Ben Folds Five Album

won't you smile?
you look so shocked
put the nametag on your smock
we've come to see ya,
Eddie Walker
we may pack a little tight
the girl up front says,
"it's alright"
and look, there's more of us
still gettin' off the bus
we wish you'd come back home with us
Eddie Walker, this is your life

this one's you when you were small
and you're learnin' how to walk
they pick you up and you keep fallin' down
there you are with Aunt Louise
you're bouncin' on her knees
remember all those trees
behind the garden,
they're gone
they all got cut down when she died

Eddie Walker, this is your life
you never had a son or a wife
you sure had a hell of a time
oh Eddie Walker, this is your life

this one's you and Mary Jo
she couldn't come she says, "hello"
no, Eddie Walker,
she doesn't hate your guts
it's just the whole thing shook her up
how they picked you up and you kept
fallin' down

oh Eddie Walker,
this is your life
and oh, Eddie Walker, this is your life
you never wore a coat or a tie
you never had a reason to cry

and this whole stack and all of these
a semester overseas
we're gonna leave ya,

stop the bus
I wanna be lonely
when seconds pass slowly
and years go flying by
you gotta stop the bus
and get off here
enough's enough,
and I'm leaving this factory

and all she wants
is food on the table
and I won't be able
to bring it home
and all I want, come on
'cause all I need
yeah, is free
'cause I'm a factory

did Mother Nature tell you:
"Boy, you come and go as you please"?
that's what she said to me,
but big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery

wah-oh
wah-oh
wah-oh
wah-oh

millionaires
and mill rats live side by side
messed up my brother's mind
who's far from Earth
and tell me what's he worth? (nothing!)
the same as you,
the same as me
in this factory

did Mother Nature tell you:
"Boy, you come and go as you please"?
that's what she said to me,
but big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery

wah-oh
(come on.)
wah-oh
wah-oh
(that’s pretty good, try it again!)
(think so?)
wah-oh

it's 4 in the morning
Mother don't know
that I'm going far away
she's whispering to the moon:
"I hope he don't,
join you soon"

Baby Boss
climbs up on his soapbox
Great Caesar's ghost
knows what's best for me
stop the bus

did Mother Nature tell you:
"Boy, you come and go as you please"?
that's what she said to me, but
big brother got the keys
and I got Jackson Cannery

(big brother got the keys)
(and I got Jackson Cannery)

big brother got the keys

now, I wish it was
last September
we could lose ourselves in crowds everyday
'cause Emaline
don't walk in time
she's not the same that's all you can say
when I've heard enough,
I tell myself
that we've learnt our lesson, but I
don't wanna walk away from Emaline
they're talking now
does she know what they're saying?
she's got the air
to float above it
I'm sinking in the "someone should pay"
she's dear to me
and so expensive
now I'm not talking 'bout money
when money talks,
I hate to listen
but lately it's been screaming in my ear
and when I've heard enough, I tell myself
that we've learnt our lesson, but I
don't wanna walk away from Emaline

it only took me one look to understand Emaline
sometimes I don't
know what she's saying
sometimes I do
sometimes I don't know what she's
saying
but I know, I know
I know what she wants to believe

I wish it was
last September

don't let me walk away from Emaline
for stupid reasons
now I'm talking 'bout money
when money talks,
I hate to listen,
but lately it's been screaming in my ear

yeah, what advice!
girls need attention
or are you different than all mine?
for all it's worth,
she's got attention
from people like you who see black and white
I've heard enough,
I'll tell you what
really shouldn't sit here and whine
I'll take you down to see my Emaline

Some summers in the evening after six or so
I walk on down the hill
and maybe buy a beer
I think about my friends
sometimes I wish they lived out here
but they wouldn't dig this town
no, they wouldn't dig this town
try not to think about it,
Alice Childress
try not to think about it
anymore
try not to think about it,
Alice Childress
anymore
no, not anymore, oh

Alice, the world is full of ugly things
that you can't change
pretend it's not that way
it's my idea of faith
you can blow it off
and say there's good in nearly everyone
just give them all a chance
now let's give them all a chance

try not to think about it,
Alice Childress
try not to think about it
anymore
try not to think about it,
Alice Childress
anymore
no, not anymore, oh

no, it didn't work out
no, it didn't work out the way we thought it would
no, it didn't work out
(an arranged marriage is not so good)

thank God it's you
ya know your timing is impeccable
and I'm not fooling you
I don't know what to do
some dude just knocked me cold
and left me on the sidewalk
took everything I had
and everything I had

try not to think about it,
Alice Childress
try not to think about it
anymore
it's getting late where you are,
Alice Childress
anymore
no, not anymore
anymore

[No lyrics]

for the benefit of Tom and Mary
before our guests arrive
if they haven't found out already
it's gonna blow their minds
will they find the strength to find
the will to testify?
that for the benefit of Tom and Mary
there's something we can't hide anymore

everybody here knows the story
some have fabricated extra parts
see the sisters shouting whispers
feeding hot air to the sparks
put a damper on the party
it will lighten up this room
for the benefit of Tom and Mary
they've got to see the truth today

Miss Southern's son
says, "here they come!"
and all the chatter and the smiles,
they come undone
and you could hear a
pin drop on the carpet floor
everyone's pretending not to
hear the knocking at the door

for the benefit of Tom and Mary
before our guests arrive
if they haven't found out already
it's gonna blow their, minds!
and the seams all seem to show
for the benefit
for the benefit
for the benefit
for the benefit
(yeah, ah! oh yeah,
the blebleblebheeg! hebleble)
bugh ow!)

no way!
for the benefit
for the benefit

(...step on your fingernail)
(damn!)
(that's ok, I can play with one hand...
see? sounds good)

oh, goddamn, I saw a goddamn fucking goddamn
goddamn
whoa!

oh, goddamn (fucking goddamn)
oh, goddamn
oh, goddamn
oh, goddamn
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn y'all)
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn)
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn)
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn)
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn)

play it on the radio
shit, yeah it's cool
shit, yeah it's cool
shit, yeah it's cool (oh, goddamn)

come here one time, what's up ya'll
I got this fucking rim going on out here
I'm gonna give a shout out
to my home boy up in L.A.
wassup boy? wassup yo? come on!
(oh, goddamn)
yo, this goes out to my homeboy Tre,
going on in Chapel Hill
yeah, shouts out as a.k.a.
known as "Roadie Killer"

New York City, mmhm
New York City, urgh!
New York City, ur
New York City

yo shouts out to my main manager man, Al Wolmark,
known as a.k.a.
"you pride of motherfucker"

CEC
CEC
CEC

bring in the bass, ya'll! (G!)
yeah! and I thought that's how you felt
about the motherfucker!
yeah! I thought that's how you felt
yeah Sledge, bring in the bass
yeah!

for those of ya'll that wear fannie packs,
ya come on!
for those of ya'll that wear fannie packs,
come on!
for those of ya'll that wear fannie packs (and ponytails!)
come on!
for those of ya'll that wear fannie packs (and pony...tails)
I've got the fucking on!

yeah! my boy Sledge on the bass in your face!
my boy Ben on the piano, comin' in,
let him in! let him in!
yeah!
let my boy Ben in
alright
yeah

(hey D! hey D!)
yo, wassup?
(oh, goddamn)
(you gonna let me in D?)
wassup?
(you gonna let me in?)
yo, let that piano solo in
(let me in!)
(let me in!) goddamn!
yeah, yeah, yeah
yeah!
yeah, ah

I been around your mother
I've seen things happen
I don't mind singing
and I don't mind rapping
like I could find
another hundred ways to get my shit
I play the piano
(goddamn, we're so funky shit!)

yeah,
I said for those of ya'll with fannie packs
this song's coming out,
it's coming at ya!
I wanna borrow an Alan wrench
I wanna borrow some duct tape
I wanna borrow a mic cable
bass in your face

(ugh!) bass in your face
(ugh!) bass in your face
(ugh!) bass in your face
(ugh!) yo G, see in

alright
(let's break it, break it, break it down)
we're gonna break this shit on down
gimme some bass

(aaaaaaaaaaaah)
ah, that pretty good
bring this shit in!
(oh goddamn!)
(oh goddamn!)
(oh goddamn!)
(oh goddamn!)
shit, yeah it's cool
shit, yeah it's cool
shit, yeah it's cool (yeah)
shit, yeah it's cool
(shit, motherfuckers)

play that cymbal, man
play that tasty, tasty high hat work
(oh, I'm gonna bring that tasty high hat work)
(I'm gonna bring that shit in)
I wanna taste it, man (right now!)

(yeah)
(goddamn)

ya, this sound goes out to my main man at The Point
in Atlanta
wassup, G?
gimme my fucking monitor man! (Bernie!)


I'm sorry,
I can't give you any more monitor than that
it won't go any higher than that
because the transistors,
the resistors,
they won't go any higher! (yo, yo, eh!)

alright, yo,
take this motherfucker out with a piano solo
goddamn, ugh!

uh, god-
damn
uh
alright
turn that shit out
1! 2! 3! 4!

ugh!

(I hoped you taped that)
(That's our next single)
(Oh, they've left)
(They gave up)
("These guys are fucking idiots.")

Pull over the car,
pull over the car,
I think I see some sweet squirrel rim
Pull over the car,
pull over the car,
I think I feel like King Tut again

I don't wanna,
I don't wanna,
I don't wanna,

You make me feel
make me feel,
make me feel retarded

Can't leave it alone
jerk off on the phone
I want you to come on over, yeah
Pretty bad idea,
pretty bad idea
really really bad idea

na na na, na na na, etc.

When I stood you up
I thought that you'd give up

I was never cool in school
I'm sure you don't remember me

and now its been ten years
and I'm still wondering who to be

and I'd love to mix in circles
cliques and social coteries, thats me

hand me my nose ring
(can we be happy?)
show me the mosh pit
(can we be happy?)

we can be happy underground

(who's got the looks
who's got the brains
who's got everything?)

I got this pain in my heart thats all

(hey you
with the long and lonely face)

there's got to be something else

let me tell you something else
there was a girl that passed me by
she gave a smile but I was shy and I looked down, so down

(don't look down no no,
go go underground)
now, now there's a place to go

it's the morning now
it's the evening
it's everything
I click my heels
and I'm there

(underground
underground
oooooooooo)

everything's heavy underground
(underground)
you been kicked around
(underground)
did my friend go down here?
(oooooooo)
everything's heavy underground

we'll be decked in all black
slamming the pit, fantastic
Officer Friendly's little boy's
got a mohawk
and he knows just just where coming from
(it's industrial
work it underground)

get down (yeah)
get down (yeah)
get down yeah

(underground
underground
oooooooooo)

everything's heavy underground
(underground)
you been kicked around
(underground)
did my friend go down here?
(oooooooo)
everything's heavy underground

we can be happy
we can be happy
we can be happy underground

(we can we can we can be)
everythings heavy!

(underground)
you been kicked around
(underground)
did my friend go down here?
(oooooooo)
everything's heavy underground

bye bye!

oh we can
oh we can
oh we can be
(everything's heavy underground)

oh we can
oh we can
oh we can be
(and everything's heavy underground),
(we can be happy underground)

oh we can
oh we can
oh we can be

oh we can
oh we can
oh we can be

everything's heavy underground
everything's happy underground

now are you ready to rock?
now brace yourself
brace your fat asses!
for some gut wrenching
metal!

it's time
for the ultimate sacrifice!

evil
beelzebub
the final hour is approaching
no!
the ultimate sacrifice
the ultimate sacrifice

oh God...

here I sit
broken-hearted
came to shit
but only farted!

the ultimate sacrifice!

metal, heavy metal
it's too late to cry
I said it's too late to...
aaahhh!
it's too late
no supper for you
the final hour approacheth

right here, right now,
Ben's gonna tell a little sad tale to,
to all you...
all you people out there...
Satan is my master
he has always been

he tells me what to do
he buys my Metallica records for me
and sometimes I think...

thank you very much

I met this girl, she looked like Axl Rose
got drunk and took her home
and we slept in our clothes
and in the morning put my feet on the floor
and thought:
being awake never felt like this before
and Julianne, ya know she wouldn't approve
talked all day on the phone
'cause I had nothing to do
got rid of Axl by the afternoon
being awake never felt so clear and

blue
that's all I knew
guess that I was innocent too
I sing a song, yeah,
and it won't be the blues
'cause I don't miss Julianne

my friend, she told me she felt sorry for me
she said the truth would come
crashing down on me
that I'd be sorry, but the truth of it is
that I feel guilty for not giving a shit

ah-ooh
that's all I knew
guess that I was innocent too
I sing a song, yeah,
and it won't be the blues
'cause I don't miss Julianne

I got a bag of trash
I got my bag of trash
I walk it up and down,
and drag it up and down the road
how could she miss a man
who drags a bag of trash down the road?

this week I feel like I've been born again
you know that Julianne
she would have a fit
she'd find a reason for the things that I did
and gave me credit for the things that I've never been

ooh
that's all I knew
guess that I was innocent too
and I can try
just as hard as I can
and I don't miss Julianne

ah-ooh
that's all I knew
guess that I was innocent too
yeah, I can try
just as hard as I can

1! 2! 3! 4!
so, you wanted
to take a break
slow it down some
and have some space
well, fuck you too!

give me my money back
give me my money back, you bitch
I want my money back
and don't forget
and don't forget
to give me back my black t-shirt

I wish I hadn't
bought you dinner
right before you
dumped me on your front porch

give me my money back
give me my money back, you bitch
I want my money back
and don't forget
and don't forget
to give me back my black t-shirt
hey, hey!

so, you wanted
to take a break
slow it down some
and have some space

give me my money back
give me my money back, you bitch
I want my money back
I want my money back

won't you look up at the skyline
at the mortar, block, and glass
and check out the reflections in my eyes?
you see they always used to be there
even when this all was grass
and I sang and danced about a high-rise
and you were laughing at
my helmet hat,
laughing at
my torch

go ahead you can laugh all you want
I got my philosophy
[keeps my feet on the ground]
and I trust it like the ground
that's why my philosophy
[my phil]
it keeps me walking when I'm falling down
[los-o-phy]

I see that there is evil
and I know that there is good
and the in-betweens I never understood
won't you look at me, I'm crazy,
but I get the job done
yeah, I'm crazy, but I get the job done
and I say:

go ahead you can laugh all you want
but I got my philosophy
[keeps my feet on the ground]
and I trust it like the ground
that's why my philosophy
[my phil]
it keeps me walking when I'm falling down
[los-o-phy]

I pushed you 'cause I loved you guys
I didn't realize
you weren't having fun
and I dragged you up the stairs
and I told you to fly
you were flapping your arms
you started to cry, you were too high
no, too high

now you take this all for granted
you take the mortar, block, and glass
and you forget the speech and move the stone
but it's really not that you can't see
the forest for the trees
you never been out in the woods alone

so you can laugh all you want to
but I got my philosophy
[keeps my feet on the ground]
and I love you, you're my friend
but you got no philosophy
[my phil]
it keeps me walking when I'm falling down
[los-o-phy]

[cap that bitch off, somebody]
[driver]
[screaming]
[where's the party?]

Christmas, Twin Falls, Idaho's her
oldest memory
she was only 2
it was the first time she felt blue
cafeteria, Harrison
Elementary
beneath a parachute
saw her without shoes

Seven-Up, I touched her thumb and
she knew it was me
although she couldn't see
unless of course she peeked

my mom's good she got me out of
Twin Falls, Idaho
before I got too old
well, you know how that goes

that's where she still was the summer
she turned 17
1983
three weeks after me

so, last I heard, she had twins
or maybe it was three
although I've never seen

Howard,
the strangest things
have happened lately when I
take a good swing
at all my dreams, they
pivot and slip
I drop my fists and they're back,
laughing
Howard,
my intention's become
not to lose what I've won
ambition has given way
to desperation and I
lost the fight from my eyes

boxing's been good to me, Howard
now I'm told,
"you're growing old"
the whole time we knew
a couple of years I'd be through
has boxing been good to you?

Howard,
now I confess
I'm scared
and lonely and tired
they seem to think
I'm made of clay, a-
nother day,
I'm not cut out for this
I just know what to say, I say:

boxing's been good to me, Howard
now I'm told,
"you're growing old"
the whole time we knew
a couple of years I'd be through
has boxing been good to you?

well, sometimes I punch myself hard as I can
yelling, "nobody cares!"
hoping someone will tell me how
wrong I am
no

boxing's been good to me, Howard
now I'm told,
"you're growing old"
the whole time you knew
a couple of years I'd be through

has boxing been good?
has boxing been good?