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.
Sky High
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feeling you leap out of time
Thinking I don't want this thing to end
I want a blue sky
Where our stony paths meet
Comfy color sheets,
Thinking when our pale knees need a cigarette in a morning beat under the blue sky
And you were acting too polite with me
Hello to the ṗale, through the storms and the rain,
Like a couple of empty starting in post parts
A-a-a-ah the blue sky
A-a-a-ah sky high
A-a-a-ah
Pawn-shop billboard, we buy gold or dreams
Just fade and twist, it's a heartache that never ended
The brightness of air, I'm walking somewhere
And when they ask you, just tell them that you knew me back then, under the blue sky
A-a-a-ah sky high
A-a-a-ah below the blue sky
A-a-a-ah sky high
The song "Sky High" by Ben Folds Five is a heart-wrenching piece about the longing for something that is out of reach. The first verse "Shattered at dawn, so far for so long, feeling you leap out of time, thinking I don't want this thing to end, I want a blue sky" portrays the pain of a love that has been distant for too long. The singer yearns for a new beginning and a fresh start with their loved one, and the idea of a limitless blue sky symbolizes this hope for something better. The second verse talks about the desire to find comfort and peace with a loved one, in a safe and secure space. The lines "Where our stony paths meet, comfy color sheets, thinking when our pale knees need cigarette in a morning beat under the blue sky" paints a picture of a simple yet happy future with the person they love, where the physical environment is perfect for them to be together, and all they need is each other.
The song takes a bit of a darker turn in the third verse, where the singer reflects on their past mistakes and the hurt they have caused their loved one. "Last night at the bar, I was wrong, I was only hurting, and you were acting too polite with me" showcases the regret and sadness the singer feels for their actions, and how they wish they could go back and start fresh. The final part of the song ("Pawn-shop billboard, we buy gold or dreams, just fade and twist, it's a heartache that never ended, the brightness of air, I'm walking somewhere, and when they ask you, just tell them that you knew me back then, under the blue sky") leans even more towards a sense of hopelessness and despair, where the singer compares the fleeting dreams advertised by pawn-shops and the idea that their heartache will never truly end. However, the song ends on a note of nostalgia, as the singer reflects on the time they spent with their loved one, and how it was all under the blue sky.
Line by Line Meaning
Shattered at dawn, so far for so long
I feel broken and distant, like it's been a long time since things have been good.
Feeling you leap out of time
It's like I'm experiencing something out of the ordinary and something that's hard to understand.
Thinking I don't want this thing to end
I don't want this to end, I want to hold onto it.
I want a blue sky
I want everything to be okay, for things to be bright and happy.
Where our stony paths meet
Where our paths collide, even if they've been hard and rocky.
Comfy color sheets,
Feeling comfortable and cozy, wrapped up in something colorful.
Thinking when our pale knees need a cigarette in a morning beat under the blue sky
Imagining a peaceful, relaxed moment with you when we both need a break and can enjoy each other's company.
Last night at the bar, I was wrong, I was only hurting
I made a mistake and hurt you, but it was because I was struggling inside.
And you were acting too polite with me
You were being nice, but I could tell that you were holding back your true feelings.
Hello to the pale, through the storms and the rain,
Even in tough times, I want to acknowledge you and be with you.
Like a couple of empty starting in post parts
We feel like emptiness and are uncertain of how to begin again.
A-a-a-ah the blue sky
Yearning for the safety and happiness a blue sky brings.
A-a-a-ah sky high
Wishing to feel free and unburdened emotionally.
A-a-a-ah
Pawn-shop billboard, we buy gold or dreams
Feeling like what's important to us is being sold, and we're struggling to afford it.
Just fade and twist, it's a heartache that never ended
It's a recurring pain that seems like it will never go away.
The brightness of air, I'm walking somewhere
Feeling free and light, but not sure where I'm going.
And when they ask you, just tell them that you knew me back then, under the blue sky
Years from now, I want you to remember me as we were during happy times, under a blue sky.
A-a-a-ah sky high
Hoping for a more carefree existence.
A-a-a-ah below the blue sky
Feeling weighed down and trapped, and wanting to escape.
A-a-a-ah sky high
Wanting to rise above problems and feel free again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BEN FOLDS, DARREN MICHAEL JESSEE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@efazz0
Shattered at dawn, so far for so long
Feeling newly baptized
Thinking I don’t want this thing to end
and all the blue sky
Where our stony paths meet
Coffee-coloured sheets
Looking down at pale knees with a cigarette
and my morning beat under the blue sky
Last night at the bar, I was wrong, I was only hurting
And you were acting too polite
When we held onto the pain, through the storms and the rain
Like a crumpled, empty, discarded Newports box.
Ah, the blue sky
Ah, sky high
Ah
Pawn-shop billboard, We Buy Gold
Old dreams just fade and twist, it’s a heartache that never ended
The brightness of air
Out walking somewhere, and when they ask you,
Just tell em that you knew me back when, under the blue sky
Ah, sky high
Ah, below the blue sky
Ah, sky high
@AndrewMcClenning
"Old dreams just fade and twist, it’s a heartache that never ended." What a line!
@shaltibalti
When Folds and Jesse collide and collaborate. Beauty.
@fsgjafgja
I first started listening to ben folds in middle school....i'm 24 years old now. KEEP ON ROCKIN BEN FOLDS!
@johntirva8079
fsgjafgja I have listened to him all my life.
@gusterguy01826
and now you're 29
@nighttimetelevision2969
I'm a middle schooler starting to get into ben folds:)
@themaxarchive_0161
Same!! Been listening to them since 6th grade now I'm a junior and I'm just starting to get their cds!!
@mrdarcyd
At last, a video that does justice to one of Ben's songs. It really captures the fragile but hopeful feel of this composition.
@louisyu5730
Not Ben's song, it's written by Darren Jessee (the drummer), so it's very similar to a Hotel Lights (Jessee's solo project) song...
@celtic745
we need another ben folds five record!!