Thank You For Growing a Beard

10 weeks ago by @odilongreen

Thank You For Growing a Beard

odilongreen

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Liner Notes

After hitting competitive eating on my first song of the year, I turn to another of my well-worn subject matters.

This stirring and inspirational song is in furtherance of the #casiocore challenge (https://fiftyninety.fawm.org/forums/2567)—all instruments, including drums, are (emulations or samples of) Casio synths.

The song also was written to satisfy the “All She Wants to Do is Dance” challenge (https://fiftyninety.fawm.org/forums/2616), which is to have a “repeating line that occurs every other line of the verse”.

This was originally intended to be a conventional #synthpop jam, but ended up a lot more theatrical and strange. Which I guess is appropriate, since (some people might say that) the #beard subject matter is odd to begin with. No matter. I’m quite pleased with it, bizarreness and all.

As you’ll quickly notice, a very substantial part of this song is “sung” by AI voices (through the Synth V program). I had a lot of fun experimenting with this (even though it presently takes me substantially longer than just "singing" myself). I suspect some people don't like AI singing, but for whatever it's worth, I firmly believe that this is no less or more appropriate than using samples of guitars or drums or trumpets or whatever else one can’t play, and am very excited about the possibilities of making music with vocals that far closer match what’s in my head than my meager vocal abilities can manage.

And suitable for a song with so many AI voices, here’s some relevant AI art:

Lyrics

VERSE 1

I saw a man on the street; he was carrying a sign; it read
Thank you for growing a beard
The lady selling coffee, she told me I’m looking fine, and she said
Thank you for growing a beard

Got to the office and the boss gave me a riase, saying
Thank you for growing a beard
Went to see the holy man, and you know I heard him praying
Thank you for growing a beard

CHORUS

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for growing
A beard

VERSE 2

The people arose, said their choice is clear cut
Thank you for growing a beard
The politicians gave up, said you know what
Thank you for growing a beard

I’m just a normal man, you don’t need to say
Thank you for growing a beard
I just know the path to a brighter day
Thank you for growing a beard

CHORUS

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for growing
A beard

BRIDGE

When the world is bleak
We need someone
To save us from hairless woe

And though lesser men
May shave their face
My beard I proudly grow

This beard you see
Upon my face
Has turned the world around

It’s no mystery
That facial hair
Can inspire and astound

And so

CHORUS

Thank me
Thank me
Thank me
Thank me for growing
A beard

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for growing
A beard

Thank you for growing a beard

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