
And she broke down and I broke down
'Cause I was tired of lying
Driving back to her apartment
For the moment, we're alone
Yeah, she's alone and I'm alone
And now I know it
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
The song "Brick" by Ben Folds Five tells the story of a difficult decision that few teenagers should have to make: seeking an abortion. The singer wakes up early on the day after Christmas and goes to his girlfriend's house. She is curled up on the couch, and their parents are away. He drives her to the clinic where she gets the procedure done. As the days pass, they struggle with the decision they made, and eventually, they break down and confess to their parents. The song ends with the sad realization that the couple is now truly alone, each dealing with their own pain and regret.
The lyrics are straightforward in conveying the emotions of the situation. Each verse progresses the story and reveals the couple's fears and anxieties. The opening lines set the scene with vivid imagery of the cold winter morning, giving the listener a sense of the singer's numbness. The chorus of "She's a brick, and I'm drowning slowly" is the most famous part of the song, and it creates a metaphor for the emotional weight of the situation.
Ben Folds said in an interview that he wrote the song about a real-life experience he had with his high school girlfriend. They had an unplanned pregnancy and decided to have an abortion. Folds said he wanted to write a song that was honest and vulnerable about the difficult decision-making process that came with teenage pregnancy.
Line by Line Meaning
Six AM day after Christmas
The singer wakes up at a very early hour on the day after Christmas.
I throw some clothes on in the dark
The singer puts on some clothes in the dark so as not to wake anyone.
The smell of cold
The singer can smell the cold in the air.
Car seat is freezing
The artist's car seat is very cold.
The world is sleeping
The world around the artist is completely quiet and still.
I am numb
The singer feels emotionally numb and detached from the world.
Up the stairs to her apartment
The singer goes up the stairs to his girlfriend's apartment.
She is balled up on the couch
The artist's girlfriend is curled up on the couch in a fetal position.
Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte
The girlfriend's parents are out of town in Charlotte.
They're not home to find us out
The artist and his girlfriend are alone in the apartment and no one will find out about their actions.
And we drive
The singer and his girlfriend drive somewhere together.
Now that I have found someone
The artist has found someone to be with.
I'm feeling more alone
The singer feels more lonely than he ever has before.
Than I ever have before
The singer has never felt as lonely as he does now.
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
The singer's girlfriend is like a brick weighing him down and causing him to sink.
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
The artist feels lost and directionless, like he is adrift at sea.
They call her name at seven-thirty
The artist's girlfriend is called at 7:30 in the morning for something important.
I pace around the parking lot
The singer walks around the parking lot while waiting for his girlfriend.
Then I walk down to buy her flowers
The singer goes to buy his girlfriend some flowers.
And sell some gifts that I got
The artist sells some gifts that he received.
Can't you see
The artist wants someone to understand his situation.
It's not me you're dying for?
The artist's girlfriend is not really interested in being with him.
Now she's feeling more alone
The girlfriend is feeling even more lonely than she was before.
Than she ever has before
The girlfriend has never felt as lonely as she does now.
As weeks went by
Time passes by.
It showed that she was not fine
The girlfriend is not doing well.
They told me "Son it's time to tell the truth"
Someone tells the singer that it's time to tell the truth.
And she broke down and I broke down
The girlfriend and the artist both start crying.
'Cause I was tired of lying
The artist was tired of keeping the truth a secret.
Driving back to her apartment
The singer and his girlfriend return to her apartment.
For the moment, we're alone
The singer and his girlfriend are alone at the moment.
Yeah, she's alone and I'm alone
Neither the girlfriend nor the artist really have anyone else to turn to.
And now I know it
The artist now realizes how alone he really is.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ben Folds, Darren Jessee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind