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.
Lullabye
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sweet baby
The world has more for you
Than it seems
Goodnight, goodnight
Let the moonlight take the lid
Off your dreams
We took a small flight
From one tiny place
To another
And my parents they remain
At the shack with Lorraine
And my aunt and my grandpa
And brother
We walked past the tarmac
And boarded the craft
The rain had me chilled to the bones
Just the three of us
Took flight that night
Uncle Richard, me,
And James Earl Jones
And the pilot
He gave me a blanket
And the tall dark man
Sang to me in deep rich tones
Goodnight, goodnight,
Sweet baby
The world has more for you
Than it seems
Goodnight, goodnight
Let the moonlight take the lid
Off your dreams
The song Lullabye by Ben Folds Five serves as a soothing bedtime song to a baby, reminding them that there is hope for their future even if it doesn't seem clear at present. The lyrics suggest that although the world might seem uncertain and dangerous at times, there is also beauty and greatness in it, waiting for them to discover. This is exemplified by the small flight that the singer and the baby take in the middle of the night, from one place to another.
The singer tells the story of a short journey he took during the night with his family, including his Uncle Richard and the famous actor James Earl Jones, whom he affectionately refers to as the "tall dark man." The rainy weather makes the atmosphere chilly, yet the comforting sounds, including Jones' singing, contributes to young baby's journey as a wonderful experience. The lyrics suggest that although there might be daunting and complicated times ahead, the baby should not be afraid and instead tackle the future with enthusiasm and excitement. Lullabye is a song encompassed by the love and hope that makes stepping into a new day possible.
Line by Line Meaning
Goodnight, goodnight,
It's time to go to sleep now
Sweet baby
The person addressed is an innocent child
The world has more for you
There are great things in store for you in the future
Than it seems
Things may not always be what they seem, but keep hope
Goodnight, goodnight
Once again, it's time to go to sleep now
Let the moonlight take the lid
Let your mind wander into the world of dreams
Off your dreams
Allow your imagination to run free
We took a small flight
Recalling a past experience of traveling by plane
In the middle of the night
This was a spontaneous action that happened at night
From one tiny place
The starting point was a small location
To another
The destination was another place
And my parents they remain
The artist's parents stayed behind
At the shack with Lorraine
The parents were presumably in the company of someone named Lorraine at some sort of shack
And my aunt and my grandpa
The singer's other family members were also present
And brother
The singer's brother was also present
We walked past the tarmac
The artist recalls walking past an airport runway
And boarded the craft
They got onto the plane
The rain had me chilled to the bones
It was cold due to the rain outside
Just the three of us
Uncle Richard, the singer, and James Earl Jones were the only ones on the plane
Took flight that night
They departed on the plane that night
And the pilot
The person flying the plane
He gave me a blanket
The artist received a blanket to keep warm
And the tall dark man
James Earl Jones, who is tall and has dark skin
Sang to me in deep rich tones
James Earl Jones sang to the artist, causing them to feel comforted and soothed
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANNA GOODMAN, BEN FOLDS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind