Finding the right tune on which to hang Bill and Frank’s encounter presented [showrunner and episode writer Craig] Mazin with a unique challenge. In addition to something that could be played on the piano both well and terribly, the showrunner was searching for a song about “a long-term ache — the sadness of somebody saying, ‘I wish, but oh, well, I shall be forever alone.’

“Man, I just couldn’t find the perfect song,” he continues. “I texted my friend Seth Rudetsky, who hosts the Broadway channel on SiriusXM radio. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of music. I said, ‘Here are all the things I’m looking for. Do you know a song that would fit the bill?’ Within 30 seconds, he texted back with ‘“Long Long Time,” Linda Ronstadt.’ I played it and was like, ‘That’s the song.’”