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Ben Harper — Faded
Album: The Will to Live
Avg rating:
6.8

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2180









Released: 1997
Length: 4:48
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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You so easily amuse
Like a pantomime
Such a silent crime
You so easily abuse
Lack of confindence
It's your best offense
You so easily confuse
You can't deny it
Still you try to hide it

Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection

Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems

You so hastily defy
When you think you need it
You find a way to bleed it
You so hastily deny
Pleading innocence
It's your best defense
You so hastily reply
The moment (that) you said it
Already regret it

Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection

Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems

You so easily amuse
You so easily abuse

Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection

Faded
So faded
Like a forgotten dream
Further than it seems

Faded
So faded
Like a memory gone
There's no recollection
Comments (217)add comment
3 days in a row on the rock mix. interesting.
Posted 1 year ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
oh man. i think this is my favorite song by ben. thanks for playing it today!
Posted 1 year ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
 david500 wrote:

Funky but mellow. A seeming contradiction.


YES!  Contrast can be a good thing!   Smoking cranking guitar with sleepyhead vocals, and a soft acoustic break. 

Gotta be at least an 8!
Posted 1 year ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Posted 2 years ago by kAmpesinx    [ Reply ]
 eileenomurphy wrote:

Love it!




I STILL LOVE IT!!
Posted 2 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
Love it!
Posted 4 years ago by eileenomurphy    [ Reply ]
Baaaad!
Posted 5 years ago by Rockit9    [ Reply ]
smoking good music now! tre in a row. wait 4
 
Posted 6 years ago by BowTieDad    [ Reply ]
This could be a good song.....
If you turned up the parts I cant hear.
Posted 6 years ago by Clyde_Bedow    [ Reply ]
I absolutely love the juxtaposition of the relaxed vocals and aggressive guitar.  I understand this will be a love or hate it song but I love it. 
Posted 8 years ago by amb599    [ Reply ]
 DanFHiggins wrote:

Hmmmmm,
who else could we put into this category? 
Dylan,Hendrix,Vedder,Jagger,Cobain,Morrison (take your pick),Petty,on and on and on.
Pretty good company I'd say.

Oh and I like the song also. 

 

Oh, please.  You're comparing Mick Jagger and Jim Morrison to this?  While all the artists you list had their moments of unintelligible ramblings, they generally sang with volume.  Ben Harper is consistently in a league by himself when it comes to narcoleptic mutterings.


Posted 9 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
faded ... before it even began

i mean really, nice drum & bass groove (if highly derivative), but the vocals and lyrics are just so bad.  please no more.
Posted 9 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
not his best...
Posted 9 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
Must...purchase...more...Ben Harper!
Posted 9 years ago by djengs    [ Reply ]
He must have liked Nirvana's "All Apologies" (1993) lyrics.  I like this song too.
Posted 9 years ago by lkovathana    [ Reply ]
 dris wrote:
Sounds like stoner semi-coma mumbling...

 
Hmmmmm,
who else could we put into this category? 
Dylan,Hendrix,Vedder,Jagger,Cobain,Morrison (take your pick),Petty,on and on and on.
Pretty good company I'd say.

Oh and I like the song also. 
Posted 9 years ago by DanFHiggins    [ Reply ]
This is pretty good. 
Posted 10 years ago by floydoftherocks    [ Reply ]
 david500 wrote:
Funky but mellow. A seeming contradiction.
 
Not necessarily, e.g., Isaac Hayes, Barry White.  This piece doesn't sound much like either of those guys, but the funky/mellow combination may not be as contradictory as it seems
Posted 10 years ago by Proclivities    [ Reply ]
Funky but mellow. A seeming contradiction.
Posted 10 years ago by david500    [ Reply ]
He made some very interesting albums... Fight For Your Mind was a great great one.
Posted 10 years ago by CoYoT51    [ Reply ]
Like this a lot! {#Bounce}
Posted 10 years ago by pixelpush    [ Reply ]
 oldfart48 wrote:


idiots

 

ditto
Posted 10 years ago by ashmj000    [ Reply ]
 mostling wrote:
for the real deal you have to see Ben live. Amazing guitar skills and sound.

 

You have definitely got that right!
Posted 11 years ago by Jeffrey    [ Reply ]
 ERERER wrote:
Yes, please skip or I will withdraw all my support. Oh wait... I haven't supported in a while, so I'll just mute.
 Dinges,_the_Dude wrote:
Skip!
 



 

idiots
Posted 11 years ago by oldfart48    [ Reply ]
Sounds like stoner semi-coma mumbling...
Posted 11 years ago by dris    [ Reply ]
Dig the raspy voice with the sweet distortion on the guitar.
 
Posted 11 years ago by mh53spock    [ Reply ]
for the real deal you have to see Ben live. Amazing guitar skills and sound.
Posted 11 years ago by mostling    [ Reply ]
nearly Godlike. (other gods before him, perhaps?) Most Excellent
Posted 11 years ago by Segue    [ Reply ]
Only wish it were Chris Whitley
Posted 11 years ago by bodyschool    [ Reply ]
Cool sound.......... {#Good-vibes}
Posted 12 years ago by d48m02h1918    [ Reply ]
https://vimeo.com/34471734
Posted 12 years ago by Keef    [ Reply ]
This IS awful. How trite can a rhythm get?
Posted 12 years ago by ERERER    [ Reply ]
at his best
Posted 12 years ago by Ullrskid    [ Reply ]
 Vinni_NL wrote:
This. Is. Awful.
 
This is awfully good.
Posted 12 years ago by Groogrux69    [ Reply ]
 zurcronium wrote:
Channeling Zep for sure. Oh My God!
 
The first time I saw him live, he pulled into Whole Lotta Love during the acoustic break during this song. I was amazed.
Posted 12 years ago by PatrickPike    [ Reply ]
9! just need some cowbell
Posted 12 years ago by More_Cowbell    [ Reply ]
 Vinni_NL wrote:
This. Is. Awful.
 
Yes sir. Yes it is.

Posted 12 years ago by ERERER    [ Reply ]
Channeling Zep for sure. Oh My God!
Posted 13 years ago by zurcronium    [ Reply ]
This. Is. Awful.
Posted 13 years ago by Vinni_NL    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
Ben Harper to the band: "You guys crank out a rockin' tune, I'm gonna take a nap. Maybe I'll talk in my sleep through the song".
 

{#High-five}
Posted 13 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
Yes, please skip or I will withdraw all my support. Oh wait... I haven't supported in a while, so I'll just mute.
 Dinges,_the_Dude wrote:
Skip!
 


Posted 13 years ago by ERERER    [ Reply ]
Skip!
Posted 13 years ago by Dinges,_the_Dude    [ Reply ]
Ben Harper to the band: "You guys crank out a rockin' tune, I'm gonna take a nap. Maybe I'll talk in my sleep through the song".
Posted 13 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
Jimi, are you speaking to us?
Posted 13 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
 Groogrux69 wrote:
I love Ben Harper.  I was just a casual fan until I saw him live, then I was blown away.  I would really like to see RP play some Tracks from the Album "Diamonds on the Inside" or any other Ben Harper, Innocent Criminals or Relentless Seven Albums.
 
I agree whole heartily! Ben was a childhood friend and of all the hopeful folks trying to "make it" from back in those LA days I am just stoked Ben actually did—great kid, great man, great musician. Rock Star!
Posted 13 years ago by Magikal1act    [ Reply ]
I love Ben Harper.  I was just a casual fan until I saw him live, then I was blown away.  I would really like to see RP play some Tracks from the Album "Diamonds on the Inside" or any other Ben Harper, Innocent Criminals or Relentless Seven Albums.
Posted 13 years ago by Groogrux69    [ Reply ]
Starts out cool, ends lamely
Posted 13 years ago by Johnny_Wave    [ Reply ]
 tallboy1968 wrote:
What makes song what it is, is that Ben Harper is truly a bad-ass, so the soft vocals really are a juxtaposition against the backdrop of his presence.  If you've seen him live, you know what I mean.  He has this great yin/yang thing with gentle ben and loud ben.  In fact, one of his recent dual albums plays this whole concept up. 

I can sort of see how some of the haters don't get his vocals on this song, but on this track, it's all about the guitar, volume changes, tempo changes, and rawness.

There's a bit of a Carlos Santana thing going on with Ben Harper - he's deep and can create lots of moods/vibes from song to song and part to part.

Open your minds, people. Your heart may follow.
 
I'd like to hear more Ben Harper songs on RP—your description of his stuff intrigues me—but Bill is not accommodating me. At this point, "Faded" is fading one me.  
Posted 13 years ago by kcar    [ Reply ]
BEN IS GOOD!
Posted 13 years ago by Stingray    [ Reply ]
no it's not
Posted 13 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
Sweet lord, this is great!
Posted 13 years ago by pd    [ Reply ]
Groove addiction. Love it.
Posted 13 years ago by ziakut    [ Reply ]
Okay - I heard "Nobody's Fault But Mine" by Zep.  I really like Ben Harper, but this one makes me ache for something by Led Zeppelin - maybe "Over the Hills and Faraway," or better yet, "Rain Song."
Posted 14 years ago by Cynaera    [ Reply ]
What makes song what it is, is that Ben Harper is truly a bad-ass, so the soft vocals really are a juxtaposition against the backdrop of his presence.  If you've seen him live, you know what I mean.  He has this great yin/yang thing with gentle ben and loud ben.  In fact, one of his recent dual albums plays this whole concept up. 

I can sort of see how some of the haters don't get his vocals on this song, but on this track, it's all about the guitar, volume changes, tempo changes, and rawness.

There's a bit of a Carlos Santana thing going on with Ben Harper - he's deep and can create lots of moods/vibes from song to song and part to part.

Open your minds, people. Your heart may follow.
Posted 14 years ago by tallboy1968    [ Reply ]
The fuzz guitar on this track is just hypnotic, then the sudden accoustic break, ahhhhh... musical bliss.
Posted 14 years ago by Zigi    [ Reply ]
Yep, still a 10.  I'm so easily amused...
Posted 14 years ago by FlamingLotus    [ Reply ]
I don't want to like this song but I do via the music.{#Bananajam} The lyrics on the other hand don't sit well with me.
Posted 14 years ago by Shaker    [ Reply ]
I harbor great ambivalence toward Ben Harper, but this song strikes up violence in me. Sucko-barfo.
Posted 14 years ago by gshrieves    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
Why does the band let him ruin the tunes like this?
 
{#Lol}

Posted 14 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
Faded?   Yes, I faded it to 0.
Posted 14 years ago by MojoJojo    [ Reply ]
I take it the mute voice sound effect is not working for most!{#Lol} I agree, but I love this song anyway.{#Clap}
Posted 14 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
 nagsheadlocal wrote:

Srsly. It opens with some hard shots to the drums and a grinding guitar to get your blood pumping, then the vocalist comes on like he's on 'ludes.

 
ludes where definitely "in" at that time....{#Laughing}
Posted 14 years ago by jkhandy    [ Reply ]
 ddbz wrote:
I for the life of me do not understand this guys gift, but he has a serious bit of quality to him?  Good stuff...
 
Yes he does.

Posted 14 years ago by jkhandy    [ Reply ]
I for the life of me do not understand this guys gift, but he has a serious bit of quality to him?  Good stuff...
Posted 14 years ago by ddbz    [ Reply ]
 Jelani wrote:
F**K!!!!
I want so badly to like this tune. I think it's great, but his lame-ass vocals just kill a totally otherwise rocking song!
 The band really ought to fire him and re- hire him as a freelance writer.

 
Srsly. It opens with some hard shots to the drums and a grinding guitar to get your blood pumping, then the vocalist comes on like he's on 'ludes.

Posted 14 years ago by nagsheadlocal    [ Reply ]
This is like listening to a firecracker go off underneath a pillow.
Posted 14 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
F**K!!!!
I want so badly to like this tune. I think it's great, but his lame-ass vocals just kill a totally otherwise rocking song!
 The band really ought to fire him and re- hire him as a freelance writer.

Posted 14 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
 drews wrote:
Sounds like a downsized Lenny Kravitz, mining the rock-soul-funk groove, but not doing it nearly so well
 
Yes, I always think Lenny Kravitz when this song first starts. But eventually it sinks in...that's not Lenny, of course I get there faster when I check the screen. {#Roflol}

Posted 14 years ago by peter_james_bond    [ Reply ]
Why does the band let him ruin the tunes like this?
Posted 15 years ago by Jelani    [ Reply ]
This starts out so well, then it just becomes infuriating.  It would be sooo much better if Ben would sing with some passion.  I just want to shake him and tell him to put some soul into it, dammit!  Sing!!!  Sing with your entire being!  Other than that, nice song.

Posted 15 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
{#Bananajam} crunchy, fuzzy electric  {#Bananajam}
Posted 15 years ago by crockydile    [ Reply ]

great song and artist.


Posted 15 years ago by Wonderloaf    [ Reply ]
 tm wrote:
of the better guitarists of our times.
 

not even close, amigo.
Posted 15 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
this (album) is all i listened to in '98...
...nice...
Posted 15 years ago by Nadine    [ Reply ]
 crazy wrote:
wish he'd lay off the fuzz tone, so dated
sounds so "garage band"
wait is this still the same song...?
oh damn, guess it is pooh 
 
Hey man, this album was released back in 1997. Even though its one of his older albums, its still one of the best sounds out there. Or at least thats my view.

Posted 15 years ago by leathepea    [ Reply ]
egads - looking at all the negative comments - I wonder who the hell is listening to this station? Teenagers without taste??

Seeing Ben Harper at Festival De Nyon in Switzerland blew me away, one of the better guitarists of our times.
Posted 15 years ago by tm    [ Reply ]
He should do more in the thrasher/grunge style. 7 -> 8
Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
meh, i still am happy to hear it, in spite of the negative comments about it. i like it.

Posted 15 years ago by lily34    [ Reply ]
wish he'd lay off the fuzz tone, so dated
sounds so "garage band"
wait is this still the same song...?
oh damn, guess it is pooh 
Posted 15 years ago by crazy    [ Reply ]
this song is STILL playing?  arrggh.
Posted 16 years ago by wrangler    [ Reply ]
jagdriver wrote:

I concur, especially after watching Standing In the Shadows of Motown. He's obviously got a well-connected friend somewhere.



He's a very nice guy. Which, I've observed time and again, makes well-connected people willing to make a phone call or two.
Posted 16 years ago by ScottFromWyoming    [ Reply ]
That one kinda grew on me....like a fungus.  A really yummy fungus, like shitake or portabella {#Yes} 6->8

Posted 16 years ago by amaynard    [ Reply ]
I don't care much for that stop and restart thing. 
Posted 16 years ago by rosedraws    [ Reply ]
 notremotely wrote:
I really just don't see what the fuss is all about with this guy.
 
I concur, especially after watching Standing In the Shadows of Motown. He's obviously got a well-connected friend somewhere.

Posted 16 years ago by jagdriver    [ Reply ]
I really just don't see what the fuss is all about with this guy.
Not a fan.
Posted 16 years ago by notremotely    [ Reply ]
 stewliscious wrote:
Intro always reminds me of Led Zepplin. Don't know if that's good or bad. Something seems like it is missing.
 

I agree, definitely evocative to an extent.
Whats' missing however, is Led Zepplin themselves.
Posted 16 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
cayenne wrote:
The stereo outputs on your receiver should be labeled L and R. You'll want to make sure you get the positive and negative correct on both ends, too, or your woofers will throw inward instead of outward. Otherwise, you'd be playing music for the little gnomes* that live in your speaker enclosures, instead of the people in your living room. Personally, I don't think the L and R thing matters much unless you listen to classical music. In that case, it would sound like the orchestra seating arrangement was backward. *I have gnomes. Don't you all have gnomes?
I try to blast out the gnomes every so often with Ben Harper or Hound Dog Taylor played at ear bleeding levels. Of course if we still had access to those Infinity Reference Standard V's pushed by a pair of phased TRW 10,000 RMS audio amplifiers (with the new Svetlana Model 4x500 TetRode amplifier tubes usually deployed on ship-borne sonar transmitters). But that's neither here nor there now that I wear the latest in digital hearing aids.
Posted 16 years ago by Misterfixit    [ Reply ]
Sounds like a downsized Lenny Kravitz, mining the rock-soul-funk groove, but not doing it nearly so well
Posted 16 years ago by drews    [ Reply ]
God, Ben Harper is so boring.
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
Intro always reminds me of Led Zepplin. Don't know if that's good or bad. Something seems like it is missing.
Posted 16 years ago by stewliscious    [ Reply ]
pmnixa wrote:
For me the guitar is in the left channel also at the end of the song. Someone please educate me on how you know its supposed to be on the other side.
The stereo outputs on your receiver should be labeled L and R. You'll want to make sure you get the positive and negative correct on both ends, too, or your woofers will throw inward instead of outward. Otherwise, you'd be playing music for the little gnomes* that live in your speaker enclosures, instead of the people in your living room. Personally, I don't think the L and R thing matters much unless you listen to classical music. In that case, it would sound like the orchestra seating arrangement was backward. *I have gnomes. Don't you all have gnomes?
Posted 16 years ago by cayenne    [ Reply ]
DigitalJer wrote:
You speakers are backwards - the song ends with guitar in the right channel. I'll bet listening to The Beatles drives you nuts!
Left Channel, left channel. Bet the seltaeB drive you nuts?
Posted 16 years ago by horstman    [ Reply ]
Irritating.
Posted 16 years ago by westslope    [ Reply ]
Hannio wrote:
It's so easy .... ... to walk away when Mumbles starts singing.
Yes!
Posted 16 years ago by Excelsior    [ Reply ]
1wolfy wrote:
I like the sound of this. Interesting production. The vocals reach out on top of the track
Must have had a fairly proficient guy on the Board ....
Posted 16 years ago by Misterfixit    [ Reply ]
DigitalJer wrote:
You speakers are backwards - the song ends with guitar in the right channel. I'll bet listening to The Beatles drives you nuts!
For me the guitar is in the left channel also at the end of the song. Someone please educate me on how you know its supposed to be on the other side.
Posted 16 years ago by pmnixa    [ Reply ]
skdenfeld wrote:
I just love the potty break in the middle of the song. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!
Posted 16 years ago by Ando    [ Reply ]
I just love the potty break in the middle of the song. When ya gotta go, ya gotta go!
Posted 16 years ago by skdenfeld    [ Reply ]
Great song from a fantastic album. "Will to Live" is another fantastic song from this CD. The more I listen to Ben Harper the more I appreciate his honesty, insight, and ass-kicking guitar work.
Posted 16 years ago by healyf52    [ Reply ]
Mute...
Posted 17 years ago by stevo_b    [ Reply ]
I very much like the middle acoustic bit. other than that, yuk
Posted 17 years ago by morgsy67    [ Reply ]
I like the sound of this. Interesting production. The vocals reach out on top of the track
Posted 17 years ago by 1wolfy    [ Reply ]
Hannio wrote:
It's so easy .... ... to walk away when Mumbles starts singing.
Posted 17 years ago by Monkeysdad    [ Reply ]
I got five that Not To Soon follows this... edit: Well, I guess that old playlist finally got retired... I was starting to think the two songs were a/b sides of each other...
Posted 17 years ago by gandalfbmg    [ Reply ]
One of my favorite Ben Harper tracks. I really dig the tempo change and how the music matches the message.
Posted 17 years ago by danimal3114u    [ Reply ]
It's so easy .... ... to walk away when Mumbles starts singing.
Posted 17 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
The live version from the \"Live from Mars\" concert with the \"Whole lotta Love\" (anyone noticed the similarities? )medley is GREAT.
Posted 17 years ago by aristoteles    [ Reply ]
ce wrote:
Nice guitar, but it's completely in the left channel. That's annoying. Could you please move it more to the middle, please? Thank you. As I was writing this, it moved to the middle and a bit more to the right. I'm not making this up. Oh, there it goes again, stuk in the left channel.
You speakers are backwards - the song ends with guitar in the right channel. I'll bet listening to The Beatles drives you nuts!
Posted 17 years ago by DigitalJer    [ Reply ]
There\'s something about this that reminds me of Zappa\'s \"Overnite Sensation\" album - I think it\'s the drums mixed back, the bass a little up front and the vox a VERY up front whsiper. It\'s like \"Dinah Moe Humm\", that\'s what.
Posted 17 years ago by DoctorHooey    [ Reply ]
Hannio wrote:
Yeah, but Kravitz sings, unlike mumbly Joe here.
Why does it have to be mumbly Joe? Why can't it be mumbly Jack or mumbly Jim or even mumbly Ben? I'm sick of it, people.
Posted 17 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
Hatin' on this.
Posted 17 years ago by Odyzzeuz    [ Reply ]
Oooo ... Love this! ... I'm so easily amused
Posted 17 years ago by themotion    [ Reply ]
Rocking song! Thanks for playing Ben.
Posted 17 years ago by TCurren    [ Reply ]
Bill I know you dig this guy...sooo you really need to give his first single (and quite possibly his best song) "Ground On Down" a listen and then share with the masses! Thanks for the music!!!
Posted 17 years ago by Smutty    [ Reply ]
Nice guitar, but it's completely in the left channel. That's annoying. Could you please move it more to the middle, please? Thank you. As I was writing this, it moved to the middle and a bit more to the right. I'm not making this up. Oh, there it goes again, stuk in the left channel.
Posted 17 years ago by ce    [ Reply ]
ctdfalconer wrote:
Heheh. Really, apart from the obvious funk infusion, there's not a whole lot in common. Harper's music always seems to come off more technically polished than Kravitz. No way there's any copying going on.
Yeah, but Kravitz sings, unlike mumbly Joe here.
Posted 17 years ago by Hannio    [ Reply ]
I love the end of this
Posted 17 years ago by jenakle    [ Reply ]
Hooray for Benny!
Posted 17 years ago by nigelr    [ Reply ]
ulibcn wrote:
Kravitz called? Then tell him to listen to this and to learn!
Heheh. Really, apart from the obvious funk infusion, there's not a whole lot in common. Harper's music always seems to come off more technically polished than Kravitz. No way there's any copying going on.
Posted 17 years ago by ctdfalconer    [ Reply ]
timc wrote:
Lenny Kravitz called. He wants his sound back.
The jerk store called. They're out of you. ;)
Posted 17 years ago by 99    [ Reply ]