Buridan's Ass Habanera - From the Opera: The Science of Animals

[Recitative - Bass, Free Tempo, Sparse Strings, Spoken-Sung Delivery]
My name is Buridan. Well — no. I am Buridan's ass,
A philosopher invented me to prove a point, alas,
He placed me between two bales of hay, identical in measure,
Same height, same scent, same quality, same undeniable pleasure —
And he said, "Watch this donkey choose, it's logic, it's simple, it's pure!"
(pause, dry)
I am still standing here.
[Aria - Habanera Rhythm, Carmen-Flavored, Bass Lead]
[Verse 1]
The hay upon my left calls out, the hay upon my right demands me,
Two bales exactly equal, and yet paralysis commands me —
For choosing one betrays the other, it's a crime, it's a disaster,
So here I stand, frozen still, between two hungers, growing vaster!
[Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ahh," in Thirds]
[Chorus - Full Village Ensemble Joins, Habanera Swells, Sympathetic but Amused]
Oh, poor Buridan's ass, condemned by two identical stacks,
Poor Buridan's ass, philosophy's got him flat on his back,
He can't choose left, he can't choose right, he's frozen in the middle —
What a fool, what a fate, what a solvable little riddle!
[Verse 2]
Love has no logic to it, hunger neither, my dear fellow,
How does one choose between two hays, both equally warm and yellow?
Reason tells me "just decide," but something deeper, something older,
Keeps me frozen in the middle, growing thinner, growing colder!
[Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ooh," in Thirds, Building]
[Chorus - Village Returns, Slightly Louder, Habanera Intensifying]
Oh, poor Buridan's ass, he's a lesson in overthinking,
Poor Buridan's ass, while his poor stomach keeps on shrinking,
Somebody help him choose, somebody nudge him left or right —
But nobody moves, because watching him suffer's quite a sight!
[Bridge - Building Habanera Intensity]
Perhaps I'll die here in the middle, never moving, never leaning,
A martyr to philosophy, a failure with no meaning —
But nobody can say I chose incorrectly, that's the trick of it,
For choosing, friends, is risking — and I much prefer the lack of it!
[Realization - Tempo Slows, Strings Thin Out, Bass Alone, Dawning Clarity]
Wait — hold on — perhaps the answer was in front of me the whole time,
Perhaps I don't need either bale, perhaps indecision is the crime,
Perhaps a free ass makes his own hay, forages, wanders, roams —
Perhaps the tragedy was never choice, but standing still at all, alone!
(pause, strings hold a suspended chord)
I could simply... walk away.
[Peak - Full Habanera Swell Returns, Bass and Hay Bales and Chorus Together, Fastest and Fullest]
Hay upon the left, hay upon the right, which one, which one, which one?
The question stays eternal, and eternal, and eternal!
[Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ahh" and "Ooh" Overlapping in Thirds, Full Village Chorus Underneath]
[Final Line - Bass, Dry, Spoken, Realization Abandoned]
...nah. I think I'm still hungry. Both, please.
[Instrumental Tag - Habanera Rhythm Fades to Silence]

2929/7500

[Recitative - Bass, Free Tempo, Sparse Strings, Spoken-Sung Delivery] My name is Buridan. Well — no. I am Buridan's ass, A philosopher invented me to prove a point, alas, He placed me between two bales of hay, identical in measure, Same height, same scent, same quality, same undeniable pleasure — And he said, "Watch this donkey choose, it's logic, it's simple, it's pure!" (pause, dry) I am still standing here. [Aria - Habanera Rhythm, Carmen-Flavored, Bass Lead] [Verse 1] The hay upon my left calls out, the hay upon my right demands me, Two bales exactly equal, and yet paralysis commands me — For choosing one betrays the other, it's a crime, it's a disaster, So here I stand, frozen still, between two hungers, growing vaster! [Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ahh," in Thirds] [Chorus - Full Village Ensemble Joins, Habanera Swells, Sympathetic but Amused] Oh, poor Buridan's ass, condemned by two identical stacks, Poor Buridan's ass, philosophy's got him flat on his back, He can't choose left, he can't choose right, he's frozen in the middle — What a fool, what a fate, what a solvable little riddle! [Verse 2] Love has no logic to it, hunger neither, my dear fellow, How does one choose between two hays, both equally warm and yellow? Reason tells me "just decide," but something deeper, something older, Keeps me frozen in the middle, growing thinner, growing colder! [Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ooh," in Thirds, Building] [Chorus - Village Returns, Slightly Louder, Habanera Intensifying] Oh, poor Buridan's ass, he's a lesson in overthinking, Poor Buridan's ass, while his poor stomach keeps on shrinking, Somebody help him choose, somebody nudge him left or right — But nobody moves, because watching him suffer's quite a sight! [Bridge - Building Habanera Intensity] Perhaps I'll die here in the middle, never moving, never leaning, A martyr to philosophy, a failure with no meaning — But nobody can say I chose incorrectly, that's the trick of it, For choosing, friends, is risking — and I much prefer the lack of it! [Realization - Tempo Slows, Strings Thin Out, Bass Alone, Dawning Clarity] Wait — hold on — perhaps the answer was in front of me the whole time, Perhaps I don't need either bale, perhaps indecision is the crime, Perhaps a free ass makes his own hay, forages, wanders, roams — Perhaps the tragedy was never choice, but standing still at all, alone! (pause, strings hold a suspended chord) I could simply... walk away. [Peak - Full Habanera Swell Returns, Bass and Hay Bales and Chorus Together, Fastest and Fullest] Hay upon the left, hay upon the right, which one, which one, which one? The question stays eternal, and eternal, and eternal! [Hay Bale 1 & Hay Bale 2 - "Ahh" and "Ooh" Overlapping in Thirds, Full Village Chorus Underneath] [Final Line - Bass, Dry, Spoken, Realization Abandoned] ...nah. I think I'm still hungry. Both, please. [Instrumental Tag - Habanera Rhythm Fades to Silence]

0/500