{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Ben Folds Live | type = live | artist = [[Ben Folds]] | cover = Ben Folds Live CD uncensored.jpg | alt = | released = October 8, 2002 | recorded = March 2 – July 6, 2002 | venue = | studio = | genre = [[Alternative rock]] | length = 71:10 | label = [[Sony Records|Sony]] | producer = Marc Chevalier, [[Ben Folds]] | prev_title = [[Rockin' the Suburbs]] | prev_year = 2001 | next_title = [[Speed Graphic (EP)|Speed Graphic]] | next_year = 2003 | misc = }} {{Music ratings | rev1 = [[Allmusic]] | rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}} <ref>{{cite web|last=Vanderhoff |first=Mark |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r610699/review |pure_url=yes}} |title=Ben Folds Live - Ben Folds : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards |website=[[Allmusic]] |date=October 8, 2002 |accessdate=June 13, 2012}}</ref> | rev2 = [[Pitchfork Media]] | rev2Score = 7.1/10 <ref>{{cite web|last=Mitchum |first=Rob |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/3136-ben-folds-live/ |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080420054431/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/17798-ben-folds-live |archivedate=April 20, 2008 |url-status=dead |title=Ben Folds Five: Ben Folds Live |publisher=[[Pitchfork Media]] |date=October 27, 2002 |accessdate=June 13, 2012 }}</ref> | rev3 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' | rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}} <ref>{{cite magazine|last=Edwards |first=Gavin |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/benfolds/albums/album/272697/review/6067968/ben_folds_live |title=Ben Folds: Ben Folds Live : Music Reviews |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=November 19, 2002 |accessdate=April 5, 2013 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071115003623/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/benfolds/albums/album/272697/review/6067968/ben_folds_live |archivedate=November 15, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> |rev4 = ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' |rev4Score = {{Rating|4|5}} <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8629841&style=music |title=Ben Folds Live CD Album |publisher=[[CD Universe]] |accessdate=April 5, 2013}}</ref> }}
'''''Ben Folds Live''''' is a live [[album]] by [[Ben Folds]], released on October 8, 2002. This album marked the first official release of the improvisation, "Rock This Bitch". The song, which changes with every performance, is now a staple of his live performances, with recorded versions also appears on his later albums ''[[Songs for Goldfish]]'' (under the name "Weather Channel Music") and on the ''[[Ben Folds and WASO Live in Perth|Live in Perth]]'' DVD (in which he "rocks this bitch orchestrally" with the [[West Australian Symphony Orchestra]]).
This album was made available for a limited time with a bonus DVD. It had 8 tracks, including a video of the audience shooting the front cover (during which they all gave him [[Finger (gesture)|the finger]] and yelled "Ben Folds sucks!"). This was also the first appearance of the altered, minor-key version of the [[Ben Folds Five]] song "Song for the Dumped" on an official release. This version also includes [[Darren Jessee]]'s "missing lyrics" ("You fucking whore" repeated a few times).
The Japanese release of the album included a live version of "Eddie Walker" and the studio recording of "Bizarre Christmas Incident". The 'L' in "Live" on the front cover is actually an upside-down 'F', as though it used to say "[[Ben Folds Five]]", the name of Ben's group before he began his solo career.
The cover of the album was taken June 8, 2002 by David Leyes at Avalon in Boston, MA during the "Ben Folds and a Piano" tour. The album cover depicts everyone in the crowd giving Ben the middle finger. However, in certain regions, the fingers are edited out of the photo.<ref name="LeyesDoc">{{cite web |title=David Leyes Shooting Ben Folds Album Cover | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzfPmVwrT9o |access-date=25 August 2023 |language=en |date=June 8, 2002}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing | total_length = 71:10 | all_writing = [[Ben Folds]], unless otherwise noted | title1 = One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces | length1 = 4:17 | title2 = Zak and Sara | length2 = 3:24 | title3 = Silver Street | length3 = 3:41 | title4 = [[Best Imitation of Myself]] | length4 = 3:13 | title5 = Not the Same | length5 = 4:31 | title6 = Jane | length6 = 2:34 | title7 = One Down | length7 = 4:03 | title8 = Fred Jones Part 2 | length8 = 4:39 | title9 = [[Brick (song)|Brick]] | writer9 = {{hlist|Folds|Darren Jessee}} | length9 = 4:45 | title10 = Narcolepsy | length10 = 6:04 | title11 = [[Army (Ben Folds Five song)|Army]] | length11 = 3:41 | title12 = The Last Polka | writer12 = {{hlist|Folds|[[Anna Goodman (musician)|Anna Goodman]]}} | length12 = 3:55 | title13 = [[Tiny Dancer]] | writer13 = {{hlist|[[Elton John]]|[[Bernie Taupin]]}} | length13 = 5:23 | title14 = Rock This Bitch | length14 = 1:17 | title15 = [[Philosophy (Ben Folds Five song)|Philosophy]] | note15 = Inc Misirlou | length15 = 7:16 | title16 = [[The Luckiest]] | length16 = 4:39 | title17 = Emaline | length17 = 3:48 | writer17 = {{hlist|Folds|Evan Olson}} }}
{{track listing | headline = Japanese bonus tracks | total_length = 77:00 | title18 = Eddie Walker | note18 = live | length18 = 3:25 | title19 = Bizarre Christmas Incident | note19 = studio | length19 = 2:25 }}
===Limited Edition Bonus DVD=== #"[[Rockin' the Suburbs|Not the Same]]" (Same version as Track #5 on the CD) #"[[Philosophy (Ben Folds Five song)|Philosophy]] (Inc [[Misirlou]])" #"[[Army (Ben Folds Five song)|Army]]" #"Album Art Antics" (photographing the cover; see above) #"[[Naked Baby Photos|Eddie Walker]]" #"[[Rockin' the Suburbs|The Ascent of Stan]]" #"[[Tiny Dancer]]" #"[[Whatever and Ever Amen|Song for the Dumped]]" (in a minor key)
==Personnel== *Ben Folds – [[vocals]], [[piano]] *[[John McCrea (musician)|John McCrea]] – vocals on track 8 (of CD)
===Production=== *Producers: Marc Chevalier, Ben Folds *Engineer: Marc Chevalier *Mixing: Marc Chevalier *Mastering: [[Ted Jensen]] *A&R: Ben Goldman, James Hynes, Fleming McWilliams *Project manager: Scott Carter *Compilation: Marc Chevalier *Crew: Marc Chevalier *Photography: David Leyes, Steve Volpe, Ben Folds *Package design: John Heiden
==Charts== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Chart (2002) ! Peak<br>position |- | Canadian Alternative Albums (''Nielsen Soundscan'') |align="center"|37 |- | US ''Billboard'' 200 |align="center"|60 |- | US Top Internet Albums (''Billboard'') |align="center"|60 |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Ben Folds}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:2002 live albums]] [[Category:Ben Folds video albums]] [[Category:2002 video albums]] [[Category:2000s live video albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Ben Folds]]