' s ▁nick name ▁for ▁Rosen stein . ▁ ▁Other ▁work ▁in ▁music ▁ ▁Work ▁for ▁other ▁mus icians ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁collabor ations ▁on ▁F olds ' ▁own ▁music , ▁he ▁often ▁works ▁with ▁other ▁mus icians ▁on ▁their ▁projects . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁Ben ▁F olds ▁recorded ▁an ▁un re leased ▁studio ▁album ▁titled ▁Fore ver ▁Valent ine ▁with ▁Wh is key town . ▁ ▁" We ird ▁Al " ▁Y ank ov ic ' s ▁par od ied ▁Ben ▁F olds ' ▁style ▁in ▁the ▁song ▁" Why ▁Does ▁This ▁Always ▁H appen ▁To ▁Me ?" ▁on ▁his ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁album ▁P ood le ▁Hat . ▁According ▁to ▁music ▁critic ▁Nathan ▁Rab in , ▁the ▁song ▁" am pl ifies ▁the ▁no x ious ▁self - abs or ption ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁character ▁to ▁h il ari ous ▁extrem es " ▁by ▁describing ▁a ▁narr ator ▁who , ▁upon ▁hearing ▁about ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁hor rible ▁tra ged ies , ▁only ▁compla ins ▁about ▁the ▁( min or ) ▁incon ven ien ces ▁that ▁affect ▁him . ▁ ▁F olds ▁himself ▁plays ▁piano ▁on ▁the ▁track . ▁Y ank ov ic ▁later ▁told ▁The ▁A . V . ▁Club : ▁" Ben ▁and ▁I ▁are ▁old ▁friends ▁at ▁this ▁point , ▁and ▁of ▁course ▁I ▁sought ▁his ▁keyboard ▁work ▁for ▁that ▁song . ▁So ▁he ▁came ▁in ▁and ▁knock ed ▁it ▁out ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁F olds