From the recording Octavia of Earth, Vol. 1
1964 - Nearing high school graduation, Octavia ("Estelle") divulges her life ambitions. Lyrics based on this quote: "When I was in my teens, a group of us used to talk about our hopes and dreams, and someone would always ask, 'If you could do anything you wanted to do, no holds barred, what would you do?' I’d answer that I wanted to live forever and breed people—which didn’t go over all that well with my friends." (Butler, Octavia E., Larry McCaffery, and Jim McMenamin. "Across the Wounded Galaxy: Interviews with Contemporary American Science Fiction Writers." (1990): 54.)
Music and Lyrics: Anand JK Kalra
Recording & Mixing: James Earley
Mastering: Piper Payne
Lyrics
Teenager #1: Ooh, there's Estelle.
Teenager #2: She's so weird!
Teenager #3: I wonder what she thinks about.
Estelle:
People think I’m a loser, just ‘cause I’m awkward.
All my aunties and cousins think I’m a clod.
My mama wants me to climb higher then she could,
but secretarial power’s not quite my style.
My teachers want me to be a studious pupil,
but college, I think, won’t get me quite what I want.
I wanna live forever!
Control my destiny, shape humankind.
I wanna live on and on and on.
Live forever-- and breed people.
I see the news in the paper: people are awful.
Night and day, we are killing off what we love.
Human beings have proved we are incapable,
and I don’t see too much help from up above.
The pope in the Vatican says we have a duty to procreate.
I can’t be the only one thinking, “What could go wrong?”
I wanna live forever!
Control my destiny, shape humankind
I wanna live on and on and on.
Live forever -- and breed people.
I’ve read all my history,
the endless cycle of violence, power, and crime.
The problem’s not a mystery:
there’s too many people and not enough structure to guide!
I wanna live forever!
Control my destiny, shape humankind.
I wanna live on and on and on
Live forever--
I wanna live forever
and see the arc of civilization through time
I wanna live on and on and on and on,
Live forever and breed people!
Live forever and breed people!
Live forever and breed people!