This piece explores what I imagine it must be like to be on the edges of the type of cognitive dysfunction that comes with dementia or traumatic brain injury. Like voices that are heard, but not always understood, memories come flooding in bits and pieces, clear but not quite complete. It’s the feeling when you remember the chorus, but can’t remember the words to the verse.

Music has been shown to help us connect with our memories, sometimes transforming them into something else entirely.

This song is dedicated to my mother-in-law who loves to sing. This is one of the songs she would sing with her friends while they partied in 1940’s Burma, where a favorite pastime was to spend the evening drinking cocktails and singing.

I incorporated an 1894 recording of Edward M. Favor performing “Daisy Bell” that was recorded by the Edison Phonograph Company on brown wax cylinder . The song itself was written by Harry Dacre in 1892.

Thanks to Speck for bringing to my attention the fantastic voices (shared by unfa at freesound.org) that appear as the din of thought and memory from which clarity emerges. And much gratitude to Jeris who kindly created the music for this project, taking a broad concept and helping to turn it into something more than I could have possibly imagined.

Vocal stems uploaded separately ( old time version and interpretive version). I also shared the two different versions as separate uploads in the event someone finds that format more useful. ( old time version and interpretive version)


DAISY BELL originally by Harry Dacre


Daisy, Daisy give me an answer do
I’m half crazy — oh for the love of you!

He loves me, he loves me not
There is a flower within my heart
Planted one day by a glancing dart
Whether he loves me or loves me not
Sometimes it’s hard to tell
Yet I am longing to share the lot
Of beautiful Daisy Bell

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do
I’m half crazy all for the love of you

I will stand by you in wheel or woe
Daisy, Daisy,
You’ll be the bell which I’ll ring you know
Sweet little Daisy Bell
Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do
I’m half crazy all for the love of you