Taking Things For Granted

Joy Oladokun's 'Taking Things For Granted' is a poignant exploration of feeling overlooked and undervalued. The song opens with a childhood memory, where the artist invited friends over for her birthday, only to find herself alone. This experience of isolation and disappointment sets the tone for the rest of the song, symbolizing a recurring theme in her life. The metaphor of 'never getting out of the water' despite physically doing so suggests a lingering emotional state of feeling submerged and unseen, even as she grows older.

The lyrics delve into the struggle of being heard and understood. Oladokun speaks about learning to 'write my wrongs' and assert herself, yet she acknowledges the deep-seated narratives that have shaped her from a young age. These narratives, influenced by societal pressures and personal experiences, contribute to a sense of being perpetually overlooked. The line 'everyone's looking at the surface' highlights the superficial judgments people make, often missing the deeper struggles beneath.

The song also touches on the broader human experience of feeling insignificant in a world that seems indifferent. Oladokun's reference to 'a world that keeps trying to end us every day' speaks to the collective pressures and existential threats that many face. The repeated imagery of drowning, coupled with the feeling of being watched but not helped, underscores a profound sense of abandonment and frustration. Through 'Taking Things For Granted,' Oladokun captures the pain of being unseen and the resilience required to navigate a world that often fails to acknowledge one's true struggles.