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.
Where's Summer B.?
Ben Folds Five Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like to tell you
Tell you everything
Cause nothing changes
Ever changes
Doesn't seem the same these days
Dave's been a mess since Cheryl left
Just sits at home
And Beth still wears that
Stupid dress
There goes Joe Caparo again
With Darren's girl friend
They're asking where you been
Like I know
Where ya been
Hey Summer, where ya been?
I tried to tell you
Tried to tell you
Took a little bit too long
And now your phone
Is disconnected
And your shit's out on the lawn
The Hardback Cafe closed down
Now we've got Office Town
You should have stuck around 'cause
There goes Ross and Frank again
They're holding hands
They're asking where ya been
Like I know
Where ya been
Hey Summer, where ya been?
I could take a train
Or fly away
Maybe write a book
And change my name
I could settle down
There goes Joe Caparo again
Hey, that's Darren's girlfriend!
There's Ross and Frank
They're holding hands
They've been asking where ya been
Hey Summer, where ya been?
I'll smoke a bowl with Caleb
We'll fly away or settle down
But
Hey, hey Summer, where ya been?
The lyrics of Ben Folds Five's song "Where's Summer B.?" are essentially a nostalgic, bittersweet reflection on the passage of time and the way life can change unexpectedly. The lyrics are full of references to old friends and acquaintances and the ways in which their lives have changed. In the first verse, the singer talks about how things "don't seem the same these days" and how one friend, Dave, has been struggling since a breakup with Cheryl. Another friend, Beth, still wears a "stupid dress" that they remember from years ago. In the second verse, the singer talks about how they tried to reach out to someone named Summer but couldn't get in touch, and how a local cafe has since closed down, replaced by an "Office Town". The chorus is a repeating refrain of people asking where Summer has been, and the singer expressing their own uncertainty.
The song is a great example of Ben Folds' distinctive songwriting style, which is characterized by witty observations and clever turns of phrase. The band's signature piano-driven sound gives the song a catchy and upbeat feel that belies its melancholy subject matter. Overall, "Where's Summer B.?" is a wistful and evocative song that captures the sense of loss and longing that can come with growing up and moving on.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd like to tell you
I want to share something with you
Like to tell you
I really want to share this with you
Tell you everything
I want to tell you every detail about everything happening around me
Cause nothing changes
Nothing ever seems to change in my life
Ever changes
I don't see any change happening in my surroundings
Doesn't seem the same these days
Things don't feel the same as they used to
Dave's been a mess since Cheryl left
Dave has been struggling after his breakup with Cheryl
Just sits at home
Dave spends most of his time at home
And beats back death
He tries to overcome his stress and frustration
And Beth still wears that Stupid dress
Beth still wears the same old dress
There goes Joe Caparo again
Joe Caparo seems to be around here again
With Darren's girl friend
He is with Darren's girlfriend
They're asking where you been
They are asking about you
Like I know Where ya been
Asking me the question doesn't help, I don't know
Hey Summer, where ya been?
Hey Summer, where have you disappeared?
I tried to tell you
I attempted to tell you
Took a little bit too long
It took me some time
And now your phone Is disconnected
Your phone is not reachable
And your shit's out on the lawn
Your belongings are lying outside on the lawn
The Hardback Cafe closed down Now we've got Office Town
The old Cafe is shut down and now there is an office in its place
You should have stuck around 'cause
It would have been nice if you had stayed
There goes Ross and Frank again
Ross and Frank are walking around
They're holding hands
Ross and Frank are holding hands
They've been asking where ya been
They have been asking about your whereabouts
I could take a train Or fly away
I am considering taking a train or a flight to get away from here
Maybe write a book And change my name
I might write a book and change my name for a fresh start
I could settle down
I could stay in one place and start a new life
I'll smoke a bowl with Caleb
I'll smoke marijuana with Caleb
We'll fly away or settle down
We are still unsure about whether to move away or to settle in one place
But Hey, hey Summer, where ya been?
But still, Hey Summer, where have you been?
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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