Song on the eve of dismissal
Originally released on Songs on the Eve of Dismissal (2017), now re-recorded for Time to Disappear, on its way to release this fall.
No longer the title track, but it still opens the story: an employee cataloguing her own loyalty like a defense brief, resume polished, avatar checked, nothing to show for years of staying put except the fact that she stayed. A trombone solo carries the argument instrumentally before the words return, sharper. The bridge drops the melody altogether, half-spoken, half-recited, a run-on litany of corporate language, competence management, re-engineering, 3.0 version, cut loose from any tune, the way jargon replaces meaning when you say it enough times. Then the chorus comes back, and so does the joke: her one talent, unmistakably, is staying, right up until the moment she can’t, the final line quietly handing the title over to Time to Disappear.
Song on the eve of dismissal
Polishing my resume
Get it up to date
Does my avatar convey
I’m nothing short of great? Should have made my getaway Now it’s far too late
I am loyal, never swayed Throughout my career
(I) may not have an MBA (My) skills you will revere My big talent is to stay When colleagues disappear
Learning was permanent Competence management Personal development
I lived through it all
Egos got dented And task oriented My unit segmented until overhauled
My boss on a soap box screams that our stock rocks value creation shocks market cap rules
office cubicity buyer centricity asset toxicity money and fools
Knowledge conversion Total immersion
3.0 version
They all had me cheer
Re-engineering High-risk pioneering Without people fearing A pain in the rear
I have been agile
And lean for a long while skillfully smile
Through the next turnaround
Cutting the downtime Shifting the paradigm
I didn’t climb
But I still stayed around
My big talent is to stay When colleagues disappear Colleagues disappear
Time to disappear
Lyrics: Bastiaan Geleijnse
‘A gospel for those consigned to cubicle life, Chris Abelen’s album captures the angst and ennui of the career office employee.’
– Band Camp Jazz Pick
Vocals: Linda Ropa
Trumpet: Angelo Verploegen
Alto Saxophone: Floris van der Vlugt
Trombone: Chris Abelen (solo)
Baritone Saxophone: Tini Thomsen
Guitar: Thijs Huybens
Double Bass: Ulrich Wentzlaff-Eggebert
Percussion: Yonga Sun
Lyrics: Bastiaan Geleijnse
Recording: Wedgeview Studios, except vocals, trombone & baritone sax, recorded ‘at home’.
Music, editing, mixing, mastering & production: Chris Abelen
Cover photo: Interior Lens
Amsterdam/Netherlands