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Selfless, Cold, and Composed Lyrics
I
said what you wanted to hear
and what I
wanted to say
so, I
will take it back
are all of the dishes in tact?
let them be
broken
broken
it's easy to be
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
you remain
selfless, cold
and composed
you've done me no
favor to call and be nice
telling me I
can take anything
I like
you don't owe me to be so polite
you've done no wrong
and you've done no wrong
get out of my sight
it's easy to be
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
to remain
selfless, cold
and composed
come on baby,
now throw me a right to the chin
don't just stare like you never cared
I know you did
but you just smile
like a bank teller
blankly telling me:
"have a nice life"
come on baby,
now throw me a right to the chin
just one sign that could show me
that you give a shit
but you just smile, politely
and I grow weaker and I
said what you wanted to hear
and what I
wanted to say
so, I
will take it back
it's easy to be
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
and it doesn't mean anything
you can take anything
you can take anything
you're so
selfless, cold
so selfless, cold
so selfless, cold
and composed
[cool.]
said what you wanted to hear
and what I
wanted to say
so, I
will take it back
are all of the dishes in tact?
let them be
broken
broken
it's easy to be
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
you remain
selfless, cold
and composed
favor to call and be nice
telling me I
can take anything
I like
you don't owe me to be so polite
you've done no wrong
and you've done no wrong
get out of my sight
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
to remain
selfless, cold
and composed
now throw me a right to the chin
don't just stare like you never cared
I know you did
but you just smile
like a bank teller
blankly telling me:
"have a nice life"
now throw me a right to the chin
just one sign that could show me
that you give a shit
but you just smile, politely
and I grow weaker and I
and what I
wanted to say
so, I
will take it back
easy and free
when it doesn't mean anything
and it doesn't mean anything
you can take anything
you can take anything
selfless, cold
so selfless, cold
so selfless, cold
and composed
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Amazing. Gorgeous.
This song does exactly what lyrics should do. The soulfull expression of a single emotion.
What kind of pain would you feel if someone you loved replaced their love with nothing? How do you handle apathy?
It would hurt.
ive always noticed that the line "are all the dishes intact?" matches up with the line in fair "she shattered her last china plate". its always seemed to me that fair is the breakup when emotions are running high, and this song is a while later after theyve stopped speaking to each other.
on "itunes originals - ben folds", he talks about how this song was written because an ex of his wrote him a letter six months after the break up stating why she broke up with him. she was angry because it just seemed like he hadn't cared and he had always been too nice. so he wrote a song from her perspective to show her that he understood where she was coming from. it's about those people who don't seem to care, are just "selfless, cold, and composed." the lyrics are self explanatory from there.
This song is definitely about a former love, but every time I hear it I think about it as HE broke up with the girl. He says "you've done no wrong." And he also calls her "selfless, cold and composed." Maybe it's just me, but it feels like she's trying to play off being dumped like she never cared. "I know you did." And it's hurting both of them even more. Anyone understand or agree?
Had the pleasure of reciting this song for a piano class, so beautiful. Very Christmas-y/winter sounding, I think (sleigh bells @ the end!). Ben said that he wrote the song as a challenge, when he thought about an ex-girlfriend who was angry after they broke up, and complained he was too nice. So, he wrote the song from her point of view, so really Ben is singing about himself! I absolutely love the piano on this one, especially during the bridge! Again, so beautiful.
Folds is a musical master, need more be said? Really? Honestly?
this song...full of emotion, full of meaning...just like every other ben folds song...ben folds is just too cool.
where are the rest of the lyrics? i think in the last few lines of what is posted...it should read " like a bank teller blankly telling me have a nice life...."
come on kevster, get these lyrics right, go to http://www.even-deeper.com/benfoldsfive/selfless.html for them...anyway about this song, Ben Folds himself said, "It's kind of about your average middle-class white guy — the kind of guy that can't express his emotions and has a hard time caring about others. He's the antidote to the guy in 'Dumped.'" i love how the high violin notes counter the bass line and the pizz. of the violin, and the piano melody with the irregular beat is really neat, the percussion is nice, especially the short drum rolls with one at 4:10 that i like...beautiful song, it is "cool" indeed
This is the song about a girl who has dumped her boyfriend and while he is still emotionally attached to her, she is cool, probably playing the "Let's Be Friends" card. So the person who is saying these words is telling her that the way she has detached herself from all of the things that their relationship used to mean disgusts him. He's still worked up about it and she's calm. This is a beautiful song, one of the best Ben Folds Five songs on this album.