CLXXVI: "A voice that Daisy Bell convinced to sing"

“Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two)” was the first song sung using computer speech synthesis, changing technology forever in 1961. Facts on just how “Daisy” (said to be Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick) inspired the words of the 1892 song are not to be found on its Wikipedia page (9/25); but the milestones surrounding its use in computers are explored in detail. Hear the landmark IBM 7094 performance yourself below:

Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do.

I’m half crazy, all for the love of you.

It won’t be a stylish marriage—I can’t afford a carriage—

but you’ll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two!

~~~

Say, Daisy Bell, what was your answer to

the kindly-made request of yonder man?

Did you alight on that bike made for two?

Or did you turn him down ere it began?

It was a lovely song, though now it’s known

by many who know not its origin.

A relic of another kind it’s grown:

a pioneer of tune-producing tin.

There may come someday in our history

the loss of you and who so sang your song.

But we won’t yet forget the revelry

that was when circuits sweetly sang along.

Say, Daisy, Daisy, will we come to rue

our use of these affecting words for you?