I wanted to present these two songs together because, in many ways, they are mirrors of one another.
“Master of the House” is Edmund at perhaps his most Edmund.
He has been pushed out of Harvard, dismissed as eccentric, and sent away from the academic world he desperately wanted to belong to. And yet, rather than admit how deeply that hurts him, he turns the whole thing into a victory lap.
He has a house.
He has books.
He has privacy.
He has plans to get emerald drapes.
What more could a man possibly need?
The song is intentionally theatrical, frivolous, and a little absurd. Edmund is convincing himself that exile is freedom, that loneliness is independence, and that being left entirely alone with a mysterious inherited library full of forbidden books is an absolutely wonderful development.
This is, of course, an eldritch horror musical.
So we know better.
Then comes “I Didn’t Get to Tell You.”
By the time Mercy sings it, everything Edmund was so delighted to possess has become the instrument of his disappearance.
The books mattered.
The secrets mattered.
And the solitude he celebrated has left Mercy standing in Isinglass Manor with nothing but The King in Yellow and all the things she never managed to say to him.
I especially love putting these songs beside one another because they reveal something important about both characters.
Edmund responds to pain by intellectualizing it, joking about it, and charging ahead.
Mercy feels everything.
But she hesitates.
She waits.
She assumes there will be more time.
And then there isn’t.
“Master of the House” ends with Edmund triumphantly declaring that the house belongs to him.
“I Didn’t Get to Tell You” ends with Mercy deciding to read the play that took him away.
One character walks willingly toward the mystery because he believes knowledge will save him.
The other follows because she loves him.
Neither understands yet what waits on the other side.
But Carcosa does.
Audio experience created using Suno. Press Play to listen below. 🎧
0:00
-3:49
Ahh...
Home at last.
There are shadows
In the house,
Likely cobwebs
Or a mouse.
There are corridors
Just yawning evermore.
There are books
And tomes and spells,
And some really
Steep stairwells.
But at least it’s mine...
From the ceiling
To the floor!
Harvard can think
I’m slightly batty.
And yes, my methods are...
Unorthodox.
They may not want me
Down in Boston,
But baby...
No one puts Edmund
In a box!
And yes,
Maybe some of the time...
I’ll sit,
I’ll miss it,
And I’ll pine...
Then I’ll remember
The flame they tried to douse!
And remember...
Now I’m
Master of the House!
I’ve got so much
On my plate.
Maybe I’ll...
Redecorate?
I can see it now...
Plush drapes
Of emerald green!
I can study
As I like.
I might even
Buy a bike.
And maybe hire someone
To keep this old place clean!
Harvard can think
I’m slightly batty.
And yes, my methods are...
Unorthodox.
They may not want me
Down in Boston,
But baby...
No one puts Edmund
In a box!
And yes,
Maybe some of the time...
I’ll sit,
I’ll miss it,
And I’ll pine...
Then I’ll remember
The flame they tried to douse!
And remember...
Now I’m
Master of the House!
There are tomes
And books aplenty.
My work is...
Magni momenti!
There are secrets here,
And mysteries galore.
I can read
The books I ought.
There were so many
That I sought.
And there’ll be no professors
Knocking at my door!
Harvard can think
I’m slightly batty.
And yes, my methods are...
Unorthodox.
They may not want me
Down in Boston,
But baby...
No one puts Edmund
In a box!
And yes,
Maybe some of the time...
I’ll sit,
I’ll miss it,
And I’ll pine...
Then I’ll remember
The flame they tried to douse!
And remember...
Now I’m
Master of the House!
Have no doubt...
Now I’m out...
I’ll have clout...
And I’ll shout!
Yes, I’ll shout!
That I am...
The Master...
Of the
House!
Audio experience created using Suno. Press Play to listen below. 🎧
0:00
-4:04
Oh, Edmund...
What have you done?
My love...
The King in Yellow...
I didn’t get to tell you...
I just thought
You’d understand...
And now you’ve gone
Away from me
When you should have
Held my hand...
I didn’t get to tell you...
That my heart
Beats just for you...
And now you’ve done
Something so foolish
The kind of thing
That I would do...
Not you...
No, not you...
Edmund...
Where have you gone?
I’ve been waiting
Right along.
I’ve lost track
Of the day,
Even tried
To pray.
Maybe I should
Read the play...
(whisper)
No...
That’s what it wants...
I didn’t get to tell you...
I thought we’d
Work out in the end...
We fit like
Pieces of a puzzle...
At least I got
To be your friend...
Edmund...
Where have you gone?
I’ve been waiting
Right along.
I’ve lost track
Of the day,
Even tried
To pray.
Maybe I should
Read the play...
Maybe I should...
Read the play...
I didn’t get
To tell you...
No...
I didn’t get
To tell you...
Get to tell you...
That I love you...
(whisper)
I should read...
The play...
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Things aren’t going well in Carcosa.
Author’s Note:
Author’s Note:
Author’s Note:
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