To Get the Lyrics: Ben Folds' Story Telling

One of the many reasons I love Ben is his story telling capabilities in his lyrics. He usually has a story to tell about each song when you see him live.  Also, in his Retrospective album, he puts a story of how each song happened in the liner notes.  I have a few favorite songs of Ben's that the lyrics move me every time I hear them.
"Beautiful Songs of Love" a friend of mine mentioned in a previous post. Before, every time I heard the song, it reminded me of high school.  Now, when I read through it, it makes me think of adults who are different,  who choose to not be part of the crazy culture of the young professionals we are expected to be a part of.  You graduate from college. You get a job and wear a suit. You go to happy hour after work.
It doesn't exactly work that way, especially for artists.  We can pretend to be those people, but it's not who we are. So, where do artists meet people?  That's a whole different topic.
I never wanted to become on of the "Young, Uniform Minds, in Uniform Lines, And uniform ties."
I do love singing and creating "Beautiful Songs of Love."
"Steven's Last Night in Town" is one of my favorite stories to listen to Ben tell.  It went something like this: Steven was a "friend" that was visiting. He would use a fake accent and always tell women it was his last night in town.  He would still show up at the next party and tell the same story. He was obviously not leaving town!
This song is just fun to listen to, from the clarinet with swagger that begins it, to the fun drum solo in the middle, it's awesome!
Sometimes, the story telling of a song is how the listener interprets it.  Sometimes, it's the actual story that the lyricist intended.  Both of these songs are awesome examples from Ben of his story telling.  There are so many more!  

To Get the Lyrics: Cold Play "Yellow"

I have a thing for lyrics. Sometimes, I can be listening to a song, and fall in love with one line.  A friend was having a conversation on Facebook a couple months ago about the song, "Yellow" by Coldplay.  She said that the lyric, "For You I'd Bleed Myself Dry" was kind of morbid, and basically, even though she liked the song, she didn't really like that lyric.
I didn't like the song until I heard that lyric!
I explained to her what it meant to me:
I've had a kidney transplant, and someone died to give me that kidney.  It's a cadaver kidney.  People don't always have to die to give their kidneys, but this person chose to donate his/her organs if the opportunity arose, which saved my life. So, that person literally "Bled himself dry" in my mind.
The other way to look at it is, for a religious person, Jesus Christ gave his blood on the cross for our sins, or he "Bled himself dry."
Look at it how you want, but to me, the lyric means, the person loves someone so much, he will die for her.
We've actually had people asking for the sheet music for this song for Weddings.  One person came in and asked for the "Christian version."  I didn't know there was a "Christian Version."
Lyrics to songs can mean something different for every person.  This is what this lyric means to me. 

My Love, Ben Folds

My love for Ben Folds started when I was the wee age of 19.  I had heard the song "Brick," but honestly, it did nothing for me. The song that made me fall in love was, the Ben Folds Five's "Battle of Who Could Care Less!"  The harmonies were amazing!  I ran out and bought the album, and from there, all is history.
As I sit here at my desk in the anticipation of the new Ben Folds Five CD, that is going to be delivered at any second by the UPS person, I reminisce on all of the years I've had with Ben and the love of his music. I've lost count how many concerts I've been to.  It's probably around 15-20, which is low in some people's eyes.
The first time I met Ben, I announced to every one at work that day, I wasn't leaving the concert venue until I met him!

Ben and I at Purdue, May 2, 2005

Well, I did. I stood for an hour in the rain... blah, blah, blah, but it happened!  All of my co-workers at the time, started calling him my husband!  

Every year, I try to see him at least once live.  It usually happens in the fall, so, I've started associating Fall with seeing Ben at some point. (Which is funny, because all of the pics I've posted on here are from Spring concerts!)

This year is different!  I've never seen him with the actual Ben Folds Five.  This is going to be so awesome!  I'm waiting for that CD to come today, so, I can start memorizing all of their new songs!  

There's something about Ben and BFF that moves me from deep in my soul.  I love every song, every harmony, every lyric! 

Indianapolis, Murat March 21st, 2009

Purdue March 1, 2008

E. and I with Sam, Ben's Drummer

October 3rd will be here soon!  I've spent way too much money on tickets, but I have them.  See ya then, Ben! 

Arachnids...

I hate pretty much any type of Arachnid! They all freak me out!  I had this random thought last night:  I should go to Youtube and look at videos of Spiders to see if I can get more used to them or the Desensitization Psycology. Well, it just made it worse!
The worse part is contemplating where the little boogers can hide in a bathroom! The things that show up on Youtube scare me!  Huge spiders sitting on toilets, hanging out in showers, walking on the walls... all of it makes my heart race! 
I know that most spiders a non-aggressive, unless you enter their territory.  The problem is, I have no idea what a spider has decided is it's territory!
I hate all other arachnids too!  My biggest fear camping is a tick bite. Even looking at scorpions makes me shudder.  I have a niece that was stung buy a scorpion, and even though I would love to come visit her, I don't think I could.  She got stung while sleeping in her own bed in her house. The fact that she survived, makes me feel a little better about it.  But every once in a while, she still posts pictures on Facebook of scorpions they've found around their house.
I have problems walking through pet stores, because they may sell Tarantulas! What if one got loose, and it jumps on me?!?!
I think, when I was little, my brother, whom is much older than me, threatened to throw spiders on me!  I have the right to be afraid of them!

The Super Secret FAST Way

You know, when you have a Super Secret FAST Way to get somewhere.  Well, I have a few!  What really gets to me is when, I'm taking my Super Secret FAST Way to get somewhere, and all the sudden there's a person in front of me going slow!
The other day, I was on Boy Scout Road. I use this road to get to a few places in Lawrence.  The person in front of me was barely going TWENTY miles per hour!  The speed limit is 35!  Really?!  Let's move person! Even the cyclists and joggers are moving faster than you! I have an appointment to get to!
Then, I have to say the old Mennonite Proverb, "Patience is a virtue. Herman the worm has is, so, why don't you?"

The Patchouli Incident of 2002

In 2002, I came down with the worse case of Influenza I have ever had!  Up to that point, most of my illnesses were kidney, bladder, and/or Urinary Tract related.  I was miserable!
I went to my voice lesson with Dr. B.  I wouldn't have gone, but my friend Joey was coming to work on a duet with me.  We started singing, and waves of nausea started flooding over me!  She looked at me and said, "You're green!  What's wrong?!"
I looked at her and said, "I'm sick! I need to go home!" 
She stated something about, yes, go home.  She didn't want to get sick, or something like that.  This was the week the choir was going on a tour.  I walked into Dr. Z's office, which he had a student in there, but I didn't even care.  I looked at him and said, "I'm sick. I'm going home. I'm not coming to choir rehearsal today!"
He looked at me and said, "Umm, ok."  I walked out and went home.
Around this same time, the Broadway musical "Rent," one of my favorite shows of all time, was in town.  I had already bought a ticket to go. My friend R. and I had already decided we were going to Applebee's for dinner. We went to Applebee's.  All I ordered was tortilla chips with ranch and a Sprite.  I could barely stomach them, but I still ate.  After dinner, we headed over to Tilson Auditorium. 
We get in our seats, and it turned out, a bunch of our friends and fellow music students were sitting around us.  We all had the cheap seats!  The guy in front of us, M. had brought a date.  I recognized her, but didn't know her very well.
Here's the thing, it was like she had dumped a whole bottle of patchouli oil on herself. We sat down, and were waiting for the show to start.  All the sudden, the patchouli smell got to me!  I ran to the restroom!  It wasn't fast enough!  Those red and white tortilla chips where coming up now!  And of course, there's a line in the ladies restroom!  Finally, someone leaves, and as I open the door, the vomit hits the wall of the stall. It was disgusting!  As I'm puking, I can hear the opening notes of the show starting.  That would be the SECOND time I've missed the opening of that show!
I cleaned myself up and the wall of the stall, and headed back into the theater. From that day on, the smell of Patchouli makes my stomach churn!  I had a co-worker that used to wear it.  As soon as I walked in the door for work, it didn't matter if she was in the room or not, I could smell it!  I told her the vomiting story more than once, to try to get it through to her, but she still wore that scent every once in a while.
What brought on this memory is, a customer came in wearing a perfume that smelled like it.  Now, this is an older customer.  She's not someone I would have thought would wear that smell, but she did.
And now, I have to go think about something else, as to not make myself sick.

My Greatest Anxiety

I had a dream this morning.  It went like this. 
I showed up for a wedding, and when I got there, I found out I was supposed to be singing a song for this wedding. Well, the accompanist shows up, and here I am sight reading the music, and freaking out!  At the same time, I'm supposed to be meeting with the seamstress for the alterations on my dress.
This created some anxiety ridden sleep for me!

I had a dream a month or two ago. 
I was at Showchoir Camps of America and performing in the teacher show.  I knew the music they were singing, but I didn't know the choreography.  I was standing with all the people dancing, yet, I was not moving! 
It was pretty awful!

I have dreams like these every once in a while.  I know my greatest stage freight inducing fear is, not knowing something on stage, and panicking. 
I'll have to contemplate this and remedy it somehow!