Album: Rockin' The Suburbs (2001)

License This Song 

• You took a trip and climbed a tree
  At Robert Sledge's party
  And there you stayed 'till morning came
  And you were not the same after that
  
  You gave your life to Jesus Christ
  And after all your friends went home
  You came down, you looked around
  And you were not the same after that
  
  You were not the same after that
  You were not the same after that
  
  You see 'em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
  They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
  You've got one good trick and you're hanging on you're hanging on...
  To it
  
  You took the word and made it heard
  And eased the people's pain and for that
  You were idolized, immortalized
  And you were not the same after that
  
  Walking tall, you'd bought it all
  And you were not the same after that
  Till someone died on the water slide
  And you were not the same after that
  
  You see 'em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
  They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
  You've got one good trick and you're hanging on you're hanging on to it
  
  (ooh ooh ooh ooh)
  (You were not the same!)
  (ooh ooh ooh ooh)
  
  You see 'em drop like flies from the bright sunny skies
  They come knocking at your door with this look in their eyes
  You've got one good trick and you're hanging on
  you're hanging on:
  
  You're hanging on
  You're hanging on Writer/s: BEN FOLDS, BENJAMIN SCOTT FOLDS
  Publisher: BMG Rights Management
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

• Marshall from ScotlandI think “Ben Folds Five” was meant to mean his hand, and right?
• Calios from Perth, Australiajade,
  ben folds is the lead singers name.
  ben folds five was the name of the band (there were only 3 people in the band, but ben folds five sounded better than ben folds three).
  
  and the 'someone died on the water slide', is that a true event?
• Ryan from Eaton, InJade asked if Ben Folds and Ben Folds Five are the same.... They are not the same (pun intended). Ben was the primary song writer for the Five, but they broke up (amicably) after the release of 'The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Meisner'. Darren Jesse formed a band called Hotel Lights, and Robert Sledge joined a band with Ben's brother, Chuck Folds.
  
  Solo, Ben played all instruments on the first album ("Rockin' The Suburbs", which this song comes from). Beyond that, I'm not sure who played what on further albums, and I can't recall the names of them members of his touring band. But it is different from BFF.
• Jade from Cancun, MexicoI recently got into Ben Folds five when i fell in love with the song "brick". i don't really know much about them but i want to. it might be a syupid question but.......is ben folds, and ben folds five the same people?
• Don from B G, KySomeone needs to do the song "Landed" on SongFacts.
• Kevin from St. Michael, MnIt was actally Darren Jesse's party, but he thought Robert Sledge's name worked better so he used it.
  
  He told us in concert.
• Lexie from Sydney, AustraliaRobert Sledge was the bassist for Ben Folds Five, and as mentioned in the song it was his party.

More Songfacts:

The CaveMumford & Sons

"The Cave" by Mumford & Sons is based on the philosophy of Plato and his work called "Allegory of the Cave."

ShoutThe Isley Brothers

Otis Day And The Knights, the fictional band created to perform "Shout" in the movie Animal House, became a real band, performing the song at colleges and other venues.

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'Journey

Journey lead singer Steve Perry wrote the rather dramatic "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" with the opening lyrics, "You make me weep, I wanna die," after seeing his girlfriend kissing another man.

Why Should I Love You?Kate Bush

The Kate Bush song "Why Should I Love You?" is a collaboration with Prince. He completely re-worked her demo, so Bush spent a lot of time piecing it back together to keep her imprint.

Forever Your GirlPaula Abdul

Paula Abdul's "Forever Your Girl" was written by Oliver Leiber, who despite being the son of Jerry Leiber from Leiber & Stoller, was an unknown songwriter.

Everything ZenBush

References to David Bowie, Tom Waits and Allan Ginsburg are peppered into the Bush song "Everything Zen."

Editor's Picks

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?