His music is typically labeled as power pop, though he doesn't completely agree. His major musical influences include The Cars, David Bowie, Electric Light Orchestra, Elvis Costello, The Kinks, Robyn Hitchcock, Paul McCartney, and Todd Rundgren.
His debut album, One Mississippi, was released in 1996 on Virgin Records. The album featured several contributions with Jason Falkner and gained many favourable reviews in the music press but failed to sell in sufficient numbers and Benson was dropped by Virgin.
It would be another six years until Benson issued the follow-up, Lapalco. Again the critical plaudits poured in but this time the record enjoyed a certain degree of commercial success.
While touring this record Benson played the Reading and Leeds Festivals and finished his Leeds set with a performance of the track "Jet Lag" featuring guest appearances from Meg White of The White Stripes along with members of The Datsuns and Soledad Brothers.
In 2003 Benson re-released his debut album along with bonus tracks including the unreleased six track extended player, Welfed Boy EP, featuring songs from a demo session with Falkner.
Also in 2003, Benson released an EP, Metarie, with his then band, The Wellfed Boys. The EP featured a cover of Paul McCartney's "Let Me Roll It". This was the first song written completely by another artist to be featured on a Benson release. Another cover, this time "Strong Boy", from Gram Parsons International Submarine Band's 1968 album, Safe at Home, was released as a b-side in 2005.
In 2005, Benson released his third album, The Alternative to Love, and toured extensively in the US, UK and Europe with his new touring band, The Stiff Tissues.
Benson is also a member of The Raconteurs, a collaboration with Jack White of The White Stripes and two members of The Greenhornes, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler. The group's debut album, Broken Boy Soldiers, was released in the US on May 16th, 2006, with "Steady, As She Goes" the first single.
Brendan currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.
He has also worked as a producer for The Greenhornes, The Nice Device, The Mood Elevator (a permutation of The Welfed Boys), and Stiff Tissues member Dean Fertita's former band, The Waxwings.
In 2008, his song "What I'm Looking For" was used in an Apple iPod Touch television ad, propelling sales of that particular song on iTunes and other online music retailers.
Benson's fourth full-length record, My Old, Familiar Friend, was released on August 18, 2009. This was followed by What Kind of World (2012), and You Were Right (2013).
Flesh & Bone
Brendan Benson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now you've wandered too far
And you can't find your car
You don't know where you've been
When the night closes in
You feel it under your skin
You won't let me in
You were here but now you're gone
From your head down to your toes
It's just how the shockwave goes
And you're running all the way
When will you be here to stay
You were with me all the time
Now you're out of sight and out of mind
And you look like a dove
Something sent from above
Always in and out of love
You try to run but you slip
Now you got a bloody lip
You just can't get a grip
You won't let me in
You can switch it off and on
Now you're here and now you're gone
From your head down to your toes
It's just how the shockwave goes
And you're running all the way
When will you be here to stay
You were with me all the time
Now you're out of sight and out of mind
Little lamb that you are
Now you've wandered too far
And you can't find your car
You don't know where you've been
When the night closes in
You feel it under your skin
You won't let me in, yeah
You can switch it off and on (on)
You were here but now you're gone (gone)
From your head down to your toes (toes)
It's just how the shockwave goes (goes)
And you're running all the way (way)
When will you be here to stay (stay)
You were with me all the time (time)
Now you're out of sight
The lyrics to Brendan Benson's song "Flesh & Bone" seem to be about a person who is struggling to cope with life and the emotions that come with it. The "little lamb" may represent this person's vulnerability and innocence, perhaps indicating that they are not equipped to handle the challenges they are facing. The imagery of being lost and unable to find their car suggests a sense of disorientation, while feeling something "under your skin" could indicate a physical manifestation of emotional turmoil. Despite the singer's attempts to help, offering to be "let in," the person continues to resist and push away, leaving the singer feeling abandoned and forgotten. This idea is reinforced by the final line, "Now you're out of sight and out of mind," suggesting that the person has moved on from the relationship, and perhaps moved on from the singer.
The chorus repeats the idea of being present one moment and gone the next, which could refer to the person's inconsistent behavior and emotional state. The "shockwave" image could represent the sudden impact of intense emotions, which may be overwhelming and cause the person to retreat or act impulsively. The longing for the person to stay suggests a desire for stability and dependability in the relationship, rather than the unpredictable and tumultuous behavior they are experiencing.
Overall, the lyrics suggest a sense of frustration and helplessness in trying to reach out to someone who is struggling with their emotions and unable to form a stable connection.
Line by Line Meaning
Little lamb that you are
Addressing the person as an innocent and naive creature.
Now you've wandered too far
You've strayed too much from the path you were on.
And you can't find your car
Your confusion has left you unable to find your way back to a familiar place.
You don't know where you've been
You're lost and confused about your own past.
When the night closes in
As darkness approaches, you feel more scared and uncertain.
You feel it under your skin
You sense something deeply unsettling within you.
You won't let me in
You refuse to share your feelings with anyone else.
You can switch it off and on
You sometimes try to hide your emotions, making it seem like you have control over them.
You were here but now you're gone
You were once present and engaged, but now you seem distant and disinterested.
From your head down to your toes
Your entire being is affected by your emotional turmoil.
It's just how the shockwave goes
This intense emotional state is a natural reaction to the circumstances at hand.
And you're running all the way
You're desperately trying to escape something or someone.
When will you be here to stay
When will you commit and make a lasting connection with someone or something.
You were with me all the time
There was a time when we were closely allied and in sync.
Now you're out of sight and out of mind
Now you seem to have disappeared from my life, and I am not constantly thinking about you.
And you look like a dove
You appear gentle and peaceful, like a symbol of hope and deliverance
Something sent from above
You seem like a divine message or intervention from a higher power.
Always in and out of love
You seem to switch back and forth between emotional attachments quickly and easily.
You try to run but you slip
You attempt to escape your problems or fears, but you end up falling and hurting yourself.
Now you got a bloody lip
You have experienced physical pain as a result of your struggles.
You just can't get a grip
You are unable to take control of your own emotions and actions.
Yeah
Exclamation to emphasize the emotions present in the song.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Brendan Benson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Yami Manzmarquez
amo esta canción <3.
Ceren Çetin
when i listen this, i think skins and i smile fuck this feelings, perfect lyrics!!!
Ana Paula Sánchez Rodríguez
Why isn't this on Spotify? :(((
Sean Crowley
It is now
Lucas Calazans
that's good music dude!
Yofo SVR
why, for not knowing the existence of it until someone finally drops it?
Felipe Cespedes
Perfect
• Dekuscrubbb •
Anyone else get reminded of Sid and Cassie from this song?
morex
it reminds me of chris' funeral
Marina Medina
aww, well at least I've come to find a good song :) that's got to count for something...no?