Right before the pandemic hit our corner of the world, I met a kindred spirit. After a month and a half of deep conversations, harmonizing, eating his delicious dinners, and exploring the trails around Portland, I asked him if he felt the same romantic vibes, and he said yes. A week later, he watched my last public show, and we made out in my Honda Fit surrounded by music gear 😂. A few days later, shit got real. Because he is highly exposed through work, we decided to physically separate for a time, and ended up quarantining from each other for over two months. 

Even though we didn’t see each other in person, we FaceTimed each other for conversations that inevitably lasted for hours. We dropped off food and other gifts (😉 see the song Hand Sanitizer 😂). We supported each other through the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty of pandemic times. I know many of us have had to support each other while being physically separated from our dear ones. 

I wrote the original version of this song many years ago, about a mistimed romance with someone who wasn’t ready for the kind of relationship I craved. At that time, the song reflected the way we can armor our hearts in situations we perceive as emotionally risky. 

I never thought I would experience the physical isolation of a quarantine in the way that so many of us have over the past year. I know there were times I conflated the physical and social separation - that because I wasn’t going to see someone in person, my instinct led me to withdraw completely. 

I think we have learned a lot about the true resiliency of human connection during this time. I hope as we continue to reconnect in person, we remember the importance of reaching out, no matter what physical or emotional barriers separate us. 💚

Lyrics:

Count down the days
Until I don’t have to hide
Can’t even hold you when you cry
And I don’t know if or when I’ll feel your skin again
Or your head on my shoulder
I miss you more
Than I could ever tell you

Chorus
I know we’re under quarantine
But if you reach for me
I won’t turn away 
I know we’re under quarantine

Our time was brief
You kissed my cheek 
And I knew it could be dangerous
if we never know which breath will be the last one
Would you say I’m worth the chance
I miss you more
Than I could ever tell you

Chorus

And in our isolation
I wish we could ignore
The threat
Outside
I feel you in my empty arms and send
Healing

Chorus

CREDITS
Annie Sea - Vocals, Lyrics
David Kelley/Elan - Guitar
Pyata Penedo - Production, Mixing, Mastering, Percussion
Christopher James Thomas - Instrumentation

Single - Quarantine

Quarantine

Tiny House Loft is a silly, sexy, sustainable living jam and a humorous ode to the challenges of romance in a small space. It is based on my experience living in a 200 square-foot tiny home(with too many instruments 😂) for the past five years.
Check out the video here! https://youtu.be/jfV7_QjByoY
The videographer, Adam Sweeney, called it “One part Portlandia, one part sustainable living erotica” 😂. 

Lyrics:
I see you kneeling in your garden
picking a handful of kale
you catch my eye with your peaceful demeanor
and your shoes for the trail
we bikes or summer streets of Portland
floral perfume in the air
I hope I remember to clean my dishes
and put on good underwear

‘cause I know you could share a small space
this could bring us closer
you live a simple life
I should invite you over
 
Chorus:
so we can make love in my tiny house loft
got a four inch mattress That's mighty soft
So let's make love am I tiny house loft
I'll hold you tight so you don't fall off
my tiny house loft

You ask if I get claustrophobic
I ask if you're over 5’ 8’’
we stop for sushi burritos
to enjoy on our date

‘cause I know you could share a small space
you keep intentions pure
you live a simple life
composting humanure

Chorus

Interlude -  oh yeah baby, come on in, I can make a little room for you!

we eat on a drum that's also a table
toes touch across the floor
you're three feet from my heart
and a few inches from the door

you ignore the onion smell in the sink
as I ask what you think
I search your eyes for any regret
and you reply, “it's not the size but how you use it!”

Chorus

Credits:
Annie Sea: Lyrics, Vocals, Baritone Ukulele
Brian Link: Bass
Cheo Larcrombe: Drums
Colin Hogan: Piano, Guitar

Mixed by Brud Giles at Fremont Recording
Mastered by Ryan Foster at Foster Mastering

Tiny House Loft

Pelagia means "of the deep". This song arrived on a stormy day at the ocean sitting in a damp driftwood shelter. As I approached the water, I heard the backing vocal melody in my head, and it got louder the closer I got to the sea. It seemed as though she was singing to me or through me, so I found a shelter of ocean bleached trees and wrote what I received.

lyrics:

We have so much power 
deep in our imaginations 
we can roar with the ocean 
we can change with the shore 

embraced by ghosts of ancient trees 
messengers between land and sea 
listen to the rhythm 
listen to what our mother speaks 

we will roar 
we will roar 
we will roar with thunder through these skies 
we are accomplices of the rising tide 

We have so much power 
deep in our imaginations 
we can roar with the ocean 
we can change with the shore 

listen to the rhythm...listen to the rhythm...listen to what our mother speaks

Pelagia

I wrote this at the beautiful Orcasong farm after a festival. I wanted to jam around the fire after listening to others play all weekend, so I built a fire, Aries-style, and sat waiting for others to join me. Everyone at the camp was understandably tired after the long weekend, so I sat alone at the fire for about awhile. I started doodling with my ukulele, inspired by the surrounding trees, garden, and campfire flames.

At the time, I was dating a (another! :D) very talented musician, and really struggling with envy and ego issues. I wanted to be recognized for my talents and not seen as just his partner or quiet sidekick. It has been a gigantic learning experience and hence the lines, "grow into the flame, grow into the light, of shadow's insight", and the part about growing as strong as you believe. 

As I continued to play the song, it started to take shape as a song bigger than my personal struggles, and more about our society as a whole. Collectively, we are living during a time when the shadow side of humanity is very, very apparent. But so many are awakening to the insights of what this shadow reveals about us and how we can evolve.  

Let's grow with the flame...grow into the light...

lyrics:

We're searching for a new garden 
the healthiest soil in which to plant our seeds 
we've got to believe we can grow with these beloved trees 
reaching for the light 
sheltering our seeds 
we can grow as strong as strong as we believe 
so grow my beloved trees 
as strong as we believe 

because our branches reach up 
roots reach down 
build the sky a temple 
from ashes buried in the ground 
surrender to the fire 
cast our fears into the pyre 
grow with the flame 
grow into the light 
of shadows insight 

They tried to cut us down 
but we keep growing 
they tried to teach us 
but we keep knowing 
and all the roots deep down these connections will keep on flowing 
as long as we believe 
so grow, beloved trees, as strong as we believe

Shadows Insight

This song came through on the banks of what most of us now call the Columbia River. I had just returned from Squamish, Canada, and passed many rivers and creeks along the road that listed the First Nations name on the signs above the English name. It struck me that this very simple sign of respect and recognition is not something I had ever seen during my travels in the US, and that I didn't know one Indigenous name for the river flowing at my feet. 

I learned that one name is N'chi Wána, the Big River or Great River, in the Ichishkíin language of the Yakama, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and other tribes. There are only about 100 native speakers of this language left. 

What a sign of respect, to name the river for what it is - one of the largest by volume on this continent - rather than named after a boat named after a man who colonized and brutalized the original inhabitants of this continent. 

Then I thought about the salmon swimming in the waters below, whose numbers continue to dwindle due to damming, rising sea temperatures, and pollution. There is a superfund site just downstream of where I sat that day. These powerful creatures, who spend their lives in the ocean and swim thousands miles to return to their birthplace to spawn, now face even more obstacles. I thought of people who honored them by burying their bones back in the river after they feasted, instead of treating them as a boundless "resource" to "harvest" to near extinction. 

The chorus, "Let your salmon guide us upstream, got to keep your waters clean, let our lives feed the next generation", reflects the salmons' sacrifice of their own bodies after spawning, and their nutrients feeding the forest and their offspring. I find it a powerful parallel to the sacrifices we now need to make to allow our future generations to thrive or even just survive. 

I hope this simple song honors the river, the salmon, and people who once lived in greater harmony with all our relations...I hope it is an invitation to continue to educate ourselves...I hope it is an inspiration to live our lives in a way to feed the next generation. 

We feel your power, Great River 
N'chi Wána 
We feel your power, Great River 
N'chi Wána 

Let your salmon guide us upstream 
gotta keep your waters clean 
let our lives feed the next generation 
Let your salmon guide us upstream 
gotta keep your waters free 
let our lives feed the next generation 

We will honor your name 
Great River, we feel your power 
we surrender to your flow 
may your current guide us home 
to our ancestors' bones 

Buried when we could drink the water 
Buried when we could feast from this stream 
Buried before the rivers burned 
Can we awaken this dream? 

Let your salmon guide us upstream 
gotta keep your waters clean 
let our lives feed the next generation 
Let your salmon guide us upstream 
gotta keep your waters free 
let our lives feed the next generation 
let our lives feed the next generation...

N'Chi Wána

The chorus for this song came out of a full moon jam at a benefit concert for two songwriter friends heading out to Standing Rock. I was contemplating how we can all reflect the efforts of everyone on the front lines. What are we doing to honor their sacrifices in our daily choices and actions? 

I am blessed to know so many people fighting the good fight in so many different ways: as teachers, mentors, farmers, homesteaders, advocates, sustainable building scientists, medical missionaries, artists...

We reflect your light as the moon reflects the sun through the night 

We reflect your light, protectors 
our peaceful warriors 
from Cascade Locks to Standing Rock 
from the Willamette to the Cannonball 
through the riverbanks echo your call 
through the waters that connect us all 
water is life...water is life...water is life 

but water is a weapon filled with lead and oil 
poisoning our brains, poisoning our soil 
don't make water a weapon 
from a hose at twenty degrees 
knowing tender skin will freeze 
we must disarm you 

witness: reunification of 500 nations 
visionaries 
offering tributes through your tributaries 

We reflect your light as the moon reflects the sun through the night 

We reflect your light protectors 
of your visions of your dreams 
past bulldozed burial grounds and bullet pierced screams 
but we are still in nightmares, not yet awake 
we are still feeding these black snakes 

and we have our reflections to face 
as you defend your sovereign space 
and hold the mirrors to our fears 

fear of scarcity, fear of change, fear of insignificance 

we're afraid to look in the mirror 
afraid of what we might see 
afraid to realize the same light shines on you and shines on me, so 

so let us all become protectors 
let us protect with humility and respect 
let us learn the history buried under text 
let's become teachers, creators, healers and seekers 
reformed disbelievers 
imperfect dreamers 
let's fly with the Raven who first carried light to the sky 
revealing beauty in all the world 

We reflect your light as the moon reflects the sun through the night

Reflect Your Light

The title of this song is a play on the court ruling around unlimited corporate donations in politics. I always found it counterintuitive that a decision referred to as "Citizens United" is something that has further disenfranchised everyday people in our current system. I think that no matter where you would place yourself on the political spectrum, we can all agree that there is too much money where our mouths should be. 

Despite all of the madness around our most recent election, I think that it has served as a GIGANTIC wake up call for us. I've been especially encouraged by all of the young people creating new ways of living in greater harmony with each other and the world. 

I recognize that citizens is a loaded word these days, under the thumb of an administration with zero respect for immigrants and refugees. I intend this word to mean we are all citizens of the earth, not people who owe allegiance to any particular government, and we can all find common ground on how to best live together.

Billionaires buying time 
selling fear to our minds 
building walls and dividing sides 
filling our airways and screens with lies 

but we are awakening 
we are seedlings pushing through the ground 
we are awakening 
with the morning birdsong, singing 

We are citizens united 
we will not let this hypocracy divide us 
we are citizens united 
we will not let this kleptocracy divide us 
we are citizens united, citizens united 

demand to keep our voices free 
and don't put money where our mouths should be 
'cause we are priceless we are not voiceless 
when you try to sell our water and our forests 
when you pepper spray our eyes 
just because we're marching by 
singing songs and carrying signs we're coming from every side 

We are citizens united 
we will not let this hypocracy divide us 
we are citizens united 
we will not let this kleptocracy divide us 
we are citizens united, citizens united 

gather 100,000 strong 
we must begin even though much is wrong 
demand to keep our voices free 
and don't put money where our mouths should be

Citizens United

Annie Sea sings acoustic soul anthems to energize and empower her audience. Whether she is leading a band or weaving a solo live looped soundscape, her velvet voice and lively melodies deliver compelling stories of transformation. Based in the Green Dream tiny home in Portland, Oregon, she strives to pursue an eco-conscious life in alignment with her message.

Once a secretive songwriter, Annie began sharing her music after partial vision loss derailed her career as an environmental microbiologist. While adjusting to this change, she tuned deeply to sound, strengthened her voice, and stepped into her new role as a powerful frontwoman. Her writing reflects her belief that we can collectively return to a more sustainable way of living as well as her individual journey toward her true vision and purpose.

Annie released her latest single, Quarantine, in April of 2021. She released the EP Shadows Insight in 2017. Her music is featured in the documentary Dammed to Extinction, on the 350.org compilation Protect What You Love – Songs and Stories of the Pacific Northwest, and the film Falling South. Through her collaboration with hip-hop artist Quincy Davis, she contributed vocals to the song “One and the Same” on the Rebel Wise debut album. She will release her latest EP, Aligning, in the summer of 2022.

Annie Sea

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