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.
Hava Nagila
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hava nagila,
Hava nagila,
Ve' nismecha.
Hava nagila,
Hava nagila,
Ve' nismecha.
Hava neranena,
Hava neranena,
Hava neranena,
Ve' nismecha.
Hava neranena,
Hava neranena,
Hava neranena,
Ve' nismecha.
Uru, uru achim,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Uru achim
Uru achim
Belev sameach.
The lyrics to Ben Folds Five's song Hava Nagila are in Hebrew and are taken from a well-known Jewish folk song. The repetitive nature of the lyrics creates a celebratory, upbeat tone. The first stanza, "Hava nagila," can be translated as "Let's rejoice." The second part of the stanza, "Ve' nismecha," means "and be happy." This repetition emphasizes the joy and happiness that can be found in life.
The next two stanzas, "Hava neranena," and "Ve' nismecha," are similar to the first in terms of the message of joy and happiness. "Hava neranena" means "let's sing," with "Ve' nismecha" once again meaning "and be happy." This repetition of the message through different words emphasizes the idea even further.
The final stanza, "Uru achim," can be translated as "Awaken brothers," and is a call to action. The repetition of "Uru achim belev sameach" means "awaken brothers with a joyful heart," which once again emphasizes the positivity and happiness that can be found in life. The repetition of "belev sameach" at the end highlights the importance of having a joyful heart in life.
Line by Line Meaning
Hava nagila,
Let us rejoice,
Hava nagila,
Let us rejoice,
Hava nagila,
Let us rejoice,
Ve' nismecha.
And be glad.
Hava neranena,
Let us sing,
Hava neranena,
Let us sing,
Hava neranena,
Let us sing,
Ve' nismecha.
And be glad.
Uru, uru achim,
Awake, awake brothers,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Awake with a joyful heart,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Awake with a joyful heart,
Uru achim belev sameach,
Awake with a joyful heart,
Uru achim
Awake brothers
Uru achim
Awake brothers
Belev sameach.
With a joyful heart.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: THOMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind