Lyrical Simplicity

As many of you may or may not know, I’ve kind of been into Ben Folds lately. The thing is, I like his lyrics, but not for the reason I usually do. You know, I like profound lyrics that seem like poetic genius and like a deep thinker wrote them…songs like, “On the Turning Away” by Pink Floyd. I’m not a big fan of the actual music of Pink Floyd. Sure, I will not argue with anyone…it is innovative and different, not your typical 5-man band sort of thing, necessarily. But it’s the “Pinkfloydian” lyrics I really like.

“On the wings of the night
As the daytime is stirring
Where the speechless unite
In a silent accord
Using words you will find are strange
And mesmerized as they light the flame
Feel the new wind of change…”

That’s just part of it, but it’s so beautiful to me. However, lately I’ve been into Ben Folds. He’s so simple in his lyrics, I have to say. Everything is straightforward; nothing is really very poetical or profound. Yet I’ve found myself falling in love with a line here, and a line there. They just stick in my head, and then I’ll be sweeping the floor or hanging up towels, and all of a sudden it will just strike me that “such and such” is a really nice lyric, and very insightful!

“I went because you said you’d be there…” This is from his song “Bruised.” That’s such an “in love” human behavior typicality, isn’t it?

Two lines from “The Luckiest”…they are so cliché, but I like them anyways: “And where was I before the day/when I first saw your lovely face?” – “And in a wide sea of eyes/I see one pair I recognize.”

“The songs you wrote/got me through a lot/just want to tell you that/but it’s too late.” *sigh* Awww…how sweet! *tear* This is from his song, “Late.”

He had a lot of other, more clever lyrics. But I just hear those and muse to myself that they are clever, and get on with life. Instead, it’s the simple ones that stick. I may do another edition of Ben Folds lyrics, but this is enough for you all to meditate on for now… ;)