House

Album: The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the first single from the Ben Folds compilation album The Best Imitation of Myself: A Retrospective. The album title comes from a track on the band's 1995 self-titled debut album, though it doesn't feature on the standard edition retrospective.
  • The single is one of three newly recorded Ben Folds Five songs for the record. It was debuted on the website for the NBC competition show The Sing-Off, of which Folds is a judge. "It's definitely about the past, and that was what I was thinking about with this retrospective," Folds said of the song to Spinner. "It occurs to me that there comes a time for anybody that they just want to close the door on the past. In some ways, this retrospective record allows me to shut the door on that and keep moving."
  • Explaining how the band came to record three new songs for the compilation, Folds said that it was as simple as his label, Sony Music, suggested it. "We tend to do things when we're asked," he told Spinner. "It's really funny. We hadn't had any offers to do anything. I guess it's all self-motivation. We didn't know if we were going to get together or not for anything. I called Robert (Sledge, bass) and Darren (Jessee, drums) up - they were free for a week - so we got the studio for the week."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.

Famous Singers' First Films

Famous Singers' First FilmsSong Writing

A look at the good (Diana Ross, Eminem), the bad (Madonna, Bob Dylan) and the peculiar (David Bowie, Michael Jackson) film debuts of superstar singers.

Glen Ballard

Glen BallardSongwriter Interviews

Glen Ballard talks about co-writing and producing Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill album, and his work with Dave Matthews, Aerosmith and Annie Lennox.

Booker T. Jones

Booker T. JonesSongwriter Interviews

The Stax legend on how he cooked up "Green Onions," the first time he and Otis Redding saw hippies, and if he'll ever play a digital organ.

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Don Brewer of Grand Funk

Don Brewer of Grand FunkSongwriter Interviews

The drummer and one of the primary songwriters in Grand Funk talks rock stardom and Todd Rundgren.