By RAHN ADAMS
A couple of weeks ago Timberley and I were watching an interview with Jeff Kinney, author of the best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid book series. He mentioned how important the illustrations are in his books, especially for children with autism. They give struggling readers “an island to swim to,” he said.
Even before the election, that image of a man lost at sea swimming toward an island on the far horizon resonated with me. It is an image of both hope and salvation. Since the election, the same metaphor has been applicable to various segments of our society that feel displaced by hate and ignorance.
So I wrote the song “I Need an Island” and recorded it yesterday. Here are the lyrics:
I’ve been floating on a silent sea. / The wind is calm; the sun beats down on me. / The ocean waves are flat this far from shore. / I need an island I can swim for. / I need you.
I’ve been floating since the ship went down. / Without a lifeboat I will surely drown, / Unless I see a bird above me soar. / I need an island I can swim for. / I need you.
It may be a desert island. / It may be a paradise. / It may be like hell or heaven, / And we may not even know why.
I know a lot about surviving / When my soul needs reviving. / I need some hope so I can hope some more. / I need an island I can swim for. / I need you.
The “you” at the end of each verse can be the island itself, or “you” can be anything or anyone else. It can be human assistance or divine providence. Regardless of what might save us, we all need help at one time or another. We also need hope that help exists, whether we choose to accept it or not.
A few words about the song’s nuts and bolts: As with most of my songs, I’m not sure what category it falls into—country, pop, folk, Americana? For whatever reason, I can hear a bluegrass band playing it. My eight-track recording is comprised of four vocal tracks and four guitar tracks, with each guitar take consisting of the same basic chord changes but played differently. I might have added a bass guitar line and percussion track but decided that they weren’t necessary with the four guitars. And my fingers hurt.
By the way, I’m having fun adding background vocals, especially ooo’s and ahhh’s, but it’s definitely trial and error. Timberley, who fled to the back of the house while I recorded, would say mostly error.
If you would like to hear “I Need an Island,” click on this link. I hope you like it. If you do, please consider sharing it with your friends.