Phosphor Glow (S2E11 Bonus)

S2E11 is out tomorrow. Here's the theme song for the episode "Phosphor Glow."

Renee and Marc both love the movie WarGames and since we're going to break the episode into two parts - a part about the movie and a part about how the movie is actually a documentary for modern AI warfare - it just felt right for this song to be about that green phosphor glow of the CRT and the analog tones of the 300 baud modem. Awww, 80's nostalgia before we get to the part where AI-driven warfare opens us up to all sorts of risk and governance issues. 

Lyrics down below:

[Verse 1]
Bedroom door half-closed
Fan is turning on the shelf
Soft green halo on my face
Name blinking in the scroll
Hum of the CRT
Like a cat asleep in the dark
Coffee rings beside my keyboard
Cursor waiting like a spark

[Chorus]
In the phosphor glow
You feel closer than the air
Just a wire and a dial tone
But I swear that you are here
Every line you type
Lands right under my skin
Something warm across the wire
Let the outside world stay dim

[Verse 2]
Acoustic coupler on the phone
Rubber cups around the sound
Fingertips ride every beep
Like a secret underground
You write you're in your sweater
Knees pulled up beneath your chin
I picture the pattern on your curtains
I live where your words begin

[Chorus]
In the phosphor glow
You feel closer than the air
Just a wire and a dial tone
But I swear that you are here
Every line you type
Lands right under my skin
Something warm across the wire
Let the outside world stay dim

[Bridge]
If the signal breaks
If the world comes rushing back
Will you call my number twice
Find your way along the cracks
Till the handset's in its cradle
Till the room is only you
And this soft electric window
Humming somewhere in the glow

[Final Chorus]
In the phosphor glow
You feel closer than the air
Just a wire and a dial tone
But I swear that you are here
Every line you type
Lands right under my skin
Something warm across the wire
Till the morning edges in

[Outro - gentle, fading]
In the phosphor glow...

Join Renee and Marc as they discuss tech topics with a view on their nostalgic pasts in tech that help them understand today's challenges and tomorrow's potential.

email us at nostalgicnerdspodcast@gmail.com

Come visit us at https://www.nostalgicnerdspodcast.com/episodes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Bedroom door half closed, fan is turning on the shield, soft green halo on my face, name blinking in the scroll hum of the CRT, like a cat asleep in the dark, coffee rings beside my keyboard, cursor waiting like a spark in the phosphor glow. You feel closer than the air, just a wire and a dial tone. But I swear that you are here. Every line you type lands right under my skin. Something warm across the wire. Let the outside world stay dim. Acoustic coupler on a phone, rubber cups around the sound. Fingertips ride every beep like a secret underground. You write your in your sweater, knees pulled up beneath your chin. I picture the pattern on your curtains. I live where your words begin in the phosphoryl. You feel closer than the air, just a wire and a dial tone. But I swear that you are here. Every line you type lands right under my skin. Something all across the wire Lithi outside world stay in a signal breaks, if the world comes rushing by, for you call my number twice, find your way along the crest till the hand sets in its cradle. So the room is only you in this soft electric window Hummin somewhere in the glow in the phosphor glow you feel closer than the air, just a wire in a guile tone, but I swear that you are here every lie you take then right under my skin something warm across the wire till the morning edges in a fast for the bigger.