Less Stress

"Less Stress" (a.k.a., "Emily's Song") is a song from "Fountain of Enlightenment," an episode of Camelorum Adventures in its first season. It appears in Emily Barnes' debut, and with her presumably singing it.

Message
Aiming for the aesthetics of a Disney princess song, it talks about themes of an eagerness for exploration and knowledge. It also mentions putting off responsibility, with an understanding that this can't be a permanent thing. Emily's tone is portrayed as optimism and enthusiasm. The lyrics are just generic enough to be applicable to many situations, and able for male singers to cover without awkwardness.

This comes after she has quit her job at the Grillitan Diner of Floyd, VA. She is on her way to Dromedary Heights to see a live in-concert show by the Trapezoid Kids. She believes only a bright future is ahead for her, and wants to milk it for all it's worth. She has no idea that the episode's later events will completely and brutally subvert her optimistic vision. Part of the song's joy is Emily's naivety.

Genre and themes
The song is designed to be a ska-punk number. It seeks to mimic and subvert tropes from typical Disney princess songs.

Emily's wanderlust is compelled by a curiosity to understand more than just what she knows from living in Floyd, and to experience the world instead of just hear about it or see clips on YouTube. She decides that since she can afford it, she'll be gone for a whole year before resuming college and finding another job and making something of her life. This shows a more balanced take on the same anti-responsibility attitude of Prince Naveen in Disney's The Princess and the Frog. She wanted to get away from Floyd, feeling it too confining and like a prison. Little does she know she is about to find herself in an actual prison.

Her song also discusses her desire in a way that's worded as a slap in the face to 1990s conventions for Disney princess songs. Most of these girls sing of wanting "more" out of life. Of wanting more things. Emily, due to her rich father, already has more than she can handle. Unlike some spoiled rich kids, she doesn't want to revel in it. She wants to discover for herself what she is supposed to be, and earn her place. She keeps her money only as a safety net in case her first few tries fail, showing she is wise and plans ahead. However, she doesn't plan for everything in life with the same good sense.

Therefore, where most girls singing songs of her style would opt to say they want more, Emily celebrates the joys of downsizing to a life that's more manageable. Again, the humor is highest in the irony of not knowing her not-too-distant fate. Her lack of ability to foresee disaster on her path also directly conflicts with the power she gains: precognitive color-changing hair with an attitude and seemingly a mind of its own.

"Less Stress" also conflicts with the typical Disney Musical genre, by brutally assassinating its formality and flow with a crude and irreverent ska rhythm. The completed version further downplays its musical potential by using trumpet instrumental breaks between fields of vocals performing lyrics.

Inspirations for the song include "Sell Out" by Reel Big Fish and "Everything I Want to Be" by Save Ferris, the latter band of which almost had their song considered a stand-in theme song for Camelorum Adventures. However, this was eventually replaced with "Allow Them" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.

Lyrics
{| class="dzsongtable"
 * style="text-align:center; color:#447; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt;" | Less Stress (Emily’s Song)
 * style="text-align:center; color:#447; font-family:Calibri; font-size:11pt;" | Less Stress (Emily’s Song)

from Camelorum Adventures: episode "Fountain of Enlightenment”

First verse
Oh, yes, / I’m done! /

I'm on / my way / outta here! /

I’m gonna see / this world;/

And I / got no time / for fear! /

I wanna venture down that road; /

And find me / some cheer! /

I’ve worked / a long time; /

Savin’ / to earn me / this day! /

Gonna see / the World Wonders; /

Don’t care / what you say! /

It’s time to be / here, / there, / an’ all over town! /

Gonna / have some fun / before / I must settle down! /

Life is / brimming with / responsibility!/

Gonna have / adventures, / possibility; /

For a year / fun / to my / best ability! /

So / where is / that bus? /

New beginnings await! /

Time to put / a new twist; /

To my / typical fate! /

First chorus
This time I guess, / someone else / can stress; /

‘Cause right now; / I want / less! /

Second verse
Got some time before / I must negotiate; /

Where someone / like me / really should graduate! /

Gonna find for myself / what the future / can hold! /

And I / ain’t gonna wait / till I’m / 80 years old! /

Maybe I / will save / the world! /

But it / won’t matter; /

Just try / something new! /

I’m gonna / leave behind / my old life’s grind; /

With all / that ballyhoo! /

It's time to / try new trends; /

And make / new friends! /

That’s what / I’m gonna do... /

Second chorus
If you ain’t guessed, / time for / no more stress! /

I’m on / the path / toward less! /


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