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.
The Sound Of The Life Of The Mind
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The boys have gone to watch
Some of the girls are down at the mall
Justine's got cherry cola and scotch
Later on it's everyone around to Beck's
Her parents are away in New York
Sara, well, she just can't bear
The stupidity, the boredom, the grind
The sound of the life of the mind
And it's noisy up there
It rocks me like a mother
Rosa Parks and DNA
Joan of Arc and JFK
But it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
She's cut 'em all out of her social circle
Won't introduce them to Lincoln or Frost
Doesn't want to let them get to know Keats or Studs Terkel
They'll never know what they have lost
But Sara, well, she just can't bear
The stupidity, the boredom, the grind
She stays at school so that she can hear
The sound of the life of the mind
And it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Copernicus and Fortune's Wheel
Plato, Glenn Gould, and the New Deal
And it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Sara already knows pretty soon she'll be leaving
Well, she's hoovered up whatever she can find
But she doesn't want to hear about
Pregnancies, foam fights, TV, take-outs, have sex, weddings
The sound of the life she'll leave behind
Yeah, it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
And it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
The song "The Sound of the Life of the Mind" by Ben Folds Five is a commentary on the life of a young student named Sara, who is disgusted with the mundane, pointless nature of the world around her. She's surrounded by shallow, vapid people who care about nothing more than boys, malls, and drinking. In contrast, Sara is engrossed in the great thinkers and intellectual ideas that can be found in her school books. She's staying at school because she wants to absorb the knowledge and learn about the meaningful things in life that most of her peers don't even know exist. Listening to the music of Copernicus, Joan of Arc, JFK, and other greats, she feels a sense of satisfaction that beats the boredom of the empty conversations around her. But she's aware that she won't be staying in this place forever, and she doesn't want her memory of it to be tainted by the shallow experiences that her classmates are having. So she's determined to hold onto the knowledge that she's gained, even as she moves on in life.
The song is a poignant commentary on the divide that often exists between intellect and "normalcy." Sara is relatable to anyone who's ever felt out of place, who's ever felt like they're trapped in a world of superficial socialization and mindless small talk. The upbeat melody and the impassioned delivery of the lyrics are a reflection of the way that Sara's intellectual pursuits light her up with excitement and happiness, the song's refrain "and it's noisy up there, it rocks me like a mother" a testament to the raw power and energy of truly great ideas.
Line by Line Meaning
Apehead's brother wants to beat up Paul
There is tension between Apehead's brother and Paul, leading to a desire for a physical altercation.
The boys have gone to watch
The boys have left to view the spectacle of the impending fight.
Some of the girls are down at the mall
Certain girls in the group have gone to the shopping center.
Justine's got cherry cola and scotch
Justine has a mixture of cherry cola and scotch, likely as a form of escapism.
Later on it's everyone around to Beck's
After some time and events, everyone will gather at Beck's location.
Her parents are away in New York
Beck's parents are currently absent and residing in New York.
Sara, well, she just can't bear
The stupidity, the boredom, the grind
Sara is unable to tolerate the tedious, banal nature of her surroundings.
She stays at school so that she can hear
The sound of the life of the mind
She chooses to remain at school to engage in intellectual pursuits, rather than join her peers in outside activities.
And it's noisy up there
It rocks me like a mother
Rosa Parks and DNA
Joan of Arc and JFK
But it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Despite the noise and commotion in the intellectual environment, it invigorates Sara and inspires her, making her feel alive.
She's cut 'em all out of her social circle
Won't introduce them to Lincoln or Frost
Doesn't want to let them get to know Keats or Studs Terkel
They'll never know what they have lost
Sara has severed ties with those who do not share her intellectual interests, refusing to introduce them to significant artists and authors.
Sara already knows pretty soon she'll be leaving
Well, she's hoovered up whatever she can find
But she doesn't want to hear about
Pregnancies, foam fights, TV, take-outs, have sex, weddings
The sound of the life she'll leave behind
Sara is aware that she will soon depart, eagerly consuming all that the intellectual environment has to offer, but she does not want to be reminded of the trivial and mundane events and behaviors of her peers, and the sound of this way of life is not appealing to her.
Copernicus and Fortune's Wheel
Plato, Glenn Gould, and the New Deal
And it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Sara is moved and exhilarated by the intellectual ideas and historical figures she encounters on a regular basis.
Yeah, it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
And it's noisy up there
(Noisy up there)
It rocks me like a mother
Oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
The noise and activity of the cerebral environment excites and stimulates Sara to a profound degree.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BEN FOLDS, BENJAMIN SCOTT FOLDS, NICHOLAS PETER JOHN HORNBY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind