Released March 18, 1997 Artist Ben Folds Five Label 550 Music - Epic | Length 49:20 Release date 5 February 1997 | |
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Recorded September–October 1996, Chapel Hill, North Carolina Producer Ben Folds, Caleb Southern Whatever and Ever Amen
(1997) Naked Baby Photos
(1998) Genres Alternative rock, Piano rock Similar Ben Folds Five albums, Piano rock albums, Other albums | ||
One angry dwarf and 200 solemn faces ben folds five
Whatever and Ever Amen is the second album by Ben Folds Five, released in 1997. A remaster was made available on March 22, 2005. All of the extra tracks had been previously released (as b-sides, soundtrack contributions, etc.) except for a cover of the Buggles song "Video Killed the Radio Star", which is a staple of Ben Folds Five's live show.
Contents
Album recording
The entire album was recorded in a two-bedroom house Ben Folds rented in Chapel Hill. Due to this fact, the album has several lo-fi occurrences. A phone ring can be heard at approximately 2:56 in "Steven's Last Night in Town"; Ben Folds has said the ring was a friend calling from Minnesota, but it came at such a perfect timing, the band decided to leave it in the song. Robert can be heard laughing slightly after it rings as well. Crickets can also be heard in the background of "Cigarette."
Title
While recording the album, Folds told the Sheffield Electronic Press in November 1996 that the album would likely either be titled Cigarette or The Little Girl With Teeth.
The title Whatever and Ever Amen comes from a line in the song "Battle of Who Could Care Less." Helped by a comedic video directed by Norwood Cheek, "Battle of Who Could Care Less" helped the band break through in the UK in early 1997.
Cover
The album's original cover featured individual photos of Folds, Sledge, and Jessee, along with a hand-drawn Ben Folds Five logo, and a hand-drawn "Whatever and Ever Amen." The 2005 remastered version shuffled these photos around, and added a fourth photo of all three bandmates sitting together.
Legacy
Nick Hornby writes one of his essays in the book 31 Songs about "Smoke".
The band
Additional musicians
Production
Songs
1One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces3:52
2Fair5:56
3Brick4:32