You may notice that this is a very niche article topic. Ben Folds is one of my favorite musicians, but he is not overly well-known, especially by people my age. I’ve grown up listening to his music because my dad likes him a lot. I think he is an extremely underrated artist and a musical genius, and more people should listen to him!
“Everybody knows it hurts to grow up, and everybody does”
Ben Folds, “Still Fighting It”
To begin, here are a few facts about Ben Folds:
- He was the lead singer of a band called Ben Folds Five until he branched off into solo work.
- His music blends several genres, including alternative, soft rock, and classical.
- He was the Artistic Advisor to the National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center until… um… someone decided to take over the Kennedy Center and Folds promptly resigned.
- He runs a charity that helps provide piano lessons to kids who may not be able to afford them.
- I share a birthday with him!
- When I saw him play live in November, he looked like the most regular guy ever performing on stage. He was just in a white T-shirt and jeans.
Now, let’s get into some song recommendations! For your convenience, I have separated his songs into four categories. I have included some songs by Ben Folds Five and some of his solo songs. For each category, I will provide a (not extensive) list of songs and one of my favorite lyrics from each song, and some extra notes if I feel so inclined.
PSA before we get into the categories: The first Ben Folds song that I would recommend listening to in general is “The Luckiest.” This is probably his second most popular song and one of the two songs that someone who does not listen to Ben Folds might know. (His most popular song is “Brick.” You know, “she’s a brick and I’m drowning slowly.”) “The Luckiest,” a beautiful love song, is featured in the romance movie About Time. My parents danced to it at their wedding.
Slow and Beautiful Songs
- Cologne – “Such a painful trip to find out this is it / And as I go to sleep, you’ll be waking up”
- Magic – “You’re the magic that holds the sky up from the ground”
- Don’t Change Your Plans – “Sometimes I get the feeling that I won’t be on this planet for very long / I really like it here, I’m quite attached to it, I hope I’m wrong”
- Sky High – “Pawn shop billboard, we buy gold / Old dreams just fade and twist, it’s a heartache that never ended” – This was the song I listened to right after my last romantic relationship ended. It was very cathartic. 10/10.
Upbeat Songs
- Not The Same – “You got one good trick and you’re hanging on, you’re hanging on” – Bonus: if you are 5’3” like me, you can probably run to the beat of this song!
- Army – “Three sad semesters, it was only 15 grand spent in bed / I thought about the army, I dropped out and joined a band instead” – Fun fact: when playing this song live with no horns, Ben Folds has the audience sing the horns’ part of the song. Also, for the upbeat-ness, listen to the Ben Folds Five version.
- Gone – “The days go on, the lights go off and on / And nothing really matters when you’re gone”
- Narcolepsy – “Nothing hurts when I go to sleep / But I’m not tired”
A Mix of Slow and Upbeat
- Still (Reprise) – “But watch the microscope long enough, things that seem still are still changing” – This is one of my favorites of his entire discography. Is it from an animated kids’ movie called Over The Hedge? Yes. Have I seen that movie? No. But the song on its own is gorgeous, the instruments are phenomenal, and the whole thing makes me very nostalgic. I would recommend listening to it for the first time while lying in bed in the dark to get the full experience. And make sure you listen to the Reprise, not just the regular version (both are good, but the reprise is better).
- Landed – “We’d hit the bottom, I thought it was my fault / And in a way, I guess it was”
- Mess – “There are rooms in this house that I don’t open anymore / Dusty books and pictures on the floor”
- From Above – “Maybe that’s how books get written, maybe that’s why songs get sung / Maybe we owe the unlucky ones”
Other
- Because The Origami
I’m not even going to give you any lyrics from this one. Just listen to it. Preferably after you listen to a bunch of his other songs. But do listen to it, just for the love of the game. I gave it its own category for a reason. (Also, disclaimer, this song was born from a challenge to write and record 8 songs in 8 hours. So take from that what you will.)
So there you have it! There are many other Ben Folds songs that I love, but if I were to list all of them that would not be helpful as a place to start. Have a great time listening!