| Ben Folds – Fair Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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Like so many off this album this is quite a bitter some about a failed relationship. "I guess she made her way through the mob too late to hear him say That he'd gotten all he'd wanted A crowd to watch him bear the pain" I'd interpreted this as suicide. "All is fair in love" is saying that he's getting his own back, even if it is in a terrible way. |
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| Ben Folds – The Secret Life of Morgan Davis Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I wonder why he chose such a Welsh name again? | |
| Stereophonics – A Thousand Trees Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I totally agree with Handy. Someone else said this described typical South Wales valleys. Maybe that's so, but these guys are from north Wales and this is about a local incident. Echoing what so many others have said, this and "Local Boy" stand head and shoulders above anything else they have ever produced. Still, two greats is quite an achievement. |
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| Stereophonics – Local Boy In The Photograph Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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This is about a suicide not an accident, hence the line "Past the place they found his clothing". I remember reading that this was about a local 22 year old, though 23 obviously fitter better. Incredibly powerful line "He'll always be twenty-three / Yet the train runs on and on", but the song is full of them. I also remember reading that the pier had been repainted, so I'm not sure if that's a reference to his blood or not. "Local boy in the photograph" is a reference to his picture in the papers after his death. It must have happened at the end of BST in late October as "Clocks go back". Awesome song that always gives me goosebumps. |
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| Ben Folds – Side Of The Road Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I think this is about a man (Ben) that wants to settle down, but is afraid / unwilling to let go of his independence. He loves the woman, but needs time and reassurance to come to terms with what the future with her means. Brilliant song. |
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| Ben Folds – One Down Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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What a brilliant song written to fulfill a contractual obligation. I love the fact that he had to write not 4 or 5, but 4.6 songs! The middle eight is a real p***-take. Can you think of any more non-Ben lyrics. Even more ironic is the fact that he has written a near perfect song, which the publishers can't use because it slaughters them. I also like the line "Don't like wasting time on music that won't make me proud". That's why I love his music so much. The man is a genius. |
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| Ben Folds – Fred Jones Pt. 2 Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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A beautiful, but very sad song about how impersonal the world is and how no one cares about individuals. Reminds me of Smithers-Jones by The Jam, both in name and subject matter. |
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| Ben Folds Five – Eddie Walker Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I always took "No, Eddie Walker, she doesn't hate your guts." to mean that she forgave him for the things he did because she understood that they were due to his illness and beyond his control. "This actually was millimetres from being on the live album...". "It's a really old song (um, it's old to me). I wrote it about a friend. I used to visit him in a halfway home and we'd sit and look at pictures and, er, I guess some of you have been to one of those places. (audience laugh). I've told this before, but it puts it in perspective. I would have to go up to the little attic area that they'd made for him and he'd look through pictures and he'd get sick of that so he'd wanna play guitar and there was a broom with a microphone stand taped to it and he would sing this song that he wrote about his girlfriend, who had a restraining order against him (audience laughs). The song went "Vir-gin-ia, I want to touch you". It was a good song actually. He's all better now." Ben Fold Live in NYC 2003. |
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| Ben Folds – Carrying Cathy Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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"Woke up sad from this dream I've been having" implies to me that the suicide was metaphorical. I know Ben mixes and matches names with stories and this reminds me of Emaline, where he described (in interviews) how he was always explaining her to others "Friends, you don't understand". The death part reminds me of "Angie Baby", though I've not heard that since I was a kid. Maybe that's why I tend to agree with the mental illness idea. The last part about the pallbearers carrying Cathy is clever, if a little corny. A really beautiful song. My wife's name is Cathy, though I'm not sure that's a good thing in this instance! |
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| Ben Folds Five – Emaline Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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So many good lines. "Money talks, I hate to listen, but lately it's been screaming in my ear". Pretty self explanatory, but a nice turn of phrase. Also love the opening line. Most of all it's a beautiful song. The piano versions are stunning. The version below is also good with piano, bass and drums. "This is a song that was recorded for the first album, but um, we took it off because it had an acoustic guitar in it and that's against the law." Ben Folds on Ben Folds Five Sessions @ West 54th |
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| Ben Folds – Not The Same Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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"...it's the (or kinda by myself), it's he song 'bout the guy who climbed up a tree on acid. Originally really what I was thinking about... what inspired me about the story of the guy climbing up a tree on acid and becoming a born-again Christian at a party was eh, that anything you do, after you do it, after whatever transpires, you're not the same. So, what I wanted was a list of things in the song originally which, this happens, you're not the same. This happens, you're not the same. I decided there was enough in the story with the guy climbing up a tree on acid at a party to just leave it at that." Quote by Ben Folds on "Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth". One of several superb Ben Folds songs which sounds better with just him, a piano and a good audience than it does on the studio album. |
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| Ben Folds – Anger & Issues in Ellensburg Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I brilliant example of how Ben can think on his feet, making up a song on the spot reacting to members of the audience. He does of course have a fixation about wanting to "Rock out with his cock out", but we can forgive a genius that. |
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| The Church – Is This Where You Live Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I'm not convinced that this actually means anything, but I love it. It's like two completely separate songs. I just love it played live when (after nearly 4 mins) the guitar kicks in. | |
| The Church – The Unguarded Moment Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I also want to add that this is one of my very favourite Church songs, and they have a huge number of great songs to chose from. | |
| The Church – To Be In Your Eyes Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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A beautiful song by someone who is apart from their loved one. Lovely major to major 7th riff. |
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| The Church – When You Were Mine Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| Totally agree. | |
| The Church – Fighter Pilot... Korean War Lyrics | 15 years ago |
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I never managed to get my hands on a copy of this track. I believe it was on the non-UK version of the first album (which even had a different title). A very non-Churchy title gives away the meaning. |
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| The Church – A Fire Burns Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I read an interview with Steve Kilbey once where he admitted that the lyrics in the first few Church albums didn't mean anything. They were made up to sound deep and psychedelic. Great songs though. | |
| R.E.M. – Harborcoat Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I've always loved this song, but never had a clue what it was actually about. | |
| R.E.M. – Camera Lyrics | 15 years ago |
| I always used to struggle to hear the lyrics on this song - along with many other mumbled Stipe lyrics of the time. That helped make it so cool though. Fantastic song, great guitar. | |
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