We gather here to mark the passing
Of song, of sound, of joy once known
It is said that heart has left the music
And all that’s left is cold as stone

[Mini-Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!

[Verse 1]
They feared the worldly airs and dances,
Passion in a minstrel’s art
They said “too much will stir the body,
And tempt the weak of heart”
[delicate lute or guitar flourishes beneath]

[Mini-Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!

[Verse 2]
When the organ grinder’s barrel turned
And the music box began to play
They said “these cogs will choke the spirit,
And drive the troubadours away”
[soft tambourine accents, rustle of crank handles]

[Mini-Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!

[Verse 3]
The needle hit the vinyl spinning
A backbeat set the hips aflame
They banned the twist, they cursed young Elvis,
And swore the world would never be the same
[hint of crowd screams fading into tape hiss]

[Mini-Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!

[Verse 4 – late 20th century studio vibe; warm electric piano, synth pads, steady kick]
Then came the screens, the glowing faders
D. A. W. that bent both time and tone
We cut and pasted perfect moments
But lost a little of the unknown
[gentle 4/4 pulse, slightly metronomic, to imply regularisation]

[Mini-Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!

[Verse 5]
Now algorithms flood the airwaves
With echoes dressed in borrowed skin
They mine the soul, they strip the voices,
And call the hollow heart a win
[gradual crescendo, real strings and human breath sounds]

[Final Chorus]
This is the end of music — again!
We’ve heard it all before, my friend
And still the song begins anew
The end is never quite the end

The end is never quite the end