Who am I? Who have I Become? by Bridget Bulosan

The song, “Roots before Branches,” presents the struggle of personal growth.  In the song, Adam and Nikki Anders, in the two-person band called Room for Two, unites their songwriting, producing, and performing talents.  The background of the song relates to both the artists so closely that the emotion is emitted to the world. This entire song is summed up in one idea: that individuals must come to peace with themselves and that life flourishes better when they have the foundation of knowing who he/she is.

The quicker a person understands their roots and heritage results in a prosperous lifestyle. In the first stanza leading into the chorus, Anders writes about “reaching for the stars” but not having the “wings to carry [them] that far.”  Then the chorus states that one must have “roots before branches.”  The branches and the wings that are mentioned in their work represents the tools, skills, experiences, and hardships that people need in life to “reach for stars” or have the “branches” that will grow to amazing heights. The imagery of roots growing into branches is very important because it conjures up the image of a sturdy tree that cannot be taken down by outside forces. Natural Disasters such as lightning striking a tree would not harm the tree drastically because the roots would still remain in place. The tree still has the ability to grow back and move forward with its existence. The song reads, “There’s always a seed / Before there’s a rose. / The more that it rains, / The more I will grow.” It becomes a more figurative excerpt when the rain refers to the hardships in life.  It also shows that after the rain, people can grow.  This evidence demonstrate that it is only until that moment of knowing oneself that a person can take the next step and take chances without completely breaking down. They will have that confidence and perseverance to keep striving for success and happiness.

“Roots before Branches,” convey the uncomfortable transitions that people will go through in life.  For example, in education people progress from kindergarten to elementary school, elementary to junior high school, junior high school to high school, and high school to college.  The transition stage is the most uncomfortable, yet the most exhilarating at the same time. It is the beginning of a new chapter in a person’s life.  This song plays with the emotions, feelings, thoughts of fear of change, and want for success that have universally gone through everyone’s mind at least one point in their lives.  It presents the urgency and the passion in wanting to succeed and pursue one’s dreams.

Works Cited

Room For Two – Roots Before Branches (HQ). (2008, December 2). Retrieved September 20, 2012, from YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KJwyQ7F7Dg