Fred Jones was worn down
From caring for his often
Screaming and crying wife
During the day but
He couldn't sleep at night for fear that she
In a stupor from the drugs that didn't even
Ease the pain would set the house on blaze
With a cigarette.


Lyrics submitted by kevin

Cigarette Lyrics as written by Ben Folds

Lyrics © RAOUL BRETON EDITIONS, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Cigarette song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    there are lots of different interpretations of this song, i think it's about a man lossind his wife, but it is imagery, ban is loosing the big things he has worked his whole life for, they are dragging him down as well as themselves, and it hurts, so, eventually, the whole thing just sort of burns down!

    commonmaryon April 25, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is pretty deep I think. It's really beautiful but sad too. It's bittersweet. I love Ben Folds Five but I don't know what a lot of their songs mean. Thanks! ~~Tessa~~

    Flychick773on June 12, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    There were a few mistakes made here, these are the real lyrics.

    Fred Jones was worn down from caring for his often screaming and crying wife durning the day but He couldn't sleep at night for fear that she In a stupor from the drugs that didn't
    ease the pain would set the house ablaze with a cigarette.

    aristonon September 08, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It's a song about a man whose wife has mental and substance problems. Maybe she takes tranquilizers but it doesn't help their relationship or solve her problems. And of all of the drugs that she uses, the one that puts them all at risk are those damn cigarettes.

    Imani110on September 27, 2002   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    this song is about a man who's wife had a brain hemorrhage and became a completely different person. he was trying to figure out if he should get a divorce since she was essentially not the same person that he married.

    asliceofpeteron September 21, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Actually, this is the exact wording of a newspaper article Ben Folds clipped out of a newspaper. Notice how the lyrics aren't included, and they aren't even included in the official songbook, because they aren't his to print.

    Paul Finchon June 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    sweet. short, and to the point

    woofagoofaon August 15, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I made a mistake too. It's "during", not "durning".

    D'oh.

    aristonon September 08, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think that this song is about a man whose wife is dieing of cancer, and who was on Chemo, but it wasn't helping. This is one of the saddest songs I know, and it alone is enough to convince me to not smoke.

    MollDoll263on September 22, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Paul Finch is exactly write. Yeha the lyrics are missing fom score if you buy it

    utopianon April 26, 2003   Link

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