The song "Rewrite the Stars" is performed as an ariel ballet between two of the characters: Philip Carlyle (Zac Ephron), a wealth and socially-connected white man, and Anne Wheeler (Zendaya), a poor, African-American girl. A possible lesson would be to ask students to research instances of this kind of metaphor in songs and poems. And still, the men (the police who were visiting his home) chatted pleasantly and smiled. The Gothic images in the official music video support the dark tones of the song. In all honesty, I discovered this song set to a fan video about the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) in, , and it has stuck with me ever since. This song would pair well with a nonfiction article about the Buffalo Soldiers. Here, the woman is described as having power because of the references to the implied ability she has to strike with the force of lightning...and get everyone's attention as well: Lightning is a symbol of power, as also seen in Emma Lazarus's poem "The New Colossus" which begins: The reference to the imprisoned lightning in the flame of the Statue of Liberty implies her power as an ally to those who come to the shores of America. (The original Flobots video is a must-watch) Great song to discuss conflict, foreshadowing, and tone. Although this is O Brother, Where Art Thou’s version of the Siren Song, your students can still appreciate how haunting it is without connecting it to the original text. I can show you how to scratch a record Shortly after Woodstock, Hendrix appeared on the Dick Cavett Show and was asked about the meaning behind his performance. Written over fifty years ago, this song remains one of the most powerful anthems to come out of the folk revival of the 1960s. . Or students could do a ‘scavenger hunt’ for the poetic devices. This song follows two friends full of bravado and derring-do (they ride their bikes with no handlebars, after all), and then the song takes a major turn and becomes quite epic. It is my first year teaching 9th grade English. The title of Maroon 5's song, "Stereo Hearts," is itself a metaphor, and the lyric containing this metaphor is repeated multiple times for emphasis: The connection between sound and heartbeat infers intimacy. One reason I love this song is that Marley purposefully reminds the listener of how these men came to be soldiers: “Stolen from Africa, Take a look at the lyrics from Michael Jackson's song, "Human Nature," which includes the following line: In these lyrics, New York City is the town since it is often called the Big Apple. I love discussing superheroes as literature, and this song is the perfect inner monologue of a hero. "She eats like a bird" is an example of a simile. Come lay your bones on the alabaster stone, to work this song into your ELA classroom. Alive! I love to use “Angel in my House “ by The Story (Jonatha Brooke). This version of American Symbols contains 6 songs, each of which is to be sung by the entire class. A symbol is a person, place, or object that stands for something beyond itself. “Come over here and let me hold your hand and hug you darling. I’ll tell a story, paint you a picture from my past. Does it go without saying to always preview songs & their videos for content before sharing them? Like all we’re good for Jimi Hendrix’s iconic 1969 performance of The Star-Spangled Banner at the Woodstock Music Festival has been the subject of many critical evaluations, and, at the time, a lot of hate mail! Woodstock was a culmination of counterculture and anti-war movements of the 60s, and its performers and attendees were judged harshly by many in the mainstream. and be my ever loving baby.”. These are excellent. approach to the founding fathers can spark a lot of genuine interest and excitement in students. You can also talk about. One of the best ways to introduce students to figurative language, poetic form, and sound devices is to use lyrics from popular songs. when many Young people like the then 22-year-old Dylan felt misunderstood by their parents generation: “Come mothers and fathers throughout the land For example, Edgar Allen Poe's story, "The Tell-Tale Heart," describes experiences of a man -- a murderer -- driven crazy, and into the arms of the police, by the increasingly loud thumping of his beating heart. This is a great song to analyze for perspective, foreshadowing, conflict, and mood. This is a great song to use to discuss, Okay, so I’m probably a little weird for adding this to the list, but it’s a deeply, song that’s also really hilarious. Is looking good for you and your friends on the weekend, This song is an amazing lampshade of country music’s inclination to two-dimensionalize women. “After we shot the grizzly Nothing more”. Please make them school appropriate. Provide a list at the local or national level and let students choose , “Bein’ the girl in a country song In all honesty, I discovered this song set to a fan video about the 10th Doctor (David Tennant) in Doctor Who, and it has stuck with me ever since. Students could explore that idea by reading the lyrics to this song along with some classic poetry such as, “The Self-Unseeing” by Thomas Hardy, “Home is so Sad” by Philip Larkin, or “The Props assist the House” by Emily Dickinson. The refrain of the song "Natural" states that someone (You) needs a "beating" heart of stone in order to endure the suffering in the world. New York: Quill, 2003. Songwriters: Travie McCoy, Adam Levine, Benjamin Levin, Sterling Fox, Ammar Malik, Dan Omelio. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. You little heartbroken thirteen-year-old me.”. It’s important for our students (future voters!) Use these examples as a … Teaching the basics. Check out these other songs to use in ELA, year […]. Thank you! How in the world did it go so wrong? Angels are noted for their goodness as well as comfort and aid to others. when this life is all I know? Self-reflection, and self-empathy are important parts of maturing and learning to make better choices. Okay, so I’m probably a little weird for adding this to the list, but it’s a deeply macabre song that’s also really hilarious. You can find ALL my recommendation lists for inclusive classroom materials here. After the airship crashed Use this song to introduce an activity where your students could write a letter to their past self, at any age. You’re the saddest bunch I ever met I'm having trouble finding some for a project. Check out these songs, and let me know what you think! Certain songs become “anthems” for particular generations, as Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind” (1962) became for many in the 1960s. In Shakespeare's time, many people believed that fate was preordained, or "written in the stars." Was it possible they heard not?" I can take apart the remote control A metaphor is a figure of speech defined by Literary.net as: For example, "He is such a pig," is a metaphor that you might hear about someone who overeats. He tends to put lines from Paul Newman movies in his songs: the title "Lonely Ol' Night" comes from the film Hud. I’m young, scrappy and hungry “And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon Want to expose students to new songs, or make them think about old songs in a completely new way? Throughout the 19th century, the term big apple meant something regarded as the most significant of its kind; as an object of desire and ambition. But you can bet before we’re through titanium - David guetta the symbolism in this song is that you can anything about her but she wont care because she is strong like titanium. Thank you for the suggestions! “The House That Built Me” by Miranda Lambert “I thought if I could touch this place or feel it This brokenness inside me might start healing.” With imagery like “handprints on the front steps”, the lyrics to this song evoke a strong feeling of nostalgia. Using music in the classroom is a great way to engage students, so here are some songs to use in ELA, and some ways to use them. One song the duet sings uses the depth of water as a metaphor to figuratively describe their relationship. to your students. Selena Gomez' song, "Naturally" includes the following lyrics: "Naturally" may be a pop song, but it harkens back to ancient Norse mythology, where the name of its main god, Thor, literally means "thunder." Take notes where applicable: Symbolism allows people to communicate beyond the limits of language. In the end, the protagonist could not ignore the beating of his heart -- and it led him to prison. From whom Carly Simon thought was so vain to why, exactly, the walrus was Paul, we strive to leave no lyric uninterpreted. Mister, I’ll make a man out of you.”. Words themselves are mere symbols for something else. Blog. If a teacher wants to teach similes and call attention to the characteristic comparison word "like", there is probably nothing more iconic then the song Like a Rolling Stone, the 1965 folk rock anthem by Nobel laureate Bob Dylan.