Ben Folds Five is a trio formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United Stat… Read Full Bio ↴Ben Folds Five is a trio formed in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States in 1994, who until their breakup in 2000 were a mainstay of Piano rock. Much of their work was influenced by jazz, evident in frequent improv-styled passages through bridge and/or ending.

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.

Thank You For Breaking My Heart
Ben Folds Five Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Yeah I want a different answer
So I ask you once again
But the truth in the silence and this time I got it
It's over

Thank you for breaking my heart
Now I know that it's in there
I left it wide open

And asked you to stay
But you know better

Guess I thought it wouldn't happen
That I could care until it hurt
And the ironic timing
The clouds and their linings
That open up and pour

And thank you for breaking my heart
Now I know that it's in there
What a fool to imagine
That you'd feel the same
But you know better

Rain has washed the leaves away
Skeletons and stars
I'm pulling the door to
And closing the blinds

So thank you for breaking my heart
Now I know what it feels like
And it hurts so badly

Tell me this will pass
Soon enough know better

Overall Meaning

The song 'Thank You For Breaking My Heart' by Ben Folds Five is about the pain of heartbreak and the lesson it brings. The singer asks for a different answer from the person he loves, hoping for a confirmation that they will stay. However, the silence that follows their plea is the truth in itself, signaling the end of their relationship. The songwriter thanks the other person for breaking his heart because it made him realize it was open and vulnerable, exposed and in love. He acknowledges his mistake in hoping they would feel the same, but recognizes that the truth will set him free. The ironies that are often found in broken relationships are expressed in the clouds and their linings, which open up and pour, signifying a cleansing or a fresh start.

The lyrics also convey a sense of closure as the singer describes the skeletons and stars that the rain has washed away, indicating that the time for mourning and remembrance has passed. He is now shutting the door and closing the blinds, saying goodbye to the past and looking towards the future. The chorus repeats the message of gratitude for the pain that brought a valuable lesson, and the hope that it will soon pass, as the songwriter now knows better.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah I want a different answer
I'm seeking a new response to my question

So I ask you once again
I'm repeating the question for clarification

But the truth in the silence and this time I got it
Your lack of response tells me everything I need to know

It's over
Our relationship has come to an end

Thank you for breaking my heart
Although it hurts, I'm grateful for the experience

Now I know that it's in there
I've discovered the depth of my emotions

I left it wide open
I made myself vulnerable to you

And asked you to stay
I pleaded with you to continue our relationship

But you know better
You realized our relationship would not work out

Guess I thought it wouldn't happen
I thought I could handle the emotional pain

That I could care until it hurt
I believed I could endure my feelings for you