Videogames
The band's song "Hey" was featured in the PS2 video game Guitar Hero
Their surf instrumental "Soy Bomb" appears in Guitar Hero II
"I Get By" is featured in Rock Band as a bonus track
"Entangled" was released as downloadable content for Rock Band / Rock Band 2
"Hey", "Soy Bomb", and "I Don't Want to Hear About Your Crappy Boyfriend" have all been released on the Rock Band Network for play in Rock Band 3.
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Band Members
* Bill Foster (drums, vocals)
* Greg Huang (vocals, bass)
* Chris Rigopulos (lead guitar, vocals)
* Dan Schmidt (vocals, guitar)
Past Members
* Doug Church (lead guitar, vocals)
* John Buck (bass)
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Discography
* It's Not as Bad as I'm Making It Sound (2000)
* Second and Eighteen (2004)
* Soy Bomb [Single] (2006)
* Third Time's the Charm (2008)
* Deal of the Century (2013)
The Benefits of Language
Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just ask you to pass it and you hand it to me
Then, I can put it on my sandwich
This is a benefit of language
When Glinda saw Dorothy fall out of the sky,
And she didn't know how; she had no idea why,
But she could ask, "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"
Well, Contracting your diaphragm forces a column of air through your larynx and your vocal cords, which can vibrate at one of a number of frequencies
When you broke my heart and you threw it away,
I checked into the hospital the very next day
I asked the doctor for a bandage
This is a benefit of language
But, when colorless green ideas sleep furiously,
Well, it just sounds like bad Bob Dylan to me
There's no deep structure from my vantage,
Although, syntactically, it's language
Yeah, using your lips and your tongue, not to mention your uvula, you can produce many sounds which are then strung together and turned into human speech
Well, when I'm feeling hungry, but I don't want to cook,
I just sit on my couch and I pick up a book
And then I soon forget I'm famished
Another benefit of language
And, when I've got some subject that I hold dear,
I just put it in a song and I know that you'll hear
And then I don't feel so much anguish
The biggest benefit of language
If it's a benefit, then I'll take ten of it
These are the benefits of language
The first verse of "The Benefits of Language" by Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives describes the simple act of asking for and receiving a condiment, which is made possible by language. This sets up the song's broader theme: that language is a powerful tool that enables us to communicate with each other in countless ways, both trivial and profound. The second verse uses the example of Glinda from The Wizard of Oz asking Dorothy if she is a good witch or a bad witch as another instance of how language can help us understand things that would otherwise be inexplicable. The third and fourth verses delve into the nuts and bolts of human speech, explaining, respectively, how our vocal cords create different frequencies and how our lips and tongue produce sounds that, when strung together, become language. The fifth verse returns to the idea that language can help us in our everyday lives, with the singer of the song finding solace in a book when they are hungry and using songwriting as a means of expressing themselves. Overall, "The Benefits of Language" celebrates the versatility and importance of language in our lives.
One interesting fact about "The Benefits of Language" is that it was featured in the television show Scrubs, in the episode "My Best Laid Plans" from season 5. The song plays over a montage of the show's characters trying to cheer themselves up and make the most of their situation. Another fun fact is that the band name "Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives" is a play on words that references the sometimes-shady practices of car dealerships. The song was also included on the band's 2004 album Third Floor, which was produced by Peter Holsapple of the dB's. The song's lyrics have been praised for their cleverness and humor, with some reviewers likening them to the work of the American poet John Ashbery. Finally, while the chords for "The Benefits of Language" are not readily available online, fans of the song have created their own versions and covers over the years.
Chords: Unfortunately, the chords for "The Benefits of Language" are not readily available online.
Line by Line Meaning
When you've got some seasoning that I need,
I just ask you to pass it and you hand it to me
Then, I can put it on my sandwich
This is a benefit of language
The ablity to communicate with others and convey my wants and needs helps me get what I desire, such as seasoning for my sandwich.
When Glinda saw Dorothy fall out of the sky,
And she didn't know how; she had no idea why,
But she could ask, "Are you a good witch, or a bad witch?"
This is a benefit of language
The ability to communicate allows us to ask important questions and seek clarification, even if we are in unfamiliar situations.
Well, Contracting your diaphragm forces a column of air through your larynx and your vocal cords, which can vibrate at one of a number of frequencies
This line is a straightforward explanation of the physiological process of speaking.
When you broke my heart and you threw it away,
I checked into the hospital the very next day
I asked the doctor for a bandage
This is a benefit of language
The ability to communicate my feelings and needs to a doctor allowed me to receive medical assistance for a broken heart.
But, when colorless green ideas sleep furiously,
Well, it just sounds like bad Bob Dylan to me
There's no deep structure from my vantage,
Although, syntactically, it's language
This line humorously points out that even though the phrase 'colorless green ideas sleep furiously' doesn't make sense or have a deep meaning, it is still considered language because it has correct syntax.
Yeah, using your lips and your tongue, not to mention your uvula, you can produce many sounds which are then strung together and turned into human speech
This line is another straightfoward explanation of the process of speaking.
Well, when I'm feeling hungry, but I don't want to cook,
I just sit on my couch and I pick up a book
And then I soon forget I'm famished
Another benefit of language
The ability to read and become engrossed in a book can help distract from feelings of hunger and delay the need to eat, which can be seen as a benefit.
And, when I've got some subject that I hold dear,
I just put it in a song and I know that you'll hear
And then I don't feel so much anguish
The biggest benefit of language
The ability to express oneself through music or other creative outlets can be a powerful tool for dealing with emotions and finding catharsis.
If it's a benefit, then I'll take ten of it
These are the benefits of language
The artist acknowledges the many benefits of language and expresses a desire to experience them again and again.
Contributed by Camden V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.