Prosopagnosia

Album cover for "Prosopagnosia"
00:00
03:02

My son and I both have difficulty recognizing faces, particularly out of context. He has a job in HR now that requires interaction with a lot of different people, many of whom overlap a sharing of similar names and (what should be) distinguishing characteristics, which makes it a challenge to keep everyone clear. To illustrate his lament, he texted me a patterned list of those names, along with the comment, “To say nothing of the Ryans.” 

To me, those were clearly lyrics. Almost instantly, I was hearing the chorus.

So I went home and put together a simple tune, extended those lyrics, and told the AI that I was looking for a rondò. .. which all together rendered this song (to which I added some flourishes, and of course the gong).

What’s nice is that (a) the cover is derived from the blending of the faces of some very familiar people (to represent the feeling of ‘“Who is that?”), and (b) the voice on the song has a similarly familiar quality.

Lyrics

one person

one face

one name


two persons

two faces

two names


many people

many faces

many names


Sooo many people.

Sooo many faces.

Sooo many names.


I try to know people.

I try to see faces.

I try to learn names.


But sweet baby Jesus,

give me even half a snowball’s chance.


Like my job

Making badges for…


Trevor, Traver, Trebor, Trevan

Evin, Evan, Evon, Evyn

Kevin, Kevan, Kevon, Kevyn

and Zev


You heard me

ID badges for…


Trevor, Traver, Trebor, Trevan

Evin, Evan, Evon, Evyn

Kevin, Kevan, Kevon, Kevyn

and Zev


To say nothing of the Ryans.

Odds thinner than single ply-ans.


Share the same shirt.

Share the same hair.

Share the same voice.


It's just not fair!


Sooo many Ryans.

Ryans all the way down.

Ryans as far as the eye can see.


Oh sweet baby Ryan,

Odds thinner than single ply-an.


That’s my life, naming faces for…


Trevor, Traver, Trebor, Trevan

Evin, Evan, Evon, Evyn

Kevin, Kevan, Kevon, Kevyn

and Zev


To say nothing of the Ryans.

Odds thinner than single ply-ans.


Sorry, what was your name again?


Trevor

Traver

Trebor

Trevan

Evin

Evan

Evon

Evyn

Kevin

Kevan

Kevon

Kevyn

and Zev


Your face rings a bell

Quasimodo.


Kabong!


(ouch)

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