Daisy Bell - The Most Infamous Song in Computer History

[@snowowl01]

i honestly get so sad when people say this song is creepy or scary, i always get so excited abt the history and thought in it we built a machine, and what is one of the first things we teach it? to sing!! it just makes my heart happy

[@bratty_cthulu]

I like to imagine that robot singing as the grandfather of computers Singing to his grandsons Vocaloid artists Ai cover voices Synthesizers

[@bchristian85]

Daisy Bell in 1960 would be like a Beatles song being used today. That would have been impressive back then and it's a song most people hearing it would have known.

[@grandpapycofa1593]

You can feel both scared/creeped out and amazed by technological advancements! An example of this is the development of nuclear weapons. Just the idea that humanity has the power to create a small sun with just one device is super cool! On the other hand, nuclear weapons have the power to bring nations to their knees and cause casualties/destruction the world has not yet seen.

[@emrilbennett8704]

@@grandpapycofa1593 sheesh we went there? Oh? Well at least the singing is somehow innocent. I mean, I don’t think we’re ever destroying any countries by doing it.

[@zurielluthjoring1661]

@@bratty_cthulu Damn... That's agreeable :)

[@brookearnold3609]

Funfact: Vocaloid, a popular vocal synthesizer, had the test name of "the daisy bell project". At that time, the vocal could only use vowels (most commonly "ai") its really cool how far vocal synths have gotton!!

[@adam.n-steve]

Miku and her grandpa 🥲

[@sunnyquinn3888]

It's sort of an irony thing partly. Like how a lot of horror movies use lullabies because the original innocence and intention of giving comfort contrasts so intensely with scenes of fear and destruction.

[@drewo.127]

I think you hit the nail on the head! Daisy Bell, and lullabies both can be used in genuine and wholesome situations, and also in creepy horror situations! I like both uses of the song! Generally, I like it because it’s so cool how such an old song, later sung by such an old computer, and continue persevering so many years later! And how such a song can instill billions of different emotions in billions of different contexts! Even when sung by robots and machines, it can be either beautiful and wholesome, or sad and foreboding, among many other things!

[@ColorHeartCarlie42]

The song is actually pretty wholesome, such a shame it's used for a lot of horror stuff. I get it's unnerving, but it doesn't really give off any double meanings. I just hear a robot love song.

[@WobblesandBean]

^ This.

[@GrilledPro]

When i first heard it i also shat myself from how it sounded but once I learned the lyrics and i realized its really wholesome.

[@olley2208]

My friend who suffered from really bad anxiety when he was 9 has described that through all the years of anxiety this song was just constantly on a loop in his head. So even though he himself has also stated that the song lyrics are really sweet and all, he would never be able to hear the song with anything but fear

[@Topdoggie7]

Often people who are mentally ill use this song for a description of the dread. It's easy to see how it can be terrifying.

[@stevetheduck1425]

It's worth reading the lyrics for 'Daisy Bell', like a lot of old 'music hall' songs, it's got double meanings galore. For a start, most people only hear the refrain or chorus. The song begins: 'There is a flower within my heart, Daisy, Daisy, ...' The parts about how they have to avoid 'p'licemen and lamps as well', implies that either the two on the bike are sleeping rough on the streets, or one or both must not be seen with the other. 'lamps' are lamp-lighters, people who lit streetlamps at dusk, and put them out at dawn. It might also mean they are, before marriage, making assignations that the Police or Lamplighters might report if they saw someone arriving or leaving a house. 'Peddling away down the road of life' suggests they are selling something, too; pedlars are street sellers. Worst of all; is the man selling Daisy? .

[@montereyb]

The name of the IBM scientist who chose this song was named Max Mathews. I had the honor to meet him when he was teaching at Stanford in 2009. I was a Music Synthesis major in college.

[@sofmimis3848]

The first time I heard the song, it was a duet between the IBM and Cyber Diva, a vocal synth, so it gave really wholesome vibes! Like a grandpa and his grandchildren just vibing together 🥰 I didn’t realize how creepy it could sound at first, but even after hearing it in that context, I still find it calming.

[@ThaOneChrisJONES]

It's kinda like "Tip Toe Through The Tulips", it's an overall innocent song that's easily made creepy for whatever reason.

[@disasterleo8883]

I still cry whenever i hear it cause i love how so many people make it out to be Hatsune Miku's grandpa singing

[@Letcharlieplay2545]

You guys are so mean- this is Hatsune Miku's grandpa and here you are disrespecting his singing :( In all seriousness, this is a HUGE feat of engineering and a massive leap forward in the art of computer science- I find it very cute that the programmers taught their computers to sing songs just for the fun of it- even if the voice is a bit funky.

[@Topdoggie7]

Blame the churches and the panics they did over this song not us.

[@elkingoh4543]

​@@Topdoggie7as a Catholic, Blame Arian and Protestant

[@hega5honda]

how 💀

[@FatalHog]

Daisy Bell and the robotic voice singing it are a example of taking something normal or even homey from your past, or the past period, and making it into something for horror by changing the context, or what it means for the person hearing it.

[@kisterdrums]

I want to point out how interestingly the Walten Files implements the song. Not only is it creepy in general, but in some ways it could represent the “awareness” that Bon could have gained at the end of Bunnyfarm

[@makes58]

Both your series and Wallten files have ruined analog horror. Instead of actually well made vídeos, you guys just steal "creepy" images from the Internet and distort faces with photoshop. And lets not even get started with the Walten files AWFUL drawings.

[@13slot28]

The goat has commented.

[@TheLarkspur935]

@@makes58 boo hoo

[@em0bxnn1ez13]

@@makes58 cry abt it lmao

[@Enderrock424]

@@makes58 i like the walten files art style. it’s charmingly hashed. but go off i guess

[@coolthingsandthings]

Cool fact, did you know the IBM 7094 (the machine that sung Daisy Bell) was experimented with in AT&T Bell Labs? This is the same place all of these things were made: - The Mobile Telephone - Big Bang Theory (not the TV show) - The Laser - The C Programming Language (The most important programming language to ever be created) - The Unix Operating System (a backbone for what is today's macOS and Linux) Every single one of these are still actively used, experimented, and built greater in today's age.

[@tadicahya6439]

Hatsune miku: bro why everyone think my grandpa voice is creepy

[@headphonesaxolotl]

The main reason it can be used to create horror is by changing the context of something sweet. Just like turning a horror movie style thing like a creepy monster into a new situation can make it funny (like if a monster was chasing you and when he catches you, he just steals your wallet and runs away), a robotic, non-human voice singing a sweet song can be used to create fear. Especially if it slowly fades in.

[@Topdoggie7]

This is both eerie and enchanting. The creepy factor definitely started around me with church saying that it was devil's music and a devil voice.

[@spudothy]

can you elaborate? I'm really interested in the history of churches calling everything "satanic" or "demonic"

[@Topdoggie7]

@@spudothy Oh that's easy. The churches believed computers speaking be it Daisy Bell or Bonzi Buddi, were satanic fallen angels who used the technology to befriend young children and lead them down a forbidden path.

[@Curttehmurt]

my mother used to sing me lullabies to the tune of Daisy Bell as a baby, which gives it even more of a somewhat creepy nostalgia vibe for me

[@jtom214]

I am somehow really impressed that people use wholesome song to horror element

[@spicy1615]

The concept has been around since the middle ages of the plague with "Ring Around A Rosie"

[@Topdoggie7]

It's an ancient concept.

[@riskscratch]

it makes me so sad when people describe the song as creepy or scary like no its not!! just because something is old doesnt mean its scary. i heard it described like a baby's first words, and i couldntve described it better. its beautiful how the first song ever sung by a machine - it's first true message to the world - is a cute little love song. it makes me really happy to think about

[@sown-laughter4351]

Time is scary . Warped time is frightening . Distorted time is unknown .

[@Lesbiwolf92]

I know the Daisy Bell song but not from anything horror related, mostly from comedy shows and movies. I didn't know it was supposedly a big thing in horror.

[@Spider4.0]

This song is so cute and even the voice is so adorable, I don’t get why people call it creepy at all

[@jeb-the-doomed]

People find the low quality audio and the robotic voice singing a lullaby unsettling.

[@Spider4.0]

@@jeb-the-doomed hmm yeah I see your point

[@Mr-Smile4788]

Cringe.

[@emrilbennett8704]

@@Mr-Smile4788 HEY!!!!

[@WobblesandBean]

It's just a love song. There's nothing creepy about it, it was warped into something it isn't over the years by horror creators.

[@Topdoggie7]

It was warped by churches and the music panics. I was told in the 90s this song was of the devil in original format. Play it backwards yadda yadda. So blame religion not some randos online who grew up being told it was evil.

[@jeb-the-doomed]

People found the old robotic voice of the computer and the low quality audio unsettling, so somebody used and it caught on.

[@StoryTeller796]

The original song's story is so beautiful. And this is why I would to make music like this an emblem of my superhero career, to reflect two things. 1. How much I believe in idealistic thinking and 2. How I'm willing to weaponize that idealistic thinking to a degree so borderline terrifying it would make villains like Professor Pyg, Homelander, Thanos, The Joker, Hugo Strange, and much more bow to me and my idealistic visions for a better world.

[@Fangarius]

Strangely, Daisy Bell was used in a Donald Duck short (where I actually heard the song originally). This one, coincidentally, was about Donald courting (who else?) Daisy.

[@gh0st-friend]

if you guys are interested in this stuff look into chipspeech :^) it's vocal synth that features a voice replicating the IBM 7094 :^)

[@sunnyquinn3888]

I was named after my father David, so people call me Davy a lot. I know this song is about DAISY, but it kinda sounds like it could be...😬 I'm also an obsessed Walten Files fan, so there's that too.

[@AMTheOcarinaPlayer]

Anyone else remember the Sal 3000 computer in Disney's Recess, their homage to 2001 A Space Oddesey? Still using the super creepy Daisy Bell moment. 😁

[@daisythegoddes3483]

Sorry, sorry, my bad. I lost my bell, and look what it did!

[@bethbug8448]

It still a beautiful song for recorded 1892

[@swechhar]

0:28 that image scared me

[@allainjohng.climaco1937]

Me too got jump scared too

[@bittersweetvictory8541]

the new artwork is snazzy!!

[@trolleymouse]

Futurama actually used the song when Bender fell in love with the Planet Express delivery ship's AI. There was also a 2001 homage at the climax of the same episode.

[@chazderrick7340]

Does anyone know what happened to the IBM 704 after the scientists recorded Daisy Bell?

[@Hi_Im_Solar]

I’m not entirely sure what happened to it but I think it was abandoned. Once again no one knows :/

[@RandomVidsforthought]

It's the 7094 not the 704

[@Abos1357]

I don't really think it's creepy I think it's STRAIGHT HEAT

[@ykcamseyer]

It hit me that this is a love song from over a century ago. It might not have the same cinematic melody of modern love songs but still, the sweetness of it shines through in its simplicity.

[@lida_puppets]

Honestly, i think this song is quite nice. It got 2 opposite occupations togrther. singer and computer scientist. and it is my favourite song

[@ryuzxa]

Clearly, this is Hatsune Miku's grandpa

[@The-EJ-Factor]

reason #1: I'm a cs major reason #2: I'm a cs major reason #3: I'm a cs major reason #4: I'm a cs major reason #5: I recently just reheard the song in the trailer for kinitopet, and flashed me back to when I first got really interested in computer science in the 6th grade and started watching videos about computer science, and as I said I'm a cs major now so it has been a while. and so I decided to look up the song again because nostalgia and here I am now.

[@kingbranden1369]

It's not scary. It's calming. Hopeful. That the very first artificial voice put to tune was a wholesome love song makes it seem possible that AI won't lead to the apocalypse, but rather salvation.

[@tommyfox854]

Alright, I can see why people find a early computer singin this song to be creepy, its voice is so robotic and yet *_does_* have a element of "human" in it, technology like that at the time was *_VERY_* much in its infancy so there were too many questions buzzin round in our skulls for us too understand what was happening, and humans fear what they don't understand. And this is personal speculation here, fully in the tinfoil hat and the thumb-tack-n-string territory cause I know next to nothing about what was happenin in that lab when the computer sang that song; but I like too imagen that the primary scientist workin on it had "Daisy" somewhere in their name and the computer was just looking for a way too communicate how happy it was with them not realizing the fella went home.

[@unperson5713]

I hear the lyrics differently. "There are others quite willing to share the plot of beautiful Daisy Bell." This is a formal courting song, and the protagonist of this song is only one of Daisy Bell's suitors. The line is a word-play on Daisy's floral name. Give me your answer, do.

[@Lucygoosey719]

I feel like I've know this song my whole life. My parents didn't want little me to get addicted to TV, so they would put on the kids music channel instead. I would hear this song so often so it's really nostalgic for me. I have also been interested in robots my whole life, so I got super exited when I heard this during my first watch of 2001 Space Oddessey. I'm also into Vocaloid now. So basically my entire life stems around this sing lol!

[@queefcheif9306]

"one note plays" *plays two notes*

[@dondizzzzzle]

Daisy Bell appears in another book, actually. House of Leaves, it's a horror novel where the format changes to reflect changes in the story. One of the characters sings the song before he (probably) dies.

[@queefcheif9306]

could one argue that street organs were the first singing computers? it does use a sheet or board that can be programed to play any song so long as its in the allotted notes and the first recognized computer was a loom that used punch cards to make patterns.

[@AmorphousPrimordia]

I've always heard this song not in like, any creepy way, it just made me really sad for some reason

[@BennettHalstead]

I first heard this song associated with the popular VR game gorilla tag. I think it's really cool to know the history behind the song.

[@josephholt4736]

Random Fun Fact: This song was (kinda) used in Episode 10 of the Disney+ series "The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse" (the sequel series of Paul Rudish's "Mickey Mouse" shorts). The premise of the episode - "Just the Four of Us" - is that Donald tells Mickey & Minnie that he and Daisy are sick in order to avoid doing a double date, but the 2 Mouses come over to the Ducks' place to try to take care of them while the 2 Ducks try to hide from them. Also, the episode is played out like a horror movie, which makes it funnier 😂.

[@GraciousGoldy]

You Know, Fredbear sing this as a dieing wish in October!

[@user-yr8mu1ce1m]

I never knew it from this or horror videos. I always knew this song because Bender sung it in an episode of Futurama.

[@mememan77]

Oh hey a topic i already know about epic moment 😎

[@floramew]

I'm watching Sonic Boom, and one episode when Orbot and Cubot decided they needed to make money to post bail for Eggman, cubot's great idea was to start busking for change, and he badly sang a couple lines of Daisy Bell before sonic stopped it, hah. It's fun! I didn't actually realize it was in 2001, heh, despite being a scifi fan I've never actually seen the movie.

[@_TheRockyGamer_]

I actually really love this song! I haven’t seen many covers of it, but I absolutely LOVE Nat King Cole’s version! It’s just so good!

[@LittleRichard1988]

When I started primary school in 1994 that was when I learn't the chorus of this song and we sung it at my first school recital along with the chous of other old music hall songs like My old man said follow the van ( which was my personal favourite at the time not understanding what it was about but I think I just liked the tune ), Oh I do like to be beside the seaside and I'm forever blowing bubbles. Some of these songs were also used on nursery rhyme cassettes traditionally with songs like Wheels on the bus and This old man on cassettes that were designed for the car, i think the intention was to have some songs that your grandparents or great grandparents would have known as well as a means of educating children which I think is a good thing. I recently uploaded a midi version of Daisy Bell on my channel sequenced by Brent Bailey and Bill Basham which I rendered on my midi sound modules and the computer still play's it's role telling a midi synthesizer which notes to play and what sound to play on each channel and this is not far off how the backing tracks on all my kid's cassette from the 90s was produced. I always thought of it as a fun song for all the family to sing along to or at a party when everyone has had a few especially with the scoopy singing!

[@marcuseleazer3058]

The Daisy song is everywhere

[@14xpm14]

them backrooms enthusiasts boutta go crazy

[@Voltanaut]

I think the song is really cute, I'm surprised it creeps people out.

[@ChansuoTsukama2]

11:17 Altair 8800, my beloved.

[@aeugchad]

Addi really went hard with that avatar holy wowzers.

[@PaganValley]

Yeah! It’s really awesome!

[@WobblesandBean]

​@@PaganValley Unfortunately, not many people think so. It's kinda...well, bad.

[@MonkeyGng]

7:27 yo he lowkey killed that tho😳🤫🧏🏿‍♂️ 9:34 oh nah he ate that up way better ngl😍😭🙏🏿

[@freddyboy7392]

That song, Daisy Bell gives me nightmares it up😢

[@amanwhodoesthings]

daisy bell is beautiful. it was my lullaby as a baby

[@MSMthealtfire1234]

Aww

[@Nickolasthegamer492]

Daisy bell also plays in the series needlem0use, in the episode n0way.

[@AwesomeGamer-om4hm]

And IIRC, it was confirmed that Sarah Henderson loves the song.

[@sushiandpentagrams]

I recommend watching doobus goobus and his animated vid for this song. Will permanently make it sound cutesy instead of creepy!!

[@thatonecaledonian812]

Why does it have to be creepy tho

[@thatonecaledonian812]

Like it’s not infamous It should be famous instead

[@declanjones8888]

It is quite fascinating.

[@NioNoob]

BRO WHY DO I FEEL LIKE IM HAUNTED NOW

[@ParappaAndPjberri]

I used to get nightmares of this and I still do to this day

[@dianaruman8723]

Bonsai buddy flash backs

[@nisansparow3390]

Cortana is gone, she will be missed... at least by most of us.

[@MetaSynForYourSoul]

I'm calling it right now. The cop who got caught in the theater is the new editor. 😂🤣Y'all are subbing to this shit?!

[@streetblue6072]

This is the most beautiful song

[@nathanielenochs1843]

We have Hollywood to thank for introducing us to the song

[@petarpavlovic]

Idk if I watch way too many movies or is this some sort of subliminal messaging but on that opening,no joke no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop imaging Hal in my head

[@klyson]

The people who dont know people who know

[@Dancingmasking]

i genuinely thought that "2001: A Space Odyssey" was a half-life 2-like game, not a book, or a movie, god im stupid

[@user-vr7pl5zs7d]

Can you explain what hapened at the end of the song with the words

[@JELLYpuff659]

daisy09:GUESS WHOSE HERE

[@IANGRYMONKE]

The fact that the ibm ver was creepy to other people I find it peaceful. (Idk why?)

[@tracey9888]

This was recommended to me after watching a video of AI making the B1 battle droid sing Daisy bell

[@catgirl185]

Such a pretty song, hate how creepy it’s gotten!

[@PepsiLover29192]

when i heard this at night my soul escaped my body for the rest of the night

[@CloudPuff_lovesboba]

Miku's creepy old grampa

[@popfruitfed]

"GRAMPA" 😖😖😖😖😆

[@nisansparow3390]

(8:08) the one on the right looks like the doctor.

[@galaxi268]

The song is simple and sweet but tiktok makes it scary

[@macm5542]

its still beatiful. miku grandpa deserves to be remembered not by "horror" from tik tok

[@rickythebguy5997]

Fun fact -- Daisy Bell was Made in Bell Labs.

[@iennefaLsh]

Infamy? I surely expected some controversies.

[@RTanna89]

Desktop screen? Wtf are you talking about this is pre DOS. GUI was thirty+ years away, a desktop didn't exist when this was made. This was made when a computer took up a decent sized room.

[@theholypeanut1738]

we like this song we use it alot and we like happy (=

[@wnvrgt]

The 2001 Daisy bell song and the purple gorilla is very creepy

[@SatelliteLily]

I hate horror, mostly because of al the things it ruins.

[@roshawnclarke8198]

NOT CREEPY AT ALLL.. W video explain

[@E121C1C]

horror ? what are you talking about, it's beautifull

[@blueelixir4292]

Have your videos been removed?

[@jacobadkins2193]

Na the computer was just sing it's people

[@HerrTex]

I've never actually found this creepy

[@jyotirathaur7901]

This is creeping me out

[@j-man6001]

Lmao 08:25 oh this killed me!

[@darrenpierce2312]

I always feel like there is a demon in my house when I listen to this

[@eliasduarte5107]

Machine rights for all computers please ai diserves respect as well after all we created ai to help us not abuse it

[@marjoseph2311]

Don't forget the KZbin shorts videos