References: "Timequake," Humanism.

In my mind, this song is sung by Kilgore Trout. Trout is a character Vonnegut developed that is basically his way of inserting himself into a story. That takes a few forms. Sometimes Trout is clearly meant to represent Vonnegut. Sometimes Vonnegut goes one step further and also inserts a character named Kurt Vonnegut into the story, who inevitably chats with Trout at some point. Vonnegut is the Deus in Trout's Ex Machina.

Trout features prominently in the novel "Timequake," which is essentially a story where every human on earth has to relive a 10 year period, doing exactly the same thing they did the first time, unable to change it, but aware that it was happening. This incident became known as the "Timequake" and the novel takes place after it has ended at a great clambake thrown by Trout who is one of the only people who was basically okay with the whole thing.

I was fascinated with that idea. I wrote this song. And while in my head it's in the character of Kilgore Trout, that's probably somewhat unfair since Trout was upbeat about the whole thing...but it worked for me, anyway.

The whole thing builds to a concept that Vonnegut suggested early in the book, and also elsewhere in his other works. Vonnegut frequently encouraged his readers to try to recognize when they're happy and when they notice it, to take a moment to say or just whisper to themselves the phrase, "If this isn't nice, then I don't know what is." As a person who lives with depression, that thought means a lot to me. I often don't realize that I'm happy until it's in hindsight and then it goes immediately into being sad that it's over. Vonnegut's recommendation is a good one...when you're happy, be happy, and be happy that you're happy.  I like that.