For some odd reason, I must have a soft spot for songs about how emotionally difficult it is for couples who choose to have an abortion when an unwanted pregnancy arises (thankfully no similar experiences in my life). This week's tune shares a theme with Graham Parker's "You Can't Be Too Strong" which I wrote about a thousand years ago in Vol. XXVI. Or--and here's a novel thought--maybe both songs are just well written and finely crafted tunes by gifted musicians....
The Ben Folds Five started in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and have had a nice career playing "punk rock for sissies" (their words, not mine). The band's initial run lasted until 2000. Since then they had a brief concert run in 2008, and reunited for two years over 2011-12. The band has released four studio albums (their latest--in 2012--hit the top ten), a live album, and a couple of compilations. They've also released eight singles, only one of which charted. The band is also well known for contributing to soundtracks. Ben Folds himself has had the most solo success, though all of the band's members have managed to keep making music in one for or another over the course of the last twenty-seven years.
Fun Fact: The Ben Folds Five has actually always been a trio. There is nothing clever about the reason for the band's deception--they just thought Ben Folds Five sounded better than the Ben Folds Trio.
"Brick" was the first single from their second album, Whatever and Ever Amen, released in 1997. The single would be the only charting single of their career, reaching #19 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100. The album reached #42 on the Billboard 200, and is their only album to reach platinum in sales.
Ben Folds has explained that he's making no political statements with the song--it's an autobiographical tale of when he was in high school and he and his girlfriend made the decision to get an abortion. Folds has said that all he wanted to convey is how sad they both were...and his song does exactly that. The song is understated--Folds' voice and his piano playing tell the tale without theatrics (and without becoming maudlin which had to be a tall order to achieve), accompanied by an upright bass that is reminiscent of a calliope that one can't get off of, spinning round and round . He sings it with a matter of fact air, though as the song moves forward his sorrow begins to ease deeper into his vocals and his lyrics. That a song of this nature reached the top twenty says everything you need to know about what the Ben Folds Five were able to capture, turning a difficult subject into a short story with music. A compelling and emotionally moving effort.
Lyric Sheet: "Driving back to her apartment/For the moment we're alone/But she's alone/And I'm alone/And now I know it..."
Enjoy:
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emaycee
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