I've got all the change

Welcome to SMonday songs, aka I didn't have time to post yesterday so here's a song for today.

In honor of the Ben Folds Five concert today at the Ryman (which I wanted to go to oh so badly) and the release of their new album tomorrow (yay), today's song is "Still Fighting It," written by Ben for his son.

Here's the video:

he looked much less like a turtle when he was this age

And here are the lyrics:

Good morning, son

I am a bird

Wearing a brown polyester shirt

You want a Coke?

Maybe some fries?

The roast beef combo's only $9.95

It's okay

You don't have to pay

I've got all the change

Everybody knows

It hurts to grow up

And everybody does

So weird to be back here

And let me tell you what

The years go on and 

We're still fighting it

We're still fighting it

And you're so much like me

I'm sorry

Good morning, son

In twenty years from now

Maybe we'll both sit down and have a few beers

And I can tell you 'bout today

And how I picked you up and everything changed

It was pain

Sunny days and rain

I knew you'd feel the same things

Everybody knows

It sucks to grow up

And everybody does

So weird to be back here

Let me tell you what

The years go on and

We're still fighting it

We're still fighting it

You'll try and try

And one day you'll fly away

From me

Good morning, son

I am a bird

It was pain

Sunny days and rain

I knew you'd feel the same things

Everybody knows

It hurts to grow up

And everybody does

So weird to be back here

Let me tell you what

The years go on and

We're still fighting it

We're still fighting it

Oh, we're still fighting it

We're still fighting it

And you're so much like me

I'm sorry

I like this song for a couple of reasons.  It's easy to sing along to, which always helps.  It's sad and sweet, and a lot of it rings true.  It is really hard to grow up.  It's uncomfortable.  It's painful.  It's weird and crazy and sad and happy and everything you can imagine. And sometimes, it really sucks.  It can really suck to have to pay bills and take care of your car and realize you can never really go home again and have it all be the same.  It's hard when you and your childhood friends grow apart.  It's hard when you realize that college may have been the best years of your life and what you have to look forward to, with being a grown up, is work and changing diapers. (I'm being a bit pessimistic here, I know there's a lot to look forward to. I'm just being impatient.) And no matter how much we wanted to grow up as children, we still fight it, every day, as adults.

My favorite line is "you don't have to pay, I've got all the change." Nothing like a brilliant double meaning line to make a song great.

The only thing I don't like about this song is the $9.95 roast beef sandwich.  That seems a little expensive, in my opinion.  Pretty sure Arby's has better deals than that, especially back in 2001. $5.95 would've rhymed just as well. When I sing it in my car, I always say $5.95 instead. But then, I'm not a fan of roast beef, so to each his own. Maybe Benny eats at swanky roast beef-serving restaurants here in Nashville.

totally not worth $9.95