Why do we panic upon realizing, several blocks from home, that we left our cell phone back at the house?
The answer goes to the heart of my song But No, I don’t Want To.
The fear of being “phoneless” illustrates our need to be “connected”—or the dread of being disconnected. Most people naturally seek groups or communities, and social media platforms exploit that emotion. As real-world options become difficult, we increasingly connect on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, and it can be an obsession, of sorts.
Frankie Ravens, my fearless comic book hero (who plays me, btw), is not at all afraid to confront the ultimate symbol of social media excess, Wanda Silva, who heads the biggest social media platform in the world. Wanda plans to take control of Planet Earth, and Frankie has been called out to stop her.
Frankie was raised by illegal immigrants from Cuba and bullied in grade school. To defeat Wanda, she must overcome fears in her past about her parents being deported, and during that process, she finds herself dancing a Rumba with Wanda.
But No, I don’t Want To is a Rumba song that (I hope) captures the allure of social media. The Rumba is a beautiful dance and when done well, it’s mesmerizing. It has connections to different parts of the world, and like a fairy tale, its history is long and not well documented. In Cuba, the Rumba was the impetus for impromptu gatherings of people who danced and celebrated in the countryside—a focal point for real human social interaction. Lots of folks came together to dance and celebrate.
My song, But No, I don’t Want To, captures Frankie’s feelings about the “dance” of social media: she wants to interact and be social, but she knows it can be sort of addicting, and she also must stop Wanda in her evil plot to control the world.
But No I Don’t Want To – Song Lyrics
I’m falling in love… but no I don’t want to
You grab me, pull me in ooo is it a sin?
Let’s go together… but no I don’t want to
I’m following and watching your every move
I’m syncing to the rhythm of your dreamy melody
Clicking left and right, I’m lost in your social tide
Adrift in your timeline… A viral sensation
Swaying side to side… but no I don’t want to
Losing ourselves
Repeating the footsteps
We can’t escape now
Dancing to the edge
Stepping forward
Touching hand to hand
Hearts a’ mixing
Hips and shoulders meet
Faces in parallel
A perfect unison
A rhythmic pattern
They view us from the outside
You’re falling in my web… but no you don’t want to
Come on dance with me you’ll see the steps are easy
You’re following me… but no you don’t want to
Don’t pull back grab my hand let’s play in the social sand
Stepping to the rhythm of my personality
A gentle RUMBA to put you under my command
Your feet are light hold on tight
Dancing alone is no fun
Swaying side to side but no you don’t want to
Saving myself
Stopping in this dance
I exit the platform
Leaving it all behind
Stepping forward
Touching hand to hand
Hearts a’ mixing
Hips and shoulders meet
Faces in parallel
A perfect unison
A rhythmic pattern
They view us from the outside