LISTEN: Millburn High School Student’s Song Gets Grammy Foundation Nod

MILLBURN, NJ — Millburn High School junior Renee Levine recently earned second place in the seventh annual Grammy Foundation and MusiCares’ Teens Make Music Contest.

According to school administrators, the contest asked young musicians ages 14 to 18 to compose an original song or music video that “celebrates life above the influence or brings attention to the real-life consequences of substance abuse.”

Listen to the song by clicking here.

The Grammy Foundation and MusiCares, the two affiliated nonprofit organizations of The Recording Academy, in collaboration with the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids’ Above the Influence campaign, will honor each contest winner in late January and early February.

According to school administrators:

“Levine, as a peer leader at the high school, is committed to setting an example for a healthy lifestyle, and to spread a message for all the students in the Millburn schools to follow a drug and alcohol-free path. The lyrics for Levine’s song ‘Paralyzed’ describe the life of an individual struggling with a substance abuse problem and details how Renee hopes she could help the individual overcome her addiction: “Searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle. Using but losing to a false gospel. Her bloodshot eyes make my eyes water. Her disguise in the skies, feels like paradise. But she’s para-para-paralyzed. Para-para-paralyzed. Para-para-paralyzed. Wish I had the antidote to guide her lifeboat. In these rough waters, it’s hard to stay afloat.”

As a second-place winner, Levine will receive a cash award and backstage passes for all the rehearsals for the 2017 Grammy Awards ceremony. She will also get backstage tours to see all the ins and outs of music production and a tour of the Grammys Village Recording Studios.

Listen to the song by clicking here.

Read the lyrics to “Paralyzed” below.

PARALYZED Lyrics:

I wish her blankets were woven with trust

Her karma laced her blankets with unrest

My wings flew me to a place where I can thrive

Hers got her lost so high in the sky

Her bloodshot eyes make my eyes water

Her disguise in the skies, feels like paradise

But she’s para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Schoolbooks I’m buried up to my brain

Her future looks like a good mind gone to waste

Searching for solace at the bottom of a bottle

Using but losing to a false gospel

Her bloodshot eyes make my eyes water

Her disguise in the skies, feels like paradise

But she’s para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Wish I had the antidote

To guide her lifeboat

In these rough waters

It’s hard to stay afloat

In these rough waters

It’s hard to stay afloat

Her bloodshot eyes make my eyes water

Her disguise in the skies, feels like paradise

But she’s para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

But she’s para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

Para-para-paralyzed

I wish her blankets were woven with trust

Photo: Millburn Public Schools

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