black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

To the modern ear, it seems soft. When you hear it against other things, it seems vulnerable. Lyrically and musically, though, this is more subtle. And, yes, it’s asking a lot of someone who’s used to being hit over the head with bright neon to listen to this.

Ben Folds

Because I write very simply, but inside the simplicity, there’s a lot of subtlety. That’s what I’m proud of.
BEN FOLDS

Proud Simplicity Writing
I used to do this big rant at the end of some gigs with Ben Folds Five. The band broke into this big heavy metal thing and I started as a joke to scream in a heavy metal falsetto. I found myself saying things like: Feel my pain, I am white, feel my pain.
BEN FOLDS

Gigs Pain White
And all I really want to say is you’re the reason I want to stay.
BEN FOLDS

Happy Love Reason Want
My job is to be some sort of music/lyric psychic, to figure out that that’s the right song to not fight the lyric.
BEN FOLDS

Fighting Job Song
In many ways, I’ve chosen to be plain, almost too plain, too self-effacing. Like, if I record a vocal and I don’t like the way it sounds, I would have them turn it up and take the reverb off it to make it as plain as possible.
BEN FOLDS

Records Self Sound
I think a lot of good directors listen to music while they’re working. The songs just don’t become a part of the film. They’re replaced.
BEN FOLDS

Director Song Thinking
Billy Joel and Joe Jackson were both great, and they both play piano.
BEN FOLDS

Both Piano Play
There is still some art in pop music. But it can’t happen if you’re not inspired.
BEN FOLDS

Art Inspired Pops
I think people use temp music quite a bit, but the people who write the temp music don’t ever really learn that their music was inspiring a movie.
BEN FOLDS

People Thinking Writing
Some people would say they never see me because I don’t go anywhere. I stay in the blue state of Nashville, in my bubble.
BEN FOLDS

Anywhere Blue Buddle People State
White people don’t sing together very often, and when they do, it’s about the celebrity of the song. The singing at my shows is all about harmony.
BEN FOLDS

People Song White
I think alcohol is a good drug for me when I’m writing. I don’t think I’ve ever had a problem with it. I can stop for a few weeks, so I think it’s okay. I don’t think it’s good for my liver, but I do love it. It’s a huge part of my life, and it makes me happy.
BEN FOLDS

Alcohol Thinking Writing
The less I talk in bars, write emails, express myself in an emotionally lewd way outside of my songwriting, the more I have to do it through my music.
BEN FOLDS

Bars Email Writing
If I’m in a relationship and my girlfriend is sleeping with other people, I don’t need to know who it is; I just want to know how she feels about it.
BEN FOLDS

Girlfriend People Sleep
The cruelest lies are often told without a word The kindest truths are often spoken, never heard
BEN FOLDS

Heard Lying Often Spoke
But I really do have a soft spot for the solo shows. Any musician who writes and sings will tell you that’s the center of it, that is it. It’s almost like there’s something church-like about it and you gotta go back there, if you’re a songwriter that sings your material.
BEN FOLDS

Church Musician Writing

To the modern ear, it seems soft. When you hear it against other things, it seems vulnerable. Lyrically and musically, though, this is more subtle. And, yes, it’s asking a lot of someone who’s used to being hit over the head with bright neon to listen to this.

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To the modern ear, it seems soft. When you hear it against other things, it seems vulnerable. Lyrically and musically, though, this is more subtle. And, yes, it’s asking a lot of someone who’s used to being hit over the head with bright neon to listen to this.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

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