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.
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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