What?

• Almost Right Titles (Update Jan 2003)

• Song Lyrics (Update Jan 2003)

• Hiro's Song 

• Ben Folds... Solo... with a Band

• Debut v. Sophomore Solo Album

• Apostrophe Usage

• Whatever and Ever Amen Re-release

• Sun Records Tribute Album

• Ben's Keytar

 

Almost Right Titles

Frequently bewildering, often hilarious... the true gem of the entire misinformation section is the "almost right title."  For Ben Folds fans, this is unintentional comedy at its best.  The quote below is a classic example:

He performed many of the older Ben Folds Five songs to which the audience had been waiting to sing along. The intimacy of “Here I Stand,” an ode to the cold freedom of loneliness, was marred by drunken yelling from the front ranks. Folds displayed some impressive piano skills, although he strained vocally at times." Big and Important,” a defiant, childish rant, went out to “all the motherf***ers whose asses I kicked in elementary school.” The crowd sang along to “Black T-Shirt” and its overplayed one good line, “Give me my money back, you bitch.”
–  SF Foghorn

Come back when you've finished laughing. 

If you're still scratching your head, you might like to know that the author is referring to Evaporated, One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces, and Song for the Dumped.

Here is a list of all of the misnamed songs and albums found in the archive.  Click the X to view quotations and/or snide remarks in a new window.

 

Song Lyrics

After reading the various titles that have been invented for Ben's work, one can hardly be surprised when lyrics are reinvented.

On "Zak and Sara," Folds sings, "Sara spelled without an 'H' was getting bored, on a PB amp in 1984... 
– Janet Branagan

There's the "textbook heavyman" in "The Ascent of Stan,"...  - Durham Independent

I'm rocking the suburbs / I take the hits and face the facts/ While some producer with a computer/Fixes all my shitty tracks.
– Uberhamster  

“Sara spelled without an ‘h’ was getting board.” – The Lawrence

UPDATE >> "I feel like a quote out of context/withholding the rest/so I can be free, what you want to see" Mr. Folds sings in one of his best opening lines.
– Washington Times <<

The pounding then delicate “Gone” is a classic kiss off in the tradition of Ben Folds Five’s “Song For the Dumped” but the attitude this time is more adult and less “give me my records back you bitch.”
 – Modern Rock

Amidst the repeated lyric “everybody’s fired," Ben just whips out an improvisation that is jazzy, fun and musically intelligent. 
– The Crescent

Peavey amp... hippy man...  I take the checks... Sara spelled without an 'h' was getting bored... so I can be for you what you want to see... give me my money back... every one of you is fired.  No really, you're fired!

Table of Contents

 

Hiro's Song

The details of Hiro's Song vary from article to article:  Sometimes Hiro is 55, other times he is 51; sometimes they go to a Cornelius concert, other times it's a Jesus concert.

There is a simple explanation for this.  The lyrics of the song indicate that Hiro is 51, and Yuko has backstage passes to a Jesus concert.  Yet when Ben introduces the song by telling the "true story," he reveals that song is about a Japanese business man who is 55 or 56 years old, and the concert the couple attended was a Cornelius concert.  Some people report on one thing, some people report on the other.

Your guess is as good as mine as to where the next quote came from.  (Perhaps Ben provided additional details in his introduction at this show, or perhaps not.)

Another of Folds' famous character sketches, "Hiro's Song" is about a middle-aged Japanese American who falls in love with a young Japanese exchange student.

The title of the song is also alternately reported as "Hiro's Song" and "Karaoke Supernova."  It was referred to as Hiro's Song in Ben's post to the Magical Armchair Digest and subsequently named Hiro's Song on the Japanese version of Rockin' the Suburbs; however, it is sometimes introduced in concert as "Karaoke Supernova."

Of course, there is yet another (more questionable) variation:

Songs from the new album "Rockin' the Suburbs" dominated the first hour of music, save for the tragically comical "Karaoke Superstar,"...
– Variety

Table of Contents

 

Ben Folds... Solo... with a Band

In 2001, Ben toured with a backing band (with the exception of a benefit concert, a TV taping, and perhaps a radio performance or two).  The band, however, did not have a name - this was Ben Folds' solo material.  When the tour was first announced, writers were unsure what to call his new venture.

A few months after the dissolution of the Ben Folds Five, singer/songwriter/ pianist Ben Folds has finished a new album, Rockin' the Suburbs, and he has put together a new band aptly titled Ben Folds Band and is hitting the road for a tour.

–  Clear Channel

Earlier this year, he parted ways with the group that he became famous with, Ben Folds Five, and this current tour is designed to "break in some new shit" with his new outfit, aptly named Ben Folds.

–  Junk Media

They were aptly named nothing!  In early summer of 2001, Ticketmaster simultaneously listed concert dates under Ben Folds, Ben Folds Five, and Ben Folds Band.  The dates and titles shifted around every few days until they finally listed all of the dates under "Ben Folds."

Table of Contents

 

Debut Solo Album v. Sophomore Solo Release

Rockin' the Suburbs is referred to both as Ben's first solo album and his second.  They are both right, sort of.  While still part of Ben Folds Five, Ben released an experimental album without the band - Volume One, under the name Fear of Pop.  Rockin' the Suburbs is Ben's first solo release since the break up of Ben Folds Five, his first well known solo project, and the first solo album to be released under his name.

Table of Contents

 

Apostrophe Usage

Folds'? Folds's? Fold's? Fold'? Just where does that apostrophe belong?

Apparently, Folds's is correct, recommended by Strunk and White unless one is referring to more than one Folds; Folds', however,  tends to be used much more often (and rolls off the tongue a little easier).  Yet, there are more variations.

Based on the strengths of the three albums released by Ben Folds Five, and the fact that Mr. Folds was the primary songwriter for the trio, it should come as no surprise that Ben Fold’ solo debut is killer.

–  CultureBurn

Ben Folds Five fans will be pleased to see that songs like "Rockin' the Suburbs" (in which Folds boasts that he's rocking the suburbs like Michael Jackson, Quiet Riot, and Jon Bon Jovi) walk Fold's familiar line between humor and camp.
– Yale Herald

I would have expected better from Yale.

Slant Magazine gets extra points for the Billy Joel reference (as detailed in the How section):

We're spared Joel's obsession with New York and his occasional wallowing in self-questioning, which, while compelling, doesn't compare to Fold's dry wit and lovelorn boyishness.

–  Slant Magazine

In the event of extreme anxiety about potentially incorrect punctuation, I suppose ya could just do away with the apostrophe all together:

If you like Ben Folds work you will not be too disappointed with this.
– Ear Candy

Random "The Alternative Lifestyle Magazine" strikes again with this frightening example of an elementary grammatical mistake:

The only track that really registers the first couple of times through is title track (and oddly first single) Rockin’ the Suburb’s.

–  Random Magazine

In this case I suppose "alternative lifestyle" refers to a unique approach to apostrophes and a conservative use of articles (grammatically speaking).  The editor of Random might benefit from Bob's Quick Guide to the Apostrophe, You Idiots.

Table of Contents

 

Whatever And Ever Amen Re-Release

So what about these reports of a re-release of Whatever and Ever Amen?

The same day the expatriate piano-man drops his solo debut, Rockin' the Suburbs, will see an augmented reissue of his ex-outfit's biggest record. Whatever and Ever Amen, originally released by the Ben Folds Five in 1997, is getting a fresh pressing replete with four rare gems, two from the ill-fated final BFF sessions.
–  Rolling Stone, June 2001

This was no mistake, but the re-release never came to be; it was eventually decided that there was no reason to manufacture competition for Ben's new release.

Swizzle-Stick, a webzine, criticized the release, accusing the powers that be of trying to "milk that cash cow dry."  In the process, the ranter provides more misinformation:

Two tracks, "Prince Charming" and "Amelia Bright" were written by bassist Robert Sledge (who has recently been playing with Minor Drag) and were demoed by the band before their break up.
–  Swizzle Stick, July 2001

Actually, Darren wrote Amelia Bright, and he has played it at some of his solo shows.  Robert, as stated, is responsible for Prince Charming.

Table of Contents

 

Sun Records Tribute album

Several sources report that the last track recorded by Ben Folds Five will appear on an upcoming Sun Records Tribute album:

There's at least one posthumous Ben Folds Five track in the can; the band's cover of Carl Perkins' "Honey Don't" is set to appear (alongside covers by Elton John, Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan and others) on a Sun Records Tribute album coming sometime in 2001.
–  Rolling Stone

Formed in 1994, Ben Folds Five released three studio albums before officially calling it quits on October 31. The last recorded song by the band, a cover of Carl Perkins' "Honey Don't," will appear on the Sun Records tribute album later this year. 
– Sonic Net

The band's performance of Honey Don't did appear on a Sun Records special on PBS and was subsequently transferred to mp3 format by fans; unfortunately, their track was left off of the tribute album released in 2001.

Update: In 2002, BFF's version of Honey Don't was made available on DVD.

Table of Contents

 

Ben's Keytar

The instrument Ben uses in "Rockin the Suburbs" and "Make Me Mommy" is a Roland AX-1, more commonly referred to as a "keytar."  When a writer for MIT's "The Tech" attempted to describe it, this was the result:

After “Gone,” Ben moved to the front of the stage and strapped on his melodica. For the uninformed, a melodica is a small, piano-like instrument that sounds something like an electronic accordion without bellows. Ben’s melodica is a red number rigged to be held like a guitar; it resembles a keyboard on stick.
– The Tech (MIT)

How can I explain how funny this is?

Here's a picture of Ben playing the melodica:

Unfortunately, I do not know who is responsible for this photo. If there is an issue with my using this picture, please contact me.

... and here is a picture of the instrument the reviewer is describing:

© Stacy Lynn

Thank you to Stacy for allowing me to use this picture and to her husband Rey who took the photo. Please do not use this picture without their permission; to view more photos from this concert, visit www.stacyinthecity.com

Apparently, MIT isn't the only New England school confused on the issue:

Folds now plays almost all the instruments on his new CD including yes an electric guitar and
a melodica, a guitar-like piano.
– Stylus (SUNY at Brockport)

Oh, and I'd like to point out to Robert Young:  I was at the concert you're reviewing, the "shoulder-slung keyboard thing" was RED.

For this number, the ever-flambouyant Folds donned a backwards baseball cap and one of those shoulder-slung keyboard things—which happened to be bright orange.
– Junkmedia

Top of Page