Continuing this week’s live series, here’s a clip of Ben Folds performing one of his EP tracks for a MySpace concert. Ben took requests from the online audience and, as usual, delivered a funny and musically diverse show.
‘Learn to Live With What You Are’ is one of Folds’ earnest songs. He’s even better at these than he is at the smart-ass ones, if you ask me. The message here is as simple as they come, but it’s a powerful one. How many of us spend our time trying to be something we aren’t, or trying to live up to expectations that have been attached to us by others or ourselves?
Lots of great lyrics in this song, but this is my favorite: “And I’m not saying that the effort is a waste of time, but I just love you for the things you couldn’t change, though you’ve tried.”
I can see you
You’re saying you’re okay
I don’t believe you
And now that gig is up, the spell is broken
The fat lady’s sung, the president has spoken
These days that you were waiting for will come and go
Like any day, just another day
There’s never gonna be a moment of truth for you
While the world is watching, ohh ohh
Ohh, all you need is the thing you’ve forgotten
And that’s to learn to live with what you are
So freak out if you wanna
And I’ll still be here
Don’t call me for years and when you do
Yeah, I’ll still be here
And I’m not saying that the effort is a waste of time, but I
Just love you for the things you couldn’t change, though you’ve tried
These hours of confusion they will soon expire like
Everything does
There’s never gonna be a moment of truth for you
While the world is watching, ohh ohh
Ohh, all you need is the thing you’ve forgotten
And that’s to learn to live with what you are
Sometimes everything you’ve ever wanted floats above
It’s stickin’ out its tongue and laughing while
Everything that anyone could ever need is down below
Waiting for you, know this
There’s never gonna be a moment of truth for you
While the world is watching, ohh ohh
‘Cause all you need is the thing you’ve forgotten
And that’s to learn to live with what you are
You’ve got to learn to live with what you are
Meet Me In Montauk 
Now, here’s someone I have seen live and would see again and again, not only because I am such a fan, but because he is likely never going to be popular enough to play a big venue.