YAE

Sometimes there are benefits that come from being chronically online. I cannot confidently say I would have found this song on my own by surfing Spotify or Pandora. Touch Tank is the first song I have ever listened to from Quinnie B despite her having released music since 2018 and being a part of the musical project “Cr1tter”.

This is not a professional literary breakdown of the amazing lyrics, but rather a tribute to the lines that inspired me to start writing songs again.

1. “‘Cause I preach of freedom but you’re a fucking great excuse”
2. “He tells me he’s gentle when he wants to be/ so I think he wants to be gentle with me
3. “I used to dive deep ’til I’/ got splashed in the face”
4. “You took my breath away so now I can’t suck in my stomach around you anymore”

1. The idea of wanting to be a city girl up by 10 or “be outside” or “be on my hot girl shit” but this person is such a good excuse to not participate in the lonely and temporary gratification that is hookup culture.
2. Intuitively we know actions speak louder than words. It feels nice when people make exceptions for you without begging them to and without them being all talk. I am gathering that he didn’t have to prove he’s a gentle person through stories on a first date because her experience with him validates that statement.
3. Lines like this have as many sides as a disco ball. Depth in this context could tie into the venereal theme of this song as a whole, but splashed in the face is like a surprise. A temporary moment of confusion and slight suffocation. Being splashed in the face could be pool play but based on the fact that she said “until” as her preposition, I’m guessing it was foul play. Anyone can have a moment where they stop liking something because it got ruined for them and that is what makes this line so relatable for me.
4. Identifying as a woman in society usually comes with body image issues, big or small, in my experience. Finding a person that makes you feel like you are allowed to let go of the pit in your stomach that holds the weight of your insecurities is a beautiful feeling that everyone deserves to have. Permanently.