Misterioso

New York Times, Sept. 26, 1989 "Chess-Playing Computer Closing In on Champions" by Robert Byrne

Mayo Thompson recording with Rüdiger Carl & COWWS Quintet

Lyrics

At a chess tournament in Long Beach A machine shared first prize recently With a human from a mixed field Of humans and machines

A step forward for machines On the way to checkmate

Among matches that it won Was the one it won against The Danish grandmaster Bert Larsen Ranked the 96th It works in powerful ? machines To move about the kings and queens And all the pieces in between Down to the class of pawns On another occasion it won a match Against Robert Byrne the grandmaster Who is also the chess columnist For the New York Times

Chronology

• Rüdiger Carl - Book (1998)
  • Mayo Thompson - vocals
  • Recorded July/December 1989
  • Bandcamp

Interpretations

• The lyrics are based on a 1989 New York Times article about the chess computer Deep Thought. The song mentions chess grandmasters Bent Larsen and Robert Byrne.
• The music is a 1958 piece titled "Misterioso" by Thelonious Monk