dorkmeister wrote:
Ben folds five, spindles three.

Trustocity wrote:

I agree, I used to be a big Ben Folds/Five fan, not so much anymore, hadn't even considered getting the new album, but this song is not horrible.


but still not enough to make me get the album.

I feel like a sucker for buying this album. "Blah" is the prevailing tone. Well, not blah, exactly. More like, "I've heard every song here on a previous Folds outing."

The hooks in "Jesusland" caught me and dragged me in, but they don't keep giving. Also, that McMansions line sounded inspired at first, but now, it's like, c'mon.

And has anyone else detected a "Barrytown" rip-off here?

Hey! They were five! They were three! They are good!

Love the song and the graphic. 'Nuf said.

Deepend wrote:

Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly funny and all too true. If I had to make a similar generalization, rejecting the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of closed-minded bible belt snobbery.

The song is really beautiful though, and an earnest appeal to real Christian values.

Never mind the US-centred political debate here - for me Euro-weenie, Ben Folds is just a genius!

Back to the music, folks! :D

Simply beautiful.

More Ben Folds please.

It's unfortunate that 4 out of the 6 Ben Folds songs in the RP library are from Rockin the Suburbs, definately his weakest effort to date. Whatever and Ever Amen and Songs for Silverman are top drawer albums, with great grooves, interesting lyrics. I think they fit in here perfectly, but about a dozen BF uploads have been rejected. Too bad. He's grossly misrepresented by "Anni Waits" and "Bizarre Christmas Incident".

That's the risk of listening to non corporate radio--it isn't "sanitized for your protection". Bill can play whatever he wants, and espouse whatever political opinions he wants. He doesn't answer to anyone except the listeners, and that's what makes Radio Paradise fun to listen to.

So maybe I don't agree with his politics. It's so refreshing to see someone who just says what they want to say (whatever mode of expression they choose), that I'm willing to forgive.

MORE BEN PLEASE!!!!

I am skipping all the socio-political debate, and just want to profess my love for Ben.

Thanks

This song and album are really growing on me.

i've always sort of heard this song as sung from Jesus' point of view. like "what the hell are they doing in my name?"

Jesus and Christianity have become a device in the US in many ways. it's troubling.

Damn - he can play, can't he?

rah wrote:
"Canada's potsmoking, homosexual, tree-hugging arms"
g'damn, that does sound like FOXNEWS. Well some of the usual Fox "personailities" fer sure.

Deepend wrote:


It's okay -- it only a cartoon. A cartoon based on reality -- cynically distorted reality, sure, but that's where the funny comes in. That map was drawn based on the election results, and everyone knows that all the people in the "blue states" wanted to run into Canada's pot-smoking, homosexual, tree-hugging arms, and that everybody in the "red states" is a bible-thumping missionary evangelical (everyone who watches PBS or FOXNEWS, that is...;)

In the meantime, listen to the lyrics -- I bet you'll like them a lot :)

Personally I can't wait for radioparadise to start playing those skinhead tunes...Oh, wait - that's right - that music singles out people for ridicule and hate because of who they are or what they believe. Silly me, what was I thinking? Wouldn't want you folks to think I was intolerant...

Deepend wrote:
Oh, don't mention being a Libertarian... the liberals around here hate that more than if you said you were a conservative ;)

This song, and this album, are really excellent. Interesting lyrics, excellent grooves. I like that Ben is still writing songs.--things that evoke a time/place, or tell a story.

Trustocity wrote:

:-$





It's a great song. And, after three listens, a brilliant album, too.

Great roadtrip choon.

First, I didn't offer a critique on the song at all. I didn't suggest that the song not be played.

Second, the generalization being made by the graphic is that all denizens of the midwest and south are right-wing christian fanatics. What happened to the 30-40% of the population that voted democrat (or libertarian - ha ha) ?

Third, the graphic suggests that believing in JESUS is wrong-headed/undemocratic thus offending those that might be politically liberal yet Christians.

(So, I feel this graphic IS divisive - even if the intent wasn't there.)

Fourth, from where I stand, shock-tactics aren't really useful in creating meaningful political discourse. So we'll agree to disagree on this.

Cheers.


Trustocity wrote:

Deepend wrote:
How do I disagree with this post? Let me count the ways...

This song soars, it's fantastic on 777 levels. As for incredibily offensive and polarizing and pointless, I think Folds and our friend Bill are simply making a somewhat unfair yet too-accurate-for-comfort generalization, not to divide but to shake people up, a tactic with which I agree personally. Lastly, Folds is not attacking JESUS. I mean, Jesus.

Hey, aren't I supposed to not be posting anymore?

Anyway, Bill, you rock for playing all the latest and greatest.

Ender43 wrote:

You are correct:

Down the tracks
beautiful McMansions on a hill
that overlook a highway
with riverboat casinos and you still
have yet to see a soul

Jesusland
Jesusland

http://www.thesuburbs.org.uk/Lyrics/getlyrics.php?id=158

Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly offensive and polarizing and pointless. If I had to make a similar generalization, embracing the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of east/west coastal snobbery.

Wish people would just give it up.

No comment on the song - it sounds nice enough.

LLMikeJ wrote:

haha, I was just about to do the same thing, but you beat me to it...good deal

Thanks for the explanation about the title, Bill, since the maps I saw had different labels.

"Hang your head and pray for jesusland..."

amen! can a brother get an amen?

Thinkin' about this more, this song nicely ties throws back to the Reinhold Mesner days of BFF...

Excellent!

Bill mentioned this map while introducing this song... figured I'd post it for those who hadn't seen it yet.

(map graphic is whacked -admin)