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.
Tiny Dancer
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Seamstress for the band
Pretty eyes, pirate smile
You'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you must have seen her
Dancing in the sand
Now she's in me
Always with me
Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back, she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad
Piano man, he makes his stand
In the auditorium
Looking on, she sings the songs
The words she knows, the tune she hums
Oh, how it feels so real
Lying here, no one near
Only you, and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today
Blue jean baby, L.A. lady
Seamstress for the band
Pretty eyes, pirate smiles
You'll marry a music man
Ballerina, you should have seen her
Dancing in the sand
Now she's in me
Always with me
Tiny dancer in my hand
Oh, how it feels so real
Lying here, no one near
Only you, and you can hear me
When I say softly, slowly
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
Count the headlights on the highway
Lay me down in sheets of linen
You had a busy day today
The song "Tiny Dancer" by Ben Folds Five is a cover of the original song by Elton John. The song is about a woman who is a seamstress for a band, but also a ballerina who has dancing in the sand. The singer of the song is in love with her, and sees her as a tiny dancer who is always with him. The lyrics suggest that he wants to protect her and hold her close, as she has had a busy day.
The first verse introduces the woman as a blue jean baby, an L.A. lady, and a seamstress for the band. She has pretty eyes and a pirate smile, and the singer believes she will marry a music man. The second verse describes her watching the piano man make his stand in the auditorium while she sings along to the songs she knows. The final verse focuses on the singer's love for the woman, and he asks her to hold him closer and count the headlights on the highway while he lies with her in sheets of linen.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Hold me closer, tiny dancer" and suggests a sense of intimacy and comfort between the two. Overall, the song portrays a romantic longing for someone who is deeply connected to the world of music and dancing.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue jean baby, L.A. lady
A woman living in Los Angeles, perhaps originally from a more humble background, wearing blue jeans as a common staple of her wardrobe.
Seamstress for the band
She is a skilled tailor who creates clothes for the band members.
Pretty eyes, pirate smile
She has attractive eyes and a captivating, mischievous smile, reminiscent of a pirate.
You'll marry a music man
This woman has a great passion for music and may end up marrying someone who shares her love for it, possibly a musician.
Ballerina, you must have seen her
The artist is describing a ballerina who he presumes the woman to have seen dancing on the beach.
Dancing in the sand
This ballerina is dancing in a natural setting, on the beach's sand.
Now she's in me, always with me
The image of the ballerina has implanted itself in the singer's memory, and he never forgets her.
Tiny dancer in my hands
The artist feels like he has the power to control and direct the ballerina he's immagining with his own thoughts.
Jesus freaks out in the street
Refers to evangelists who preach from the streets about Jesus and deliverance.
Handing tickets out for God
These evangelists are giving out tickets, as if for admittance, to God's good graces or heaven.
Turning back, she just laughs
The L.A. woman is confident enough in herself to not worry about the judgments of others and is amused by the preachings and religious fervor happening in the street.
The boulevard is not that bad
Whenever someone speaks of the boulevard, they often mean Hollywood Boulevard; the woman reassures herself that Hollywood isn't all that bad.
Piano man, he makes his stand
This describes the piano man in his public performance, standing up and playing his instrument with great confidence.
In the auditorium
A place where people come to listen to the piano man, most likely with a stage and seating sections for the audience.
Looking on, she sings the songs
The woman is observing the performance and singing along to the recognizable tunes and words.
The words she knows, the tune she hums
Even if she doesn't remember the entirety of the song, she still hums the melody.
Hold me closer, tiny dancer
The artist wants the imagined ballerina to come closer to him, to hold him tight.
Count the headlights on the highway
The two of them are in a car, traveling at night time; the singer suggests the ballerina should count the headlights he is passing on the opposite side of the road as a way to pass the time.
Lay me down in sheets of linen
Lay me down on a bed with soft linen sheets.
You had a busy day today
The artist acknowledges that the ballerina had a long day and perhaps he is letting her relax and rest.
Contributed by Eli S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.