Brick
Ben Folds and Neil Hannon Lyrics
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I throw some clothes on in the dark
The smell of cold
Car seat is freezing
The world is sleeping
I am numb
Up the stairs to her apartment
Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte
They're not home to find us out
And we drive
Now that I have found someone
I'm feeling more alone
Than I ever have before
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
They call her name at seven-thirty
I pace around the parking lot
Then I walk down to buy her flowers
And sell some gifts that I got
Can't you see
It's not me you're dying for?
Now she's feeling more alone
Than she ever has before
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
As weeks went by
It showed that she was not fine
They told me "Son it's time to tell the truth"
And she broke down and I broke down
'Cause I was tired of lying
Driving back to her apartment
For the moment, we're alone
Yeah, she's alone and I'm alone
And now I know it
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
The lyrics to "Brick" by Ben Folds Five, and Ben Folds serve as a painful reminder of a difficult moment in the past for the songwriter. The song deals with a teenage pregnancy, which the singer and his girlfriend are trying to manage without their parents finding out. The opening verse is particularly vivid as Folds describes leaving his apartment building on a cold winter morning to pick up his girlfriend, who is alone and scared, waiting on the couch in her apartment. As the song progresses, the two characters' loneliness only deepens, with little hope of salvation. Folds sings of the guilt and the weight of secrets, leading to a bittersweet realisation of the harsh reality they face.
The song "Brick" was co-written by Ben Folds and drummer Darren Jessee, and was the first single of Ben Folds Five's second album, Whatever and Ever Amen. The song gained critical acclaim upon its release in 1997 and won a spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song's emotional ballad owes its staying power to Folds' plaintive, vulnerable voice and the haunting melody that resonates long after the song ends.
Line by Line Meaning
Six am day after Christmas
The singer wakes up early on the day after Christmas.
I throw some clothes on in the dark
The singer gets dressed without turning on the lights.
The smell of cold
The singer can smell the cold air outside.
Car seat is freezing
The artist's car is very cold.
The world is sleeping
It seems like everyone else is still asleep.
I am numb
The singer is emotionally numb.
Up the stairs to her apartment
The singer walks up the stairs to his girlfriend's apartment.
She is balled up on the couch
The artist's girlfriend is curled up on the couch.
Her mom and dad went down to Charlotte
The girlfriend's parents are out of town.
They're not home to find us out
The artist and his girlfriend are alone in the apartment.
And we drive
The singer and his girlfriend leave the apartment and start driving.
Now that I have found someone
The artist has found a new girlfriend.
I'm feeling more alone
Despite having a girlfriend, the singer feels more alone than ever.
Than I ever have before
This feeling is worse than anything he has felt in the past.
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
The singer's girlfriend is a burden to him and he feels like he is drowning because of her.
Off the coast and I'm headed nowhere
The artist is lost and directionless in his life.
They call her name at seven thirty
The girlfriend is called to come back to the abortion clinic.
I pace around the parking lot
The singer waits anxiously in the parking lot.
Then I walk down to buy her flowers
After the procedure, the singer buys his girlfriend flowers.
And sell some gifts that I got
The artist sells some gifts he had bought for his girlfriend, which now seem pointless.
Can't you see
The artist is frustrated that his girlfriend can't understand his feelings.
It's not me you're dying for
The artist feels like his girlfriend is clinging to him for comfort, but he can't give it to her.
Now she's feeling more alone
His girlfriend is now feeling more alone too.
Then she ever has before
Her loneliness is worse than anything she has felt before.
As weeks went by
Time passes after the abortion.
It showed that she was not fine
His girlfriend is struggling emotionally after the abortion.
They told me son it's time to tell the truth
The girlfriend's parents tell the singer that he needs to tell his parents what happened.
She broke down and I broke down
Both the artist and his girlfriend are emotional wrecks.
'Cause I was tired of lying
The artist was tired of pretending like everything was okay.
Driving home to her apartment
The singer drives his girlfriend home.
For the moment we're alone
They are alone for the moment.
She's alone
His girlfriend is now truly alone.
I'm alone
The artist also feels alone.
Now I know it
The artist has come to terms with his emotions and his situation.
She's a brick and I'm drowning slowly
The singer's girlfriend is still a burden to him and he still feels like he is drowning because of her.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ben Folds, Darren Jessee
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind