[Silence]
\n[Instrumental, Electric Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano, Organ, Synth]<\/p>\n
[Intro]
\n[Instrumental Intro: Gentle Acoustic Guitar, Rolling Bass, Brushes on Drums, Wurlitzer Piano, Distant Hammond Organ]
\n[Spoken Vocal]
\nOh, boy…<\/p>\n
When the water rises…
\n(Bring on surprises)
\nYou never know
\n(who might see go.)<\/p>\n
[Verse 1]
\nWater running down the road
\nCarrying a heavy load
\nRiver rising
\nCurrent strong
\nYou don’t know
\nWhat could go wrong<\/p>\n
Someone calls
\nSomeone cries
\nSomeone running
\nDown the side<\/p>\n
Don’t just watch
\nDon’t just stare
\nIf there’s something
\nYou can spare<\/p>\n
[Instrumental, Slide Guitar Solo, Harmonica]<\/p>\n
[Pre-Chorus]
\nThrow!
\n(Throw!)
\nThe line!
\n(The line!)<\/p>\n
[Refrain]
\nOh, boy!
\n(Life saver)
\nSavior
\n(Ring buoy)<\/p>\n
It’s an obscene
\n(Scene)
\nPlease, let’s save a life
\n(Less strife)<\/p>\n
Rife with life<\/p>\n
[Chorus]
\nA little rope
\n(A little hope)
\nA simple ring
\n(Life saving)<\/p>\n
[Verse 2]
\nMy father knew
\nThe danger well
\nWater doesn’t always tell
\n(If it’s bringin’ on hell)
\nOh… (Well, well, well)<\/p>\n
If someone comes
\nKnocking hard
\nWe would have
\nA place to start
\n(Start a heart)<\/p>\n
[Instrumental]
\n[Acoustic Guitar Solo: Fingerpicked Folk-Blues With Slide Electric Guitar, Upright Bass and Soft Hammond Organ]<\/p>\n
[Bridge]
\nGive someone
\nA little heart
\n(That’s a start!)
\nHave a heart<\/p>\n
[Rap Vocal Break]
\nFlood comes fast
\nWater moves
\nYou don’t get
\nTo choose
\n(Win or lose)
\nGet back
\n(Back, back, back)
\nReach out
\n(Use hope)
\nPoint of view
\n(Scope)
\nThrow the buoy
\n(Boy!)
\nThrow the buoy
\n(Boy!)
\nGive the person
\nSomething to hold<\/p>\n
Don’t become
\nAnother victim
\nTrying to make
\nA rescue mission<\/p>\n
Call for help
\nKeep your head
\nKeep the line
\nKeep the time<\/p>\n
[Breakdown]
\n[Music Drops to Acoustic Guitar, Bass and Soft Piano]
\nOh, boy…<\/p>\n
Life saver…<\/p>\n
Savior…<\/p>\n
Ring buoy…<\/p>\n
[Whispered]
\nPlease…<\/p>\n
Let’s save a life.<\/p>\n
[Final Refrain]
\nOh, boy!
\n(Buoyancy)
\nSavior
\n(Ring buoy)<\/p>\n
See!
\nIt’s an obscene
\n(Scene)
\nPlease, let’s save a life
\n(Less strife)<\/p>\n
Rife life<\/p>\n
[Final Chorus]
\nRing buoy!
\n(Ring buoy!)
\nLife saver
\n(Savior!)<\/p>\n
Throw it out
\n(Reach it out)
\nGive hope
\n(Help them cope)<\/p>\n
Ring buoy!
\n(Ring buoy!)
\nWhen the water rises high<\/p>\n
Hold on!
\n(Hold on!)
\nDon’t let go
\n(Stay alive)<\/p>\n
[Outro]
\n[Instrumental Outro: Acoustic Guitar, Warm Bass, Soft Drums, Hammond Organ; Water-like Synth Texture Slowly Fades]<\/p>\n
Oh, boy…<\/p>\n
Ring buoy…<\/p>\n
Life saver…<\/p>\n
Savior…<\/p>\n
[Spoken, fading]<\/p>\n
Be ready.<\/p>\n
You never know
\nwhen someone will come knocking.
\n(Knockin’ on heaven’s door)
\nOnce more…
\n(You never know)
\nwhen someone will come knocking.
\n(… on your door)
\nand there’s more
\n(More in store)
\nOh, way much more<\/p>\n
\nWhen I was about six or eight years old, we experienced high water and flooding conditions in front of our house on Riverview Road. A young girl had been swept into the river about a half-mile upstream. We didn’t know what had happened at first.\n<\/p>\n
\nSomeone came running down the road, pounding on our door, but kept going\u2014running downstream alongside the road and river. Within moments, people were coming out of their houses. There was a canoe store across the river, and several men launched into the raging water, paddling out to the girl and bringing her to the bank about a quarter-mile downstream.\n<\/p>\n
\nSoon the ambulances arrived. My parents kept me from going down to see what was happening. I later learned that she had drowned, right there in front of our house.\n<\/p>\n
\nMy father was the executive director of the YMCA. He was a nationally ranked swimmer, swim-team coach, and aquatic director specializing in water safety. After that day\u2014and for the rest of my childhood\u2014there was always a life buoy with plenty of rope attached to the wall next to our door.\n<\/p>\n
\nIt was there for a simple reason: if someone ever came knocking again, we might be able to save a life.\n<\/p>\n
\nThat memory has stayed with me. People who experience violent rain and flooding can be left with lasting trauma. As extreme rainfall becomes more extreme, more people will experience events that can change the way they see water, storms, and the places they call home.\n<\/p>\n
\nHow do you prepare for something like that? How do you cope when the rain becomes something you fear?\n<\/p>\n