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Phlub - Eternal Return

from SpinTunes 19 Round 3 by Spintunes

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This is a circular song with a circular argument about circles. The concept of “Eternal Return” is essentially – is everything in history destined to repeat itself or not? Obviously there are two stances you can take: yes, it does and no, it doesn’t. Of course there are always nuances for how one reasons to their answer. But like so many unsolvable philosophical questions, the very fact that they are unsolvable results in the argument repeating endlessly between different people throughout time. Which in a way provides an argument that eternal return is indeed a thing, but if it isn’t a thing for everything is it a thing at all? We’re going in circles, aren’t we?

Structurally this song is nice and circular. For the chord progression, I have it cycle through every tonal center available in the “22edo” tuning system, in which the octave is divided into 22 evenly spaced notes. Serialism seemed circular to me. Tension builds and releases quite dramatically, but always ends up where it began. Drums were added in the form of a “drum circle” (more circles!) and I omitted percussion that wasn’t circular (or roughly circular). No triangles or maracas here, folks.

lyrics

There’s nothing new beneath the sun
I’ll watch matters echo, as they’ve always done
Observe as another cycle’s begun

Minutiae may differ, but how can you dispute eternal return
Must I internalize this yarn you’ve spun?
Chaos and entropy - and it is undone
Is ever a father truly like his son?

Often similar,, but that does not constitute eternal return
Across the centuries, it never abates
More pairs of philosophers will have this debate
It is inevitable, if only you wait

Is this not proof by recursion of eternal return?
There’s nothing new beneath the son
Our discourse echoes, as it’s always done
Observe as another cycle’s begun

credits

from SpinTunes 19 Round 3, released April 18, 2022

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Spintunes Union, South Carolina

Spintunes is a semi-annual songwriting contest. Every other week, the competitors receive a challenge and a week to meet it.

Each album on this site contains the responses to a single challenge.

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