Protect You, Too
Jamestown, NC
2021, Senior, Performing Arts
(verse)
Water taught me how to hold my breath
Hoping I could please you
The closest thing to flying I could get
Floating through the deep blue
And when it felt like there was nothing left
It whispered promises of something new
Water, I cannot begin to thank you
(chorus)
You connect us all
Soften every fall
Give and never take, I wanna make it up to you
Protect you, too
(verse)
You know you were a family escape
We drove hours to see you
A summertime delight in light of day
Sparkling and see-through
So conducive to a child’s play
I would say the day was overdue
Tide is rising, lift me up with you
(chorus)
You connect us all
Soften every fall
Give and never take, I wanna make it up to you
Protect you, too
You are life and love
Tumbling from above
You have been the constant on which everyone depends
Yet so few defend
(bridge)
In the water, that’s where we met
I told you I was not ready yet
But in the water, that’s where I thrive
So without water, must the dream die?
Dreams of children swimming so free
Like my young sister, daughter, like me
But in the water, that’s where we thrive
So without water, must the dream die?
(chorus)
You connect us all
Soften every fall
Give and never take, I wanna make it up to you
You know I do
You are life and love
Tumbling from above
You have been the constant on which everyone depends
Yet so few defend
But I’ll be here
Until the end
Water
Reflection
Reflection
"Protect You, Too" is my love letter to water. The ocean and swimming have played a huge role in my life. They've brought my family together for vacations and pool trips, and occupied my summers with exercise and pure childhood glee. Living near the coast, I am incredibly privileged to be able to travel to the beach often, and therefore have developed a deep attachment to it. Water, to me, symbolizes consistency, new life, and peace. It sustains some of the most unique and beautiful flora and fauna on earth. Looking through the videos under the marine life tag made me really want to travel, but even deeper down, it stirred a burning desperation in me to preserve the beauty of our oceans. I want my future daughter to be able to float on her back and let the waves carry her, no worries of mass pollution; I want her to be enthralled by the sight of a dolphin jumping out of the ocean water. This is what the bridge of the song is referencing; I want my children and their children to be able to experience the untainted, thriving magic of marine life, and be able to swim in clear waters. On the more musical side of things, I began with this modified piano with reverb to give the feeling of being underwater. Finding a plucky rhythm reminiscent of water droplets, I began to write my memories of water into a verse. The chorus flowed right out of me, as the warm bass and background piano reminded me of a beautiful sunset that I believed did the ocean justice. Writing the first half of the song was incredibly peaceful and relaxing, and I focused on all the good that water has done for me over the years (most of which I didn't really notice until now.) The bridge takes a bit of a darker turn with minor chords to explore the fact that there is a problem that needs solving, that we can't just take the ocean and water for granted. The vocal buildup is one of my favorite parts of the song because it expresses such urgency to protect and preserve the entity that has always, without fail, been there for me. Finally, it ends on a repeat of the love letter chorus, and my reassurance to water that I will always contribute to its protection and conservation.