EmKayDeeBee - Wishful Thinking

from SpinTunes 17 Round 2 by Spintunes

	/

Streaming + Download

Purchasable with gift card

about

This song is written from the perspective of Alice (Miss Kinnian) in the book: Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes

Algernon is a mouse who scientists modify to make exceptionally intelligent. They get permission to use the same technique on a human, and choose Charlie, a janitor at a bakery with and IQ of 68. He comes recommended by his reading tutor, Miss Kinnian (Alice). Charlie gradually becomes more and more intelligent, until he surpasses everyone, falling in love with Alice along the way. Haunted by the experiences in his youth, he is unable to act upon it as his intelligence surpasses his emotional development. At his peak, he discovers the flaw in the scientist's experiment, and recognises that he will just as quickly return to his original state of being. As his IQ descends, finally he and Alice find their level, however fleeting. The entire book is written in 1st person from Charlie's point of view, in the form of status reports for the experiment.

lyrics

IQ in 60s from the start
saying maybe they can make you smart
you always tried your hardest
yes I knew all about it
Dinner, movies, make-believe or lies
you look for rules, you really try
a life time of learning
in these short weeks you’re yearning

Look at a word and close your eyes
say it over and over and over and over and over and over
and you will remember

They took your Smile Charlie
All the while Charlie
I watched and waited – but not yet.
You’ll take my heart, Charlie
Oh so smart Charlie
The man I shall never forget

IQ rising all the time
but still so much a child inside
Whatever you want I’ll be
Don’t be afraid of me
So much knowledge so much rage
let the mouse free from his cage
before you had a warmth
you could be kind before

Look at the world don’t close your eyes
See it over and over and over and over and over
And as you remember

They took your smile, Charlie
All the while Charlie,
I watched and waited, is it yet?
You’ve took my heart Charlie
Oh so smart Charlie
The man I can never forget

What goes up must come down
We’ve got our time at last
The child is fully grown
but now the time goes by too fast
I’ll hold you so you do not drown
How can we make this last?

Look at your woman close her eyes
Sew it over and over and over and over and over
But will you remember?

Got back your smile, Charlie
Back to Old Charlie
You’d said you would… and yet
You broke my heart Charlie
Was I smart Charlie?
The man I must try to forget…. try to forget.

credits

from SpinTunes 17 Round 2, released March 29, 2021
Sung vocals, Harp, Octave Violin: EmKayDeeBee
Spoken vocals and Cajon: ZeCoop
Mixing: ZeCoop (zecoop.bandcamp.com)

license

some rights reserved

about

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.