Brian Gray - Your Name

from SpinTunes #15 Round 2 by Spintunes

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about

…where the keys are made up and the notes don't matter.

I had some big time fun with this one. Lost count of how many keys, time signatures, and tempos I went through to get to where I wanted to go. This is essentially an extension of "For the Glory of Gleeble Glorp" (obviously, from the background vocals), and since I'm setting two songs in the same universe, why not pretend I'm in a musical? It even gives context to the background vocals, who are groups of slaves and refugees, chanting "for the glory of Gleeble Glorp" and moaning in pain or distress, respectively. I can totally visualize this being staged. Let me know if you think I have a hit here.

OF COURSE I borrowed somewhat from Sondheim, most obviously the absolutely on-the-nose reference to "There Won't Be Trumpets". Lots of other influences too from many other musicals. Shoulders of giants and all that jazz.

Anyway, story wise, the attack has just ended, and most humans have been melted by the slime. Of those that were not, most are taken as slaves. Our unnamed narrator here was targeted by a Gluman streaming slime, and someone else jumped in front of the stream. As the anonymous hero melted, the narrator ducked into a staircase to the subway system and ran around the corner to a temporary safe spot, to take stock of his situation among other survivors…

lyrics

You didn’t have time to think or time to fear.
I hadn’t the guts to disagree.
And now you’re like all dissolved and I’m still here,
And I can’t stop being glad that it was you instead of me.

So I keep thinking how there won’t be trumpets,
Blaring majesty to drown my shame.
And no statue with a plaque atop the ash of an attack
On this world that doesn’t know your name.
What was your name?
What was your name?

Already that briefest glimpse is fading now.
Tomorrow you never will have been.
And I will go underground, and on somehow,
Taking solace that mine isn’t so original a sin.

So I guess there never will be trumpets.
And you only have yourself to blame,
If you thought there’s any use in trading down for this excuse
Of a man who never knew your name.

And so what if there are no more trumpets,
In their cynical and brash acclaim?
Played by men who aren’t me in overblown hypocrisy…

And so this hypocrite will now say, “Thank you”,
Knowing I would not have done the same.
But whatever I’m about, from the here to here on out,
What I do, I do it in your name.

credits

from SpinTunes #15 Round 2, released November 18, 2018

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