Dusty's Song
music and lyrics by Kristi McGarity
vocals by Maygen Lacey
Mini Package
At age 3 my son was obsessed with Disney/Pixar’s Planes. He'd “fly” around the house pretending to be Dusty Crophopper, and I had to pretend to be the other planes. Over and over. And over. And over.
From the millions of times we’ve seen this movie, it must have gotten into my head, because “Dusty’s Song” appeared fully formed in one night. The lyrics are the culmination of sleepless nights thinking about parenthood, mortality, complicated pregnancy and traumatic birth.
It’s an added bonus that the second Planes movie (Planes: Fire and Rescue) covers related thematic ground: Dusty trains to be a firefighter when his failing gear box removes him from the racing circuit. The plot tension comes from Dusty’s psychological need to overcome his physical limits, despite grave warnings from mechanics to stop pushing his engine so hard.
Thrilled to have the amazing Maygen Lacey on vocals. Check out Maygen's work at Sparrows Rising.
The tenth time you tucked him back into his bed
It was all my fault, I’m a terrible sleeper
And he is just like me
He is just like me
The tenth time I told him that I don’t have wings
It was all your fault, ‘cause you don’t back down
And he argues just like you
He argues just like you
You think it’s stupid when I say “drive safe”
Like how else would you ever?
But if anything, anything happened to you
How would he doze off at night?
And if nothing had happened between you and me,
Where would he be now?
In the sky flying circles with arms like a plane
The cropduster wanted to race round the world
The woman who wanted to be someone’s mom
We are more than what we were built for
We are more than what we were built for
I knew all along I was not strong enough
I don’t surprise myself often
The last thought that I can remember
I didn’t know numbers went that low
I didn’t know numbers went that low
And if anything, anything happened to me
Who would remember his backpack?
Who would remember my wings?
If something had happened to either of us,
Where would we be now?
In the sky flying circles with arms like a plane
The cropduster wanted to race round the world
The woman who wanted to be someone’s mom
We are more than what we were built for
We are more than what we were built for
We are more than what we were built for
And thank God we have good insurance,
And nurses who know what they’re doing
And everyone came out OK this time but
How do we risk this again?
How do we not?
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