Song for Social Change Analysis
This lesson begins with a presentation of Joni Mitchell's song titled "Big Yellow Taxi" and its implications on the environmental movement. Next, using the Google Slide template, students will examine a song of their choice that raises questions about social issues and encourages the audience to contemplate the choices they make and their impact on the world. For each song, students will consider what was happening historically when the song was recorded, the instrumentation, lyrics, and meaning of the song, and the short and long term impact of the song.
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"The right song at the right moment can change history." - Pete Seeger
STEP 1: Select a song for social change
STEP 2: Locate a music video or live performance of the song
STEP 3: Locate lyrics for the song
STEP 4: Research the band/musical artists views and/or other activism on the issue addressed in the song
STEP 5: Analyze the lyrics
STEP 6: Assess the impact of the song
STEP 7: Complete the Google Slide template for the song you selected and prepare your presentation.
- Feel free to pick any song that you like with lyrics that are school appropriate.
- Find out the year that the song was released and locate the cover of the album it was on.
- If you need inspiration, consider these links: 8 Protest Songs Since 2000 That Inspired Change; 12 Songs that Became Anthems for Change; 69 Songs About Changing the World; or 25 Most Powerful Protest Songs of All Time.
STEP 2: Locate a music video or live performance of the song
- The most interesting song videos to watch are often music videos. Many can be found on Vevo or on YouTube.
- If you are unable to locate a music video for the song, try to locate a life performance.
- Create an MLA citation for the resource where you found your video.
STEP 3: Locate lyrics for the song
- This can be done with a quick Google search.
- Create an MLA citation for the resource where you found the lyrics.
STEP 4: Research the band/musical artists views and/or other activism on the issue addressed in the song
- A google search using the name of the band/musical artist and the name of the social issue should suffice.
- Create an MLA citation for the resource where you found this information.
STEP 5: Analyze the lyrics
- The following resources may be helpful when analyzing lyrics: Genius; Lyric Interpretations; Rock and Roll: An American Story; and Songfacts
- Create an MLA citation for the resource(s) you decide to use.
STEP 6: Assess the impact of the song
- Attempt to find measurable short and long term impacts of the song using the sources above or by conducting your own research.
STEP 7: Complete the Google Slide template for the song you selected and prepare your presentation.
- The presentation should last 10-12 minutes (including the music video/live performance).
- Share your Google Slide show with [email protected] and [email protected]