—Fred Jones pt.2
Today’s exclusive song is a cover of Ben Folds’ “Fred Jones, pt. 2.” I have never heard part one, and I’m not sure if it actually exists (I would look it up, but I didn’t pay the google bill last month and they cut off my service). Of the song, “your_name_here” comments on songmeanings.com:
“this song just makes me wanna cry. i mean its basically about a guy getting fired from his job but the way ben folds writes it just makes it so incredibly sad. it goes much deeper than the surface. when i get a job ill be sure to make an impression upon people so when im there i wont be ignored and when im gone i wont be forgotten. i dont want to end up like fred jones. ”
Fred sits alone at his desk in the dark
There’s an awkward young shadow that waits in the hall
He’s cleared all his things and he’s put them in boxes
Things that remind him: ‘Life has been good’
Twenty-five years
He’s worked at the paper
A man’s here to take him downstairs
And I’m sorry, Mr. Jones
It’s time
There was no party, there were no songs
‘Cause today’s just a day like the day that he started
No one is left here that knows his first name
And life barrels on like a runaway train
Where the passengers change
They don’t change anything
You get off; someone else can get on
And I’m sorry, Mr. Jones
It’s time
Streetlight shines through the shades
Casting lines on the floor, and lines on his face
He reflects on the day
Fred gets his paints out and goes to the basement
Projecting some slides onto a plain white
Canvas and traces it
Fills in the spaces
He turns off the slides, and it doesn’t look right
Yeah, and all of these bastards
Have taken his place
He’s forgotten but not yet gone
And I’m sorry, Mr. Jones
And I’m sorry, Mr. Jones
And I’m sorry, Mr. Jones
It’s time
