Wilson 1

Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

Stranded
My name is special agent Ryan Wilson and I am helping scientist
understand the brain better by seeing how music effects moral under
extreme circumstances. I have been on this island for a few months now and
will be for essentially the rest of my life by myself excluded from society. The
only thing that I have to keep me sane are three songs that I am allowed to
pick. The only catch is they have to be from different artists. Food is scarce
as well as clean water. My only objective is to try to remain alive and allow
researchers to study the effects that being isolated and the aids that the
music I choose provides. The government does weekly checkups on my
moral and physical health, they do this by sending a boat with one
researcher on it to ask me a series of questions and measuring my body fat
percentage and weight. So for my three songs Im definitely going to go with
feel-good songs or songs that will help me get through the day. Those three
songs are Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoole, Show
Me Remix by Kid Ink, and finally Na Na by Trey Songz. These songs all
reflect something in my life now or what is to be of my life while Im
stranded. All of the sweet voices and catchy beats will hopefully be enough
to keep me alive and sane.
So the first song I chose to have with me is Somewhere Over the
Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwoole also known as IZ. The song is perfect to
wake up too, with a soft voice IZ woos my inner soul into a peaceful state of

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Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

mind. The slow tempo of the song gradually wakes me up and makes me
more positive about my day. This reminds me of my mothers gentleness,
determination and how she wakes me up in the morning so sweetly. My
dreams are usually about wanting to have a family and simply being around
my friends, family and especially my mother again. Hopefully, the dreams
that you [I] dreamed of, really do come true.. I hope that my dreams come
true but they never will because I am part of an experiment, but I believe
hope is necessary to stay sane. Without hope I feel someone could truly go
crazy. The song relaxes me with the melodic tone and keeps me from going
insane. I get up every morning wondering if I will be able to eat at all during
the day this song reminds me of my mothers sweetness and her
determination. In 2011 my single mother lost her job and almost lost our
house. Luckily she was persistent in her search for a job because she knew
she needed it to care for my brother and I. This song reminds of this
determination and gives me the strength to get up and search for food. IZ is
originally from Hawaii and through his peaceful songs and preachings he
became a symbol of hope for his small island home. This is ironic because
now I am stranded on an island and this song is my beacon of hope.
The next song that helps me get through my day is Show Me Remix by
Kid Ink. It is probably one of my favorite songs. The remixed version in my
opinion is better and features Trey Songz, Chris Brown, 2 Chainz, and Juicy J.
It has a beat that I really enjoy and surprisingly deep lyrics. I remember

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Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

reading an article about Inks album Full Speed, which contains Show Me, it
said that the album has a, smart conciseness and delivers deeper, more
inspired [lyrics].(Jenkins). I decided to take it with me because Kid Ink is one
of my favorite rappers and Chris Brown and Trey Songz are two of my other
favorites. I enjoy Chris Browns music because he has catchy beats and a
good voice. I like Trey Songz because he has one of the most beautiful voices
I have ever heard. With this song I get a catchy beat and some of the singers
whose voices I enjoy hearing the most. My friends and I enjoy Inks music and
often would go to dance clubs in the summer to pass the time after work. We
would work from 6am to 4pm everyday on a farm. It was back breaking work
but that was the only way to make money in our impoverished town. This
reminds me of part of the song, Im getting money while you sattin on my
broke meter, Im straight from section 8 I save coupons The soothing sound
of Songz voice laced into a catchy hook from Ink is a song I could listen to for
quite a while. Whenever this song would come on in the club I would find
more energy and be able to dance longer. Now it gives me strength to keep
searching for food and clean water. Whenever I feel down on myself or think
Im going to die I listen to this song and think of my friends dancing the night
away after working ten hours.
The final song I brought with me for my vacation from society is Na
Na by Trey Songz. I love Trey Songzs voice and the way he can stretch it
over catchy hooks and bass driven tempos. This song would not only be

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Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

perfect to listen to when Im trying to fall asleep under the stars at night but
also when Im missing someone special. This song would make me think of
my girlfriend from home and how I know her so well and want to treat her
right. The lyrics that would make me think of her are, Best time oh your life,
yeah, oh yeah. Baby when you ready tell the waitress get the check. Girl I
know you ready I don't even gotta check. You been through the worst let me
show you who the best. This shows that Songz knows his girl and wants to
give her the best, as I do with my girl even though Im stranded. This song is
nice to fall asleep to not only so I can dream of my girl but also because the
beat mixed with Songz soothing voice would put me right to sleep, giving me
dreams of happiness and hope. I miss my girlfriend from home more than
anything else. I long to see her face again and although this song is slightly
derogatory towards women I still think of her when I listen to this song.
I am dreading being stuck on this island but I know it will benefit future
generations with the research I provide, at least I have some music to keep
me company. These songs replace the people I had in my life. IZ wakes me
up with the gentleness of my mother while Kid Ink keeps me active and
energized while I use what little energy I have to keep pushing to find food
just like my friends would. And last but not least Trey Songz soothes my
stresses and remind me of my beautiful girlfriend from home who I can fall
asleep thinking of spend eternity with in my dreams. As Mick Jagger once
said, Lose your dreams and you might lose your

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Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

mind.(Musiciansbuyline.com).These songs all have meaning and a purpose

in my life and will hopefully keep my brain from rotting away while Im
stranded.

Works Cited
Jenkins, Craig. "Album Review: Kid Ink Calls on His Famous Friends for ClubGeared 'Full Speed'" Billboard. N.p., 3 Feb. 2015. Web. 10 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.billboard.com/articles/review/6458315/kid-ink-full-speed-albumreview>.

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Ryan Wilson
Professor Deys
History of Rock n Roll
9 March 2016

"Musical Instruments For Sale Musicians Buy Line." MusiciansBuyLine.com.

N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Mar. 2016. <http://www.musiciansbuyline.com/musiciansquotes.html>.

""Somewhere Over The Rainbow / What A Wonderful World" Lyrics." ISRAEL

KAMAKAWIWO'OLE LYRICS. Azlyrics.com, 1993. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/israelkamakawiwoole/somewhereovertherain
bowwhatawonderfulworld.html>.

"Kid Ink (Ft. 2 Chainz, Chris Brown, Juicy J & Trey Songz) Show Me (Remix)."
Genius. Genius.com, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2016. <http://genius.com/Kid-inkshow-me-remix-lyrics>.

""Na Na" Lyrics." TREY SONGZ LYRICS. Azlyrics.com, n.d. Web. 06 Mar. 2016.
<http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/treysongz/nana.html>.