Michael Praytor Five Years Later
Ben Folds Five Lyrics

It was the opposite of 'Fire and Rain'
This event was the opposite of a destructive and tragic one, such as a metaphorical fire and rain.

You know the song
This is a reference to another song that shares similarities with the opposite experience described in the previous line.

I never thought I'd see this guy again
The singer didn't expect to see Michael Praytor again.

But I was wrong
The artist was incorrect in their assumption that they wouldn't see Michael Praytor again.

Oh, every five years
This event happens at a specific interval of every five years.

Since 1972 when at recess
This event has occurred since 1972 when the singer was at recess.

He recruited me to try to kick
Michael Praytor got the singer to help him try to kick something.

The church down to the ground
Michael Praytor and the artist attempted to destroy the church.

Michael Praytor
The name of the person being discussed.

So random
The meeting between the artist and Michael Praytor seemed to happen haphazardly and unexpectedly.

Who knows why some satellites
This is a metaphorical inquiry into the randomness of certain events.

Come by and by
Some things happen over time, incrementally.

While others disappear
Some things abruptly stop occurring, such as when a satellite vanishes from sight.

Into the sky
A satellite that stops being visible would seem to go into the sky.

Good morning, mirror
The singer is addressing their reflection in a mirror.

Break the change to me
The artist wants to be informed of any changes that have occurred.

I tried to stay too close to see
The artist was too involved or obsessed with something to see what was happening clearly.

That there's a pattern in the tiles
The singer is noticing a repetitive pattern in a tiled surface.

And a fool who marks the miles
Someone foolish has been marking their progress, perhaps metaphorically.

It was long hair
Michael Praytor used to have long hair.

And this time it was no hair
Michael Praytor was now bald.

Seeming thin, divorced, inspired
Michael Praytor appeared to be frail and had gone through a divorce, but also had an air of creativity around him.

Engaged in chemo, born again and fired
Michael Praytor was undergoing chemotherapy, had recently been born again, and had lost his job.

Hey
An exclamation of attention or greeting.

At Hanes Mall parking lot at 5am
The singer encountered Michael Praytor sleeping in his car at a mall parking lot in the early morning.

I saw him sleeping in his car
The singer observed Michael Praytor sleeping in his parked vehicle.

I've been up all night from New York
The singer had spent the whole night traveling from New York City.

Bumming out on 95
The artist was doing something unproductive or aimless on the road in the area designated as Interstate 95.

Now I'm 30 and we all live with our parents
The artist and Michael Praytor are now in their early thirties and living with their respective parents.

"And my wife," he said, "she kicked me out"
Michael Praytor told the singer that his wife had told him to leave their home.

I said, Same here
The singer commiserated with Michael Praytor and said they were in a similar situation.

Guess I'll see you 'round
The artist expects to see Michael Praytor again in the future.

(I'll see you around)
This line is repeated for emphasis.