Where Have All The Mussels Gone?
San Francisco, CA
2024, Senior, Performing Arts
Verse 1:
Since I was a child
I’d go down to the shore
To see all the organisms I adored
But affixed to the rocks, there was one I was fond of
The California Sea Mussel
They live in beds along the edge of the West Coast
Without them our tidepools would be toast
They provide homes and food and refuge
Pre-chorus:
But something is happening
Our oceans keep warming
Which means the mussel larvae can’t make it up to the rocks
Something is happening
The ocean pH is lowering
So the carbonate ions are less available
Making their shells way more vulnerable
Chorus:
Where have all the mussels gone?
I thought mussels were like muscles, they’re supposed to be strong
But now all their shells are weakening
And from our shorelines they’ve been disappearin’
Where have all the mussels gone?
From our CO2 emissions lead to acidic conditions
In the ocean, it prevents them from growin’
Oh no
Verse 2:
All these sea mussels
Are dwindling in size
Shells transforming into mineral calcite
Makes them weak to the waves, they’re already depraved
And vulnerable to predators
Like the sea star and spiny lobsters
But if the mussels are gone there’ll be more sun exposure to the rocks
Heat and duress just isn’t the best for the organisms protected
by the mussel
So we, better hustle
Pre-chorus:
Cuz something is happening
Our oceans keep warming
And all the mussel’s plankton prey just keeps on dying off
Something is happening
The sun’s heat waves are increasing
So there’s less breeze to vent the heat inside
Making mussels overheat and die
Chorus:
Where have all the mussels gone?
I thought mussels were like muscles, they’re supposed to be strong
But now all their shells are weakening
And from our shorelines they’ve been disappearin’
Where have all the mussels gone?
From our CO2 emissions lead to acidic conditions
In the ocean, it prevents them from growin’
Oh no
Bridge:
I think that mussels have beautiful shells
But with these trends, it won’t end well
Sea mussels provide thousands of homes
So don’t kick or pull them just leave them alone
I think that mussels have beautiful shells
I go say hi to them when I’m overwhelmed
Sea Mussels help indicate climate change
Let’s save their homes so we don’t have to say
Chorus:
Where have all the mussels gone?
I thought mussels were like muscles, they’re supposed to be strong
But now all their shells are weakening
And from our shorelines they’ve been disappearin’
Where have all the mussels gone?
From our CO2 emissions lead to acidic conditions
In the ocean, it prevents them from growin’
Oh no
Reflection
Reflection
I am very fortunate to live very close to China Beach in San Francisco. I have visited it frequently during my childhood and the COVID-19 pandemic. Every time I’m there, I look forward to visiting the rocks that are home to intertidal organisms. I wanted to write a song about California Sea Mussels because I think they are an underrated organism in the intertidal zone and deserve more love. I also wanted to play into the irony that “mussels” sound like “muscles” while their shells are only getting weaker due to ocean acidification. Upon doing further research about California Sea Mussels, I've learned that these creatures are vital to their ecosystems and great bio-indicators for humans about tidepool habitats. Sea mussels might just remain affixed to the rocks, but they provide homes and shelter for other organisms, food for a variety of predators, and economic value for fisheries and consumption. Needless to say, California Sea Mussels hold a lot of value for our Earth. It’s important that we treat them with respect and recognize that due to CO2 emissions leading to acidic ocean conditions harm the growth and resilience of this population.