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.
Video
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
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Bearing teardrops that shatter in slow-motion
Novocaine our brains and we're out like lights
But as I'm growing older I'm bored
I remember when misery thrilled me much more
When I can't relax
And I'd like to go back
But that's gone
Turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
[Chorus]
'Til the day when we live in a video
I'll be stone-faced and pale
You'll pout in stereo
24 hours every day of the year
Oh, what fun I can't wait 'til the future gets here
Closing in on the pain and the torture
He's slamming the doors like it's something to strive for
The girl tearing the curtains down looks funny as hell
And a sense of humor can there be any doubt
Now that natural selection just weeded it out
Used to keep me from laughing out loud
But that's gone
We don't think that way no more
That's gone, turn around, turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
[Chorus]
Well I've seen some old friends sort of die
Or just turn into whatever
Must've been inside them
And whatever all of us had then in common
Grew up and left home
We don't think that way no more
Turn around, turn the volume down
We're counting the days down
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Ben Folds Five's "Video" explore a sense of disconnection and disillusionment with the world, with the suggestion that the increasing prevalence of media and technology is part of the problem. The opening lines describe the image of people on a screen (perhaps on a television or computer) crying, but the singer seems to be numbed to their pain by the effects of Novocaine. They are bored by the misery that they used to find more exciting, and they long for a time when they could truly relax. This feeling builds throughout the verses, with the singer lamenting the loss of some essential part of themselves that once prevented them from laughing at things that no longer seem funny.
The chorus depicts a vision of the future, where people are so immersed in technology that they are like performers in a never-ending show. The singer paints a bleak picture of a "stone-faced and pale" existence where nothing is real, and everything is scripted. Despite the somewhat pessimistic tone, there is a sense of anticipation for this future, with the words "Oh, what fun, I can't wait 'til the future gets here." The song ends with a sense of detachment from the world, with the singer observing how people grow apart and lose touch with each other over time.
Line by Line Meaning
Barren stares as they light up the screen
The TV shows people with empty expressions that become illuminated by the screen
Bearing teardrops that shatter in slow-motion
People on TV cry and their tears break apart slowly
Novocaine our brains and we're out like lights
Watching TV makes our minds numb and we become unconscious
But as I'm growing older I'm bored
As the singer grows older, they find TV uninteresting
I remember when misery thrilled me much more
The singer used to be entertained by sad things on TV
When I can't relax
The singer cannot relax
And I'd like to go back
The singer wishes to return to a time when they were entertained by TV
But that's gone
That time is no longer present
Yeah, that's gone, Turn around
That time is gone, look for something else
Turn the volume down
Lower the volume on the TV
We're counting the days down
We are waiting impatiently for something to change
'Til the day when we live in a video
Waiting for a future where everyone is constantly recorded like a TV show
I'll be stone-faced and pale
The singer will have an expressionless face and look sickly
You'll pout in stereo
Other people will make fake sad expressions in sync with the singer
24 hours every day of the year
Everyone will be recorded constantly every day
Oh, what fun I can't wait 'til the future gets here
A sarcastic comment on the boring future ahead
Closing in on the pain and the torture
The TV show is getting more intense and uncomfortable to watch
He's slamming the doors like it's something to strive for
A character on TV is being violent and it's supposed to be admirable
The girl tearing the curtains down looks funny as hell
A girl on TV is causing destruction in a humorous way
And a sense of humor can there be any doubt
The singer questions whether humor still exists in TV shows
Now that natural selection just weeded it out
TV shows have removed natural and authentic humor for something more fake and manufactured
Used to keep me from laughing out loud
The singer used to be entertained by funny things on TV, but not anymore
But that's gone
The time of enjoying TV humor is over
We don't think that way no more
We no longer have the same mindset when watching TV
That's gone, turn around, turn the volume down
That type of entertainment is gone, so change the channel and lower the volume
Well I've seen some old friends sort of die
The singer has seen old friends lose themselves in TV and become unrecognizable
Or just turn into whatever
The TV is changing the personalities of the people watching
Must've been inside them
The TV is bringing out something that was already in people deep down
And whatever all of us had then in common
Everyone used to share a similar enjoyment of TV
Grew up and left home
That commonality disappeared as people matured
Turn around, turn the volume down
Stop watching TV and focus on something else
We're counting the days down
We are eagerly waiting for things to change
Chorus
The repeated chorus speaks to the singer's lack of interest in TV and desire for change
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ezra C
This song is so underrated. It gets me melancholy and nostalgic, despite me only listening to this lately.
Lippy Pongstockings
“A melancholic waltz with country music harmonic sensibilities. It’s a niche genre and Ben takes it home to his Fold.” -Lippy Pongstockings
Ian Okamoto
Man, I wish they played this one live!
Reni
Absolute tune! One of my favourite's off that album
dancingnancy09
this is such a special song- those of us who are gifted and exceptional and bullied by the pathetic and the scared before they are made aware of thier gifts keep this song in mind- you are the chosen ones and dont forget it
Lippy Pongstockings
“There’s a palpably poignant tension - in this piece - between the twin narratives of the ‘pop music’ cliche and a Romantic Era melodic tension resolution” - Lippy Pongstockings
Logan Barnes
I don't think Ben knows how great HE is...
Stephanie Meijer
I think he does. I just think that most people are just too busy trying to be cool nowadays to even consider listening to actual good music.
Billy Graham
Oh he knows. Not enough other people do though!
Lippy Pongstockings
He knows. I’ve met Him. And he is right to know.