Home› The Porch

lyrics at end of rats

cent208cent208 Posts: 435
edited September 2013 in The Porch
Just noticed this for the first time. At the end of rats he says "Ben, the two of us need look no more" five times. Does anybody know who Ben is or what this means?

Thanks
"The pain is temporary the pride is forever."
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,612
    Ben was a Rat....it's a reference to the Michael Jackson song about the movie

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_%28film%29
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • Abe_FromanAbe_Froman Posts: 35
    http://youtu.be/T1dAQN5QcZU
  • fortyshadesfortyshades Posts: 1,834
    Yep, reference to Michael Jackson. Also the reason why this song was played in a concert after his passing. They also dedicated "Needle and the Damage Done" during one concert...
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,612
    Abe_Froman wrote:
    http://youtu.be/T1dAQN5QcZU

    makes grown men weep instantly :)
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Mar-A-Lago Posts: 21,612
    fortyshades wrote:
    Yep, reference to Michael Jackson. Also the reason why this song was played in a concert after his passing. They also dedicated "Needle and the Damage Done" during one concert...

    I was there!! In Chicago...very well done
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)
    The Golden Age is 2 months away. And guess what….. you’re gonna love it! (teskeinc 11.19.24)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana; 2025: Pitt1, Pitt2
  • StoneGardenStoneGarden Posts: 270
    "Don Black and Walter Scharf wrote this for the 1972 movie of the same name. It was the sequel to a movie called Willard, which was remade in 2003 starring Crispin Glover. Ben is a pet rat. In the movie, a young boy befriends the rat, but the rat turns evil and recruits other rats to attack humans. In the remake of Willard, Ben becomes an enormous super-rat.
    Despite being about a rat, the lyrics are touching and sentimental, and make no reference to rodents. A lot of people were very moved by the song." - Songfacts website... ref. to "Ben" by Michael Jackson...

    Quite possible... in Atlanta '94 During Rats, he says some phrases about Michael Jackson... something along the lines "Michael Jackson was innocent"... etc.

    True story... :D
    07-19-'13 Chicago (TY EarthCam) @ 10♣
    07-16-'13 London (TY Dave)
    09-07-'11 Montreal
    09-04-'11 PJ20 In My Tree (TY Gary) @ 10♣
    09-03-'11 PJ20 In My Tree (TY Gary) @ 10♣
    05-09-'06 Toronto
    10-01-'96 Buffalo
  • DeLukinDeLukin Posts: 2,757
    I've also heard Ed introduce it as "a song about lead singing..."
    I smile, but who am I kidding...
  • NamiNami Newfoundland Posts: 5,998
    great f'king song... surprised actually that you only noticed it now...
    Hamilton 9-13-05; Toronto 5-9-06, Toronto 8-21-09, Toronto 9-12-11, Hamilton 9-15-11....
  • NamiNami Newfoundland Posts: 5,998
    Nami wrote:
    great f'king song... surprised actually that you only noticed it now...

    damnit had to listen to it... now i listen to VS in full. So awesome!

    as you were
    Hamilton 9-13-05; Toronto 5-9-06, Toronto 8-21-09, Toronto 9-12-11, Hamilton 9-15-11....
  • klusterfukklusterfuk Posts: 1,411
    Gern Blansten wrote:
    fortyshades wrote:
    Yep, reference to Michael Jackson. Also the reason why this song was played in a concert after his passing. They also dedicated "Needle and the Damage Done" during one concert...
    I was there too.
    I was there!! In Chicago...very well done
    The future's paved with better days

    Alpine Valley Resort is etched in my brain!!!


  • cent208cent208 Posts: 435
    thanks, I had no idea. Eddie definitely knows his music
    "The pain is temporary the pride is forever."
  • goldrushgoldrush everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 7,720
    When PJ played Rats at the London O2 in August 2009, Ed dedicated it to "a man who was supposed to take to this stage and do what he did", in reference to the 50 shows that MIchael Jackson was booked to play at that venue before he died.

    Ed also played a little bit of Ben as an intro to Rats

    http://youtu.be/BGRCqPzfluU
    “Do not postpone happiness”
    (Jeff Tweedy, Sydney 2007)

    “Put yer good money on the sunrise”
    (Tim Rogers)
  • javis el errantejavis el errante Buenos Aires Posts: 6,144
    I thought he was talking to Ben Harper... :lol:
    ... I am not in the business of being liked anymore ...

Sign In or Register to comment.