Ben Folds Five – Prince Charming

• 0
  Song Meaning:I'm sort of surprised by the confusion of meaning in the song.
  
  As far as I can tell this is about the Prince Charming myth. In fairytales Prince Charming "wakes up" the princess with a kiss and takes her off to his kingdom happily ever after. Well, in this song, we're dealing with modern people. The woman doesn't want some guy to "wake" her and she's BUSY as she keeps pointing out to the guy. He's the one who keeps trying to enforce the myth ( "never know when to quit"). He even knows she's okay, but he still keeps trying to insert his own idea of what's good for her into her life, even showing up when she doesn't want him there/expect him.
  
  It's a brilliant song showing the confusion of roles in heterosexual relationships today.
  
  Corrections
  
  second verse -
  she coolly asks, "how was it?"
  acting way above it
  and it doesn't get up
  Europe's cold and England's still old
  but I'm more hero there
  than I feel here right now
  
  third verse -
  see, here comes Prince Charming again
  with another plan
  your get yours and he'll get his
  he's gonna take you away
  from all of this
  so don't sleep

  Flag xyzzyxon January 27, 2012   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:that is correct, this is a robert song and like their other great tune Amelia Bright, is only available as a bootleg from the reinhold messner tour. International orange has recorded a version of this, just as Hotel Lights (darren jesse's band) has played and recorded Amelia Bright.
  
  I think this song is pretty clearly about a guy who is a lesser version of what he wants to be. he has the girl but then has these moments of conscience where he knows he's not treating her right and that there are all guys calling on her, whether it's in the bedroom or elsewhere. He can't take credit for the things she likes, he's just trying to be like those other guys. He's not the nicest dude, theres this prince charming out there with all these plans and knowledge for seducing women and it's killing him. "Don't bother me Prince Charming, I'm busy, I'm busy, I'm busy" but he can't drown out his conscience, he can't hide the fact that he knows she deserves better and that someday a Prince Charming will come along and wake her up to make her realize that.

  Flag drmartinion August 10, 2011   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:This song was not written by Ben Folds. It was written by Robert Sledge, and as far as the Five go, it was only performed live. I think the only formal recording of the song was done by Robert Sledge's next band, International Orange. I have no idea what the song actually means.

  Flag afraidofpopon July 26, 2011   Link

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• 0
  My Interpretation:This is going to sound weird, but to me this song sounds like it's about a repressed gay guy (not necessarily Ben, because he sings a lot of songs in the first person that aren't at all about him) who has an affair with some dude (Prince Charming) that gets pretty emotionally involved, but the narrator feels like he can't stay ("don't save me, Prince Charming, I'm busy") because he's already involved in a less-than-functional relationship. The "She coolly asked, 'how was it?'" verse seems to be about his girlfriend/wife asking (or maybe suspecting) something and the narrator thinking of Prince Charming but still not letting on, and the "See, here comes Prince Charming again" verse is the narrator resigning himself to "waiting to feel good" and fighting himself, or "sleeping". In that context, "She's okay, she's okay" seems to have a double meaning--the narrator reassuring himself that he's happy with her, and the girlfriend/wife reassuring herself that everything's fine between them. "Sleeping" could be repression, even closetedness (shut up it's totally a word)--he's sleeping until Prince Charming comes in, from all the guys he's ever known and been unable to sort out his feelings for, and kisses him on the cheek and wakes him up. It's a sad song.
  
  I doubt that's what Ben had in mind when he wrote it. That's just how I hear it.

  Flag follementeon December 18, 2008   Link

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• 0
  General Comment:ok. i got the song. you can't really understand what he's saying on the version i found, but the music's great and what you can hear mumbling through the speakers when you read the lyrics along with it, you can "pretend" to understand what he's saying. but it's a great song. i mean, i like it. too bad they broke up. maybe they should do the whole we're losers thing and make two more albums...after they've already broken up. HAH!

  Flag wavejarson June 18, 2003   Link

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• +1
  General Comment:i like these lyrics, but i can't find this song ANYWHERE. god day-um!

  Flag wavejarson June 18, 2003   Link

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