Jack Eric Williams
This song is sung in the voice of William Finn. Jack Eric Williams was a composer and performer that died from diabetes. From the lyrics of the song, it appears that William Finn and Jack Eric Williams had an up and down relationship. Jack Eric Williams was most famous as the original Beadle in Sweeney Todd. Even though it appears that Jack and William had their troubles, there was a great respect between the two. And at the end of the song, listeners are able to see that William thought that Jack was extremely talented and that he was before his time.
The song actually is a letter between Jack Eric Williams and Ricky Ian Gordan. Ricky Ian Gordon was born on May 15, 1956 in Oceanside, NY and raised on Long Island. After studying composition at Carnegie Mellon University, he settled in New York City, where he quickly emerged as a leading writer of vocal music that spans art song, opera, and musical theatre.
The song also mentions Quentin Crisp. He was present at Jack Eric Williams’ funeral and William discusses his encounter with Quentin at the funeral. It appears humurous in the song as William Finn once again defends Jack Eric Williams’ music by simply saying it was not the “…fashion of the day.” Quentin Crisp was born December 25, 1908(1908-12-25) and died November 21, 1999. He was born Denis Charles Pratt, and was originally an English writer, model, and actor, He eventually became a gay icon in the 1970′s after the publication of his memoir, The Naked Civil Servant.Â
Ricky Ian Gordon
Quentin Crisp
