Song Context
Boring Story
When Vinnie is nervous and feeling down about having to see a clinical psychologist/psychiatrist to be evaluated for ADHD his buddy Vincent Van Gogh helps him get through it. Instead of focusing on the diagnostic process and worrying about being judged and categorized Vincent convinces him to have some fun playing along and telling them what they want to hear. He inspires him to keep control of his story and hold onto his creativity by focusing on not “telling a boring story”.
Everything Will Be Ok
Vinnie is feeling lost and alone in his new school until he meets the indomitable Lily. She quickly takes him under her wing explaining why sticking together is the solution to surviving middle school. He is drawn to her confidence and offer of friendship, starting to believe that things will be “ok” after all.
Hold On
Carla’s maternal instinct begins to win the battle against her desire to “not rock the boat” and simply “hold on” to the life she has been given. Her gratitude to her husband Richard for the life he provides for them is being eclipsed by her love for her son Vinnie. Her voice is being restored as her soul commits to fighting to help Vinnie become his best self.
This Time/ Bandaids Over Bullet Holes (Video)
Carla and Richard confront their opposing views about how to best treat Vinnie’s ADHD. Carla realizes that Richard just wants to “whitewash” the situation by making the embarrassing symptoms go away and for Vinnie to be normal and fit in. Carla has realized that the medication is affecting Vinnie in a way that robs him of his joy and creativity so even if it stops the symptoms it comes at too high a cost. They are committed to helping him but disagree about “how”. Carla’s voice is growing stronger as the power in their relationship is shifting.
Those Pills
Vinnie is struggling with deciding if he should stay on his medication or trust his gut that this med is not the right fit for him. He is also struggling to find his place in his new school and Chad a popular athlete offers him acceptance by the cool kids in exchange for his meds. This song evidences the real world struggle around ADHD meds and the reputation they have for allowing kids to improve their grades. Vinnie wants to get rid of his meds, Chad wants them to help get his grades up to stay on the football team, seems like an easy decision….or is it?
I Need The Light
Vinnie’s emerging autonomy is surfacing as he works through what he thinks about who he should be and how he will live his life. Like all kids his age at this point he is still strongly influenced by his parents and other adults, but it is an inflection point as his identity is beginning to be shaped by his beliefs and desires. He learns to use his voice to articulate that the driving force for him is “the light”. “The light” is different for everyone but it represents your passion, the essence of what fulfills your soul and brings you joy and purpose.
