Ten Best: Ben Folds

Since the whole "Blogging the Beatles" thing didn't work out so well, I've decided to introduce another - hopefully easier - semi-regular feature on this blog: Ten Best. In these segments, I will pick an entertainment thing - could be a band, a genre of movie, an actor, whatever - and make a briefish list of the ten best "x's" by that thing. As with all things that are my favorites, you should consider them capricious and perhaps inaccurate. If you read this in a year, take that warning doubly seriously. Today, I present the Ten Best Ben Folds Songs.

Ben Folds is a great musical talent. He (generally) is a good songwriter, his voice fits his music, he's snarky, and, best of all, he plays the piano like nobody's business (he also played all of the instruments on his first solo album, "Rockin' the Suburbs"). This list covers most of his career, from Ben Folds Five to his solo stuff (I have listened to The Bens as well, but I don't like any of the songs enough for them to break into the top ten. However, "Bruised" and "X-Fire" are both really good). I would recommend those who don't like swearing to listen to Folds with extreme caution, as he can break it out like a sailor if he is so inclined. I have included a swearing/no swearing rank by each song so you can listen to only the clean ones if you like.

10. Underground - Ben Folds Five, "Ben Folds Five." Swearing: none

As this list progresses, you'll see that I generally prefer Folds' solo stuff (although "Whatever and Ever Amen" is a fantastic album), but this song from the Five's debut is good tune. With a fuzzy bass fiddling around underneath a combination of piano pounding and softer melodies, this song mocks the underground music scene ("Hand me my nose ring!") while still proclaiming its love for the indie nerds. Folds' voice can be pretty nasal at times, but it's still a fun little tune.

9. The Ascent of Stan - Ben Folds, "Rockin' The Suburbs." Swearing: none

"Suburbs" is my favorite album of Folds', and this song is one of the reasons. I've been told that the piano part for this song about an ex-hippie that rises through the corporate ranks is not very complicated, but it sounds amazing.

8. Kylie From Connecticut - Ben Folds, "Way To Normal." Swearing: none

"Way To Normal" is my second-to-least favorite Folds album (the Five's "The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner" takes the bottom spot), but this song, with a simple yet beautiful arrangement and heart-wrenching story-song lyrics gets me every time.

7. Landed - Ben Folds, "Songs For Silverman." Swearing: none

Gah. The piano gets me every darn time. I assume this song is about a relationship. Whatever it's about, it's just great.

6. B---h Went Nutz - Ben Folds, "Way to Normal (fake)." Swearing: lots and lots

Before "Way to Normal" came out, Folds decided to play a prank on the fans who always leaked his album to the Internet before its release date. His prank was pulled in the form of a fake album leak that included two songs from the real album, an alternate arrangement of another of the "real songs" (which is included further down on the list) and six songs that he recorded off the top of his head - just to mess with his fans. Isn't that cool?

Anyway, the fake album ended up being more enjoyable than the real one, and this song (which should absolutely should not be confused with the bad and even more profane "B---h Went Nuts" on the real album) is a hilarious satire of the traditional bra-burning liberal chick vs. the young Republican lawyer. It also has a killer bassline and a rip-roaring piano track.

5. Fired - Ben Folds, "Rockin' The Suburbs." Swearing: one f-word and one d-word

This jazzy song about people getting fired or something or other is all about the killer piano (and the drums on the chorus). It's pretty hard not to tap your toes for this one.

4. Cologne (DVD Version) - Ben Folds, "Way to Normal (Fake)" Swearing: none

This is an oddly-written song about Folds' latest divorce. The arrangement on the real "Way To Normal" is relatively pedestrian, but this version spices things up with lots of strings, a choir and 10 pianos.

3. One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces - Ben Folds, "Whatever and Ever Amen." Swearing: assorted a-words and s-words

This rock-and-rolling tune has one of the most infectious piano tunes that Folds has ever created. There are a lot of songs from "Whatever..." that could have made it on this list ("Song for the Dumped," "Steven's Last Night in Town," "Kate," "Fair," etc.), but "One Angry Dwarf..." is simply the best.

2. Bastard - Ben Folds, "Songs for Silverman" Swearing: a generous sprinkling

This song about the arrogance of the young begins with some simple piano chords, but by the end of the over-five-minute song, Folds has played all over the board. It also has some of his best lyrics, summed up in his chorus/central question: "Why ya gotta act like you know when you don't know/ It's ok if you don't know everything."

1. Fred Jones pt. 2 - Ben Folds, "Rockin' the Suburbs." Swearing: only if you count "bastard"

It's one of the more sparse and simple entries on this list, but come on guys, I'm a journalist: how can I not appreciate a sad song about an old newspaper man who's forced into retirement? The lyrics are nothing super eloquent, and the piano does its job well. However, the combination of the two is just brilliant.


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Well, that's the list. Other notable songs include (but are no way limited to) "Jackson Cannery," "Steven's Last Night in Town," "Army," "Annie Waits," "Bruised," "Still Fighting It," "Smoke (orchestral version)" and "Gracie."

What are your favorite Ben Folds songs?