In 1997, my workplace gave me a pager. Like a chump, I dutifully wore it thinking that I was really important. One of the features of it was that it would send news updates in sports news and entertainment. One of the updates was a review of whatever and ever amen. And just based on that small little text page, I went and bought the CD. That was the ONLY worthwhile page I ever got on that damn thing.
@@WaitingForTheHook exactly what I thought, its very sophisticated IMO. Maybe complex is the wrong term, but sophisticated? yeh for sure and NOT simple
I haven't heard this song since 1997. Brings back a lot of nostalgic memories, especially the Rockford Files reference. I hear a very strong Steely Dan influence in this song. I can definitely imagine Donald Fagen playing and singing this.
With a few touches of Gerard Kenny, too. He's a singer-songwriter from NYC who's been based in the UK for most of his career; his compositions include 'New York (So Good They Named It Twice)' and Barry Manilow's hit 'I Made It Through The Rain'.
This was the most original song on the radio when it was. I think everyone was looking to move on from guitar rock, and this came out of left field. At least for me, I like it more than Brick and it was one of the songs that led me to explore jazz more.
This was the first song I ever heard by Ben. I now have almost all of his solo albums and works with Ben Folds Five. He is a phenomenal lyricist and musician.
Matthew Getz I’ve got his book on kindle but I’m scared to read it because BFF never make new stuff and this is the account from the brains behind it all.
This song is genius. It’s written on the whole tone scale. For anyone who doesn’t know, that means every note on the scale is a whole step apart. It’s fucking terrible most of the time, and he makes it work. Ben folds is genius.
A lot of the time the whole tone scale actually has a pentatonic kind of effect. Its very hard to play something that sounds bad, and if you fiddle around enough you'll probably find something cool. Ben is really musically impressive and this song does show that off but not because of the scale.
'written on' what is meant by that please? i could interpret that variously. like the harmony uses only chords from one whole tone scale so the major chords have #11, or there are modes of sy, harmonic major..?... Please outline the changes and illustrate what you mean...
The chords are regular major chords. But the chord roots move by whole tone (on the verses). The melody more or less comes from the major scale of the chord. Then when it gets to the hook, it's a normal pop song.
As Andrew Palmer said, this isn't a whole tome song, it employs it in a minor way. It doesn't sound 'terrible most of the time', unless you think a great deal of Debussy sounds terrible? Or Kraftwerk's Spacelab?
The line means that he really did think the person was cool, even though he was pointing out the irony of their actions. It’s a confession, pure and simple.
I didnt even know about him until I watched a Ted talk on something about music analytics. Someone did a speech on just how genius his piano skills really are.
Anyone who can read music and/or play piano and other instruments will TOTALLY understand how talented this guy is...most just can't appreciate because music is it's own language...
I played this album like mad in 1997... Ben Folds Five, Eels, Beck, Mansun, Dreadzone, Death In Vegas, The Future Sound Of London - there were some truly awesome acts coming out of the ether in those days... Seems so long ago now!
Love this song the first time I heard it in 1996. Love it even more now. The singing harmony, the instruments, the piano, the lyrics. That bassline is AWESOME!
I was 15 when this came out, thought I knew it all and this become one of my all time favourite songs. Now, I'm 40, I know less than I thought I did, but this is still one of my all time favourite songs!!
Haven't heard this track in years. Have to chuckle at the "Rockford Files" reference...I always mind the theme tune of that growing up as a kid before getting packed off to bed for school the next day!.
HOW ON EARTH, does this track only have 784,000 views :( ? This song was the soundtrack to my teenage crew in Adelaide, South Australia at the time. The best of times. The best of Ben Folds.
+djlobb yes(this is my other account lol) everything wasn't about twerking rims blow jobs and being disrespectful to ppl different than u... It's sad how superficial ppl have become .... #SimplicityIsBeautyIsSimplicity I live by that mantra and I won't conform to societies standards ... I love being a boring simple gray dry sense of humor having AfroLatina who appreciates music like this ... This is classic and very underrated
+Mor Bels Darren Jesse Baby...hes awesome His jazz abilities were needed to keep up with Bens Jazzy inflections....then Roberts bass is more Rock Punk Edgy tones that were sophisticated enough to maintain a Jazz feel all while they sang three part harmonies in a Pop world that had substance. I miss it...too much synthesized music out there today on the top 40 pop radio. Remember when 90s radio had cool bands like Oasis Silver Chair Ben Folds Real Big Fish haha all sorts of cool Rock and pop. I miss it. I was only 10 years old but I remember the 90s fondly .
Back in high school we had a teacher who would always get lost in her speech, freeze and gaze into nowhere. My friends and myself used to sing the intro of this piece to prank her. Oh, I miss these days.
Random how some songs just hit your soul, and stick with you for years and years. This is one of those tunes. "I know it's not your thing to care, I know it's cool to be so bored. It sucks me in when your'e aloof, it sucks me in, it sucks it works." I feel this!!
Inspired lyrics from Ben Folds! The phrase "Unearned unhappiness", however, was coined by William Styron in his 1979 novel "Sophie's Choice" about idle people made morose by trivial concerns.
Yep being broke, but happy, friends parties great bands like BFF, contemporary alt rock was evolving from grunge/metal ballads, to jazz/upbeat sounds. Both were great at their times tho. Ramen was a major source of nourishment, shitbox car, crazy relationships,road trips ect. Yeah I miss it all too.
I'll never forget seeing them at the Flood Zone in Richmond. Watching Ben Folds beat the life out of and drag around a grand piano was an amazing performance.
Great great stuff. Ben Folds is still outstanding solo... saw him the other night in Norfolk. The guy accompanying him said that the show that night was the best he had seen on their tour... nice :)
I had a friend like this in high school. He never gave a fuck about anything, or at least he'd act like he didn't. Everyone was so jealous of him cuz he was so "chill", but he seemed miserable to me. Hope he's doing alright, cuz he always scored us weed.
I can’t believe that I almost forgot about BF5. It’s amazing how many things that were so important just kind of fall out of our lives. Everything they’ve done is amazing imo.
In 1997, my workplace gave me a pager. Like a chump, I dutifully wore it thinking that I was really important. One of the features of it was that it would send news updates in sports news and entertainment. One of the updates was a review of whatever and ever amen. And just based on that small little text page, I went and bought the CD. That was the ONLY worthwhile page I ever got on that damn thing.
By 97 pagers were dead.
@@stephenkennedy8305 go back and tell my boss. He used them like ankle bracelets.
@@JamieSmith-fz2mz 🤣🤣
Honestly one of the most underrated bands ever.
Yeah man. These guys improved my brain
Well said Ben folds gets my day going in such a good day
God yes
Ben is fine. ❤
This Band got me through High School and definitely brings back incredible memories ❤️. One of the greatest most underrated bands of the 90s.
Totally agree!!!
Lol this band is getting me through 2021!
Yeah one of the best bands I'm 11 years old and play the drums
One of the best!!
@@ourgiguerefamily6253 I turned 40 today. 15 year old me played this CD non-stop in my Discman.
You’re my hero, I confess. ❤
This guy's songwriting is so simple, honest and eloquent he just makes me smile. Fucking awesome shit!
It's ANYTHING but simple.
@@WaitingForTheHook exactly what I thought, its very sophisticated IMO. Maybe complex is the wrong term, but sophisticated? yeh for sure and NOT simple
I haven't heard this song since 1997. Brings back a lot of nostalgic memories, especially the Rockford Files reference. I hear a very strong Steely Dan influence in this song. I can definitely imagine Donald Fagen playing and singing this.
With a few touches of Gerard Kenny, too. He's a singer-songwriter from NYC who's been based in the UK for most of his career; his compositions include 'New York (So Good They Named It Twice)' and Barry Manilow's hit 'I Made It Through The Rain'.
I miss 1997; 19 years old, just joined the Air Force, being stationed outside of Seattle, all my buddies, some great tunes on the radio!
97 I was 10 but this song became my teenage anthem
This song reminds me of the best time of my life. Ben folds has a unique and beautiful voice.
Absolutely
I know right😕Time has flew by✈Wow 1997 smh
:)
‘96 summer. Amazing times
This was the most original song on the radio when it was. I think everyone was looking to move on from guitar rock, and this came out of left field. At least for me, I like it more than Brick and it was one of the songs that led me to explore jazz more.
Yeah, I heard this one out of the blue on the radio when it was new and became an instant fan. :)
Welcome to the Ninties, when radio was still interesting . . . .
@@PeteZolli Me too! It was just TOO GOOD.
I remember the first time I heard them, it was pretty refreshing.
I love Ben's smile at 14 seconds!
Best band ever. “Sometimes I wish I was that way”❤
Love Ben's smirk at the camera at 00:13. LOL
ayngemac Me too! I can't tell if it's sarcastic or not but either way it makes me smile. :)
Ben Folds, the original Jim Halpert
This is one of my favorite songs love the band
This was the first song I ever heard by Ben. I now have almost all of his solo albums and works with Ben Folds Five. He is a phenomenal lyricist and musician.
Matthew Getz I’ve got his book on kindle but I’m scared to read it because BFF never make new stuff and this is the account from the brains behind it all.
Same! Instantly hooked on this band.
This song is genius. It’s written on the whole tone scale. For anyone who doesn’t know, that means every note on the scale is a whole step apart. It’s fucking terrible most of the time, and he makes it work. Ben folds is genius.
A lot of the time the whole tone scale actually has a pentatonic kind of effect. Its very hard to play something that sounds bad, and if you fiddle around enough you'll probably find something cool. Ben is really musically impressive and this song does show that off but not because of the scale.
'written on' what is meant by that please? i could interpret that variously. like the harmony uses only chords from one whole tone scale so the major chords have #11, or there are modes of sy, harmonic major..?... Please outline the changes and illustrate what you mean...
The chords are regular major chords. But the chord roots move by whole tone (on the verses). The melody more or less comes from the major scale of the chord. Then when it gets to the hook, it's a normal pop song.
As Andrew Palmer said, this isn't a whole tome song, it employs it in a minor way. It doesn't sound 'terrible most of the time', unless you think a great deal of Debussy sounds terrible? Or Kraftwerk's Spacelab?
Even though it's anti-chromatic, the end result here feels chromatic when you listen to it 😉
I love his sarcasm. " You're my hero, I confess ". Maybe the funniest serious songwriter I've ever heard.
+EuphoniaPooch that's why I love Ben. His songs are hilarious, yet they're serious
Yup. And Rockford Files rocks!
Brick, is amazing
The line means that he really did think the person was cool, even though he was pointing out the irony of their actions. It’s a confession, pure and simple.
stephen lynch is insanely funny
It is a crime that this doesn't have millions of views!
Ivan Campo it is a crime that the views not the content matters, go play in traffic
This song is too complicated for idiots to understand - which is probably why it doesn't have millions of views.
Steve Forest Bingo.
No, it isn't.
I didnt even know about him until I watched a Ted talk on something about music analytics. Someone did a speech on just how genius his piano skills really are.
I loved at 17 and love it now. Still fighting the same battle.....
omg - I love tis track - takes me back to such a free and happy place in my life - :)
Indeed
I second that
Anyone who can read music and/or play piano and other instruments will TOTALLY understand how talented this guy is...most just can't appreciate because music is it's own language...
Well said. 👍
I played this album like mad in 1997... Ben Folds Five, Eels, Beck, Mansun, Dreadzone, Death In Vegas, The Future Sound Of London - there were some truly awesome acts coming out of the ether in those days... Seems so long ago now!
I played the shit out of this album back in the day!
why did you stop? It's still the day!
@@jeffa4110 I mean yes…just saying I don’t listen to music like I did in HS for hours at a time. I love this album so much though.
Love this song the first time I heard it in 1996. Love it even more now. The singing harmony, the instruments, the piano, the lyrics. That bassline is AWESOME!
I've literally just listened to this track 5 times in a row
General Apathy and Major Boredom -- that would be a great band name. Gotta go watch Rockford Files.
Agreed this song is awful! I came here from Ben Folds 'Do It Anyway' which was fantastic! (Opposite to this).
@@DeansVideoClips big bruh moment
Reminds me of How I Met Your Mother. Ted and Robin would salute both of them.
@@DeansVideoClips what?
Omg I only just realised the pun. Ben’s a great songwriter heh
I was 15 when this came out, thought I knew it all and this become one of my all time favourite songs.
Now, I'm 40, I know less than I thought I did, but this is still one of my all time favourite songs!!
Haha agree! Funny how that happens
"BEN. THAT DRUMMER FUCKIN ROCKS!" Best shout out at a gig ever. I still chuckle, as I'm sure Ben does.
On a Ben Folds 5 kick this morning, brings me back.
Haven't heard this track in years. Have to chuckle at the "Rockford Files" reference...I always mind the theme tune of that growing up as a kid before getting packed off to bed for school the next day!.
You're my hero, I confess. x
27 years ago this was the song and video that introduced me to Ben Folds and the Five.
Unearned unhappiness.... You're my hero, I confess.
HOW ON EARTH, does this track only have 784,000 views :( ? This song was the soundtrack to my teenage crew in Adelaide, South Australia at the time. The best of times. The best of Ben Folds.
Brilliant song writer and musician could listen to Benfolds all day long.
I so so miss the 90s :0(
+manweller1 Not all 90's music was this good, but I digress.
Djlobb 90s R&B was on form throughout the 90s. I loved this song as it reminds me of my days as a student.
manweller1
Yeah, the RnB scene was pretty tasty!
ahh mate.....
+djlobb yes(this is my other account lol) everything wasn't about twerking rims blow jobs and being disrespectful to ppl different than u... It's sad how superficial ppl have become .... #SimplicityIsBeautyIsSimplicity I live by that mantra and I won't conform to societies standards ... I love being a boring simple gray dry sense of humor having AfroLatina who appreciates music like this ... This is classic and very underrated
Been a couple years since I listened to Ben Folds Five, time to get back into listening to them...
Love this song was out when i was so in love with a guy and all these years later I'm back with him in this song.
The lyrics😆😆😆. So clever. I heard them on Saturday Night Live back in the 90's and went out and bought their album.
Highly underrated band, filled with underrated musicians.
A GenX anthem for sure. Maybe THE GenX anthem.
Superb musicality
A most excellent band and tune 😊❤️🌹
The composition is brilliant. So many little things.
This song digs straight into the late-teen college stoner mindset, at least for me.
Does anyone even notice how great the drums are on this one? Sure, piano, vocals and bass are also very perfect.
+Mor Bels Most definitely.
+Mor Bels Darren Jesse Baby...hes awesome His jazz abilities were needed to keep up with Bens Jazzy inflections....then Roberts bass is more Rock Punk Edgy tones that were sophisticated enough to maintain a Jazz feel all while they sang three part harmonies in a Pop world that had substance. I miss it...too much synthesized music out there today on the top 40 pop radio. Remember when 90s radio had cool bands like Oasis Silver Chair Ben Folds Real Big Fish haha all sorts of cool Rock and pop. I miss it. I was only 10 years old but I remember the 90s fondly .
I've got this on my car playlist and I don't think it's ever came on and me not tapping along with that sweet swing.
0:46 love that fill
Darren Jesse ⭐️
Do you remember how much you loved these guys when they came out? Lord!
It goes without saying that the piano is perfection here.
What a song, fantastic band, all great musicians, the bassist was always flawless and loved the distortion he added
Good song from a great band
such a great song
The modern masterpeice of music.. Simply outstanding.....
agreed a genuine Masterpiece of a Pop/Rock song, and very Unique too
Such a jam!
Back in high school we had a teacher who would always get lost in her speech, freeze and gaze into nowhere.
My friends and myself used to sing the intro of this piece to prank her.
Oh, I miss these days.
That’s fucking rad!
Random how some songs just hit your soul, and stick with you for years and years. This is one of those tunes.
"I know it's not your thing to care, I know it's cool to be so bored. It sucks me in when your'e aloof, it sucks me in, it sucks it works." I feel this!!
It’s one of my favourites
I am SOOOO glad this song popped into my head just now. ❤️❤️❤️ memory lane....
Inspired lyrics from Ben Folds! The phrase "Unearned unhappiness", however, was coined by William Styron in his 1979 novel "Sophie's Choice" about idle people made morose by trivial concerns.
It really sums up the 90's experience for twenty-somethings at that time too. At least here in the US.
Reminds me of first kicking about with my now wife! :D
that feeling when you finally found a song you've been looking for 😌
The little lift into the chorus slays me. And the drums are fucking superb 👌
I think he has an awesome voice.....love the band, love this song!!!!
over here from watching 90's Top of the Pops on UA-cam and wanted to remember these guys!
I love this song too much
What a great song and a really great year to be a college freshman!
Joseph Drayton best times to be alive ⭐️
Yep being broke, but happy, friends parties great bands like BFF, contemporary alt rock was evolving from grunge/metal ballads, to jazz/upbeat sounds. Both were great at their times tho. Ramen was a major source of nourishment, shitbox car, crazy relationships,road trips ect. Yeah I miss it all too.
I'll never forget seeing them at the Flood Zone in Richmond. Watching Ben Folds beat the life out of and drag around a grand piano was an amazing performance.
when I first heard this song about 13 years ago it was bliss. It gives me really great memories.
Love that The Five are back together. Can't wait to catch them on tour and hear the new studio tracks!
I saw Ben folds solo in Murray Kentucky years ago and he was absolutely epic
Chapel Hill, 1999... What great days... Never take a moment for granted...
Great great stuff. Ben Folds is still outstanding solo... saw him the other night in Norfolk. The guy accompanying him said that the show that night was the best he had seen on their tour... nice :)
Cool jam. Great bass line and drum part. Awesome lyrical references. All around winner of a tune and Ben Folds sings like he looks.
Still brilliant and evocative
This song goes right back to when my favorite shoe store at 46th and 6th in NYC was knocked down. Thank BF5. I haven’t had nice shoes since.
At first I didn't really like this song, but it grew on me; it's now one of my favorite BF5 songs.
The 90s..... last decade of good music...nuff said
Love this song your all dressed up like the cure
Amazing song by creative genius.
"Why don't we pitch it to the Franklin fkn Mint" still cracks me up
On a bad day is this my therapy to smile again....what ever and ever...amen...
Love how the trio throttle up to play full-blown piano rock in the choruses and bridge.
Love! x
I had a friend like this in high school. He never gave a fuck about anything, or at least he'd act like he didn't. Everyone was so jealous of him cuz he was so "chill", but he seemed miserable to me. Hope he's doing alright, cuz he always scored us weed.
This album. End to end musical chops. Fantastic.
2022 and it is as brilliant as the first time i heard it
I can’t believe that I almost forgot about BF5. It’s amazing how many things that were so important just kind of fall out of our lives. Everything they’ve done is amazing imo.
Whadda tune ❤️
Ben Folds is my favorite artist, and it's not even close.
One of the loveliest songs ever written. Flawless. Ben Folds is fucking joyous!
this is a song
I have not heard in a very long time
Very talented band. Still sounds as original now as it did when it came out.
Thank you WEQX for playing this gem for my ride home tonight...ah windows open & screaming it out!!!!!!
this entire cd is the shit
I freakin love this album!!
bought this album when it came out, still listen to it all of the time. Love love love BF5
Ben Folds Five is just cool. That's my word for them. "Cool." I'm SO excited for the new album to come out on Tuesday!
Heather Ellis try some Jamiroquai too lass. Thank me later
Ben Folds and associates=universally acclaimed musicians.
Love you guys!
Utter class....
jesus, I love this song, this video, and this time of my life :)
That is one sweet video!!!!