Songs to use as Grade 5/6 poetry appreciation

January 15, 2020 6:40 AM

I have to cover poetry with my Grade 5/6 class and was hoping to devote one class a week to a 'song of the week' activity where we could use song lyrics as an entry point. Looking for some good songs to use. Snowflake details inside :-)

So, I love poetry but come at it from a more classical background. I know that won't fly with these kids. And given that Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize for literature, I think there is merit to using song lyrics as a way in.

My list so far includes songs by Indigo Girls, Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon etc.---not just because I grew up enjoying them, but also because since my focus IS on the appreciation of the lyrics, I want to pick songs where I have a reasonable chance that current 10-11 year olds won't know them already. That way, we can read the lyrics first as a poetry exercise, and then conclude by listening to the 'finished' version with the music (so, for example, Roar by Katy Perry is a fantastic song, and the lyrics offer decent scope for exploration, but I would avoid that because I know the kids know the tune already).

I also of course need to avoid anything which would not be school-appropriate for this age group :-)

Any and all ideas are welcome!

posted by ficbot to Education (33 answers total)

I think the National has some pretty amazing lyrics, and are unlikely to be familiar to that age range.
posted by frumiousb at 6:44 AM on January 15, 2020

I'm quite out of date myself, but U2 has a lot of lyrics that are referential to other cultural items or expressions if that interests you (one of my favorite things about poetry and literature is picking up on references to other things) - for example, Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World references Dali acting weird, going through the eye of a needle, and "woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle."
posted by frobozz at 7:02 AM on January 15, 2020

The Beatles jump to mind and Imagine by John Lennon.
posted by XtineHutch at 7:13 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

John Denver- Grandma's Feather Bed
Interesting topic, clean, funny, some words they will need to learn. As a bonus, he sang it with the muppets
posted by Patapsco Mike at 7:14 AM on January 15, 2020

I'd try Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary and Yellow Submarine by the Beatles.
posted by FencingGal at 7:16 AM on January 15, 2020

Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles was in my poetry book in high school.

This one is obscure, and the kids won't know it, but The Blue Aeroplanes put Syliva Plath's poem The Applicant to music.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:16 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

Johnny Cash might interest them - different kinds of stories told in song.

Kate Bush, though they probably haven't read Wuthering Heights yet, ha.
posted by wellred at 7:18 AM on January 15, 2020

I'd try Puff the Magic Dragon by Peter, Paul, and Mary and Yellow Submarine by the Beatles.

lol two songs celebrating illegal drugs would make for some interesting conversations with the parents!
posted by Patapsco Mike at 7:18 AM on January 15, 2020 [3 favorites]

I bet they'd like Our House by CSN
posted by nantucket at 7:21 AM on January 15, 2020

What about Loreena McKennitt? Her lyrics are very poetic.

I also found this, which may or may not be useful: 15 Poem and Song Pairings to Liven Up Your Poetry Unit

Sounds like a fun section, enjoy!
posted by wicked_sassy at 7:37 AM on January 15, 2020

These two are thematically related and would provide an opportunity to discuss protest music and civil rights:

A Change is Gonna Come by Sam Cooke

Ooh Child by the Five Stairsteps
posted by hurdy gurdy girl at 7:46 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

I have little to no contact with children, but "Bob Dylan's Blues" always struck me as a song that children would like (although in Our World Today the final verse might be problematic).

Well, the Lone Ranger and Tonto
They are ridin' down the line
Fixin' everybody's troubles
Everybody's except mine
Someone musta told them that I was doin' fine

Oh, you five-and-ten cent women
With nothin' in your heads
I got a real gal I'm lovin'
Lord, I'll love her till I'm dead
Go away from my door and my window, too
Right now

Lord, I ain't goin' down to no race track
See no sports car run
I don't have no sports car
And I don't even care to have one
I can walk anytime around the block

Well, the wind keeps a-blowin' me
Up and down the street
With my hat in my hand
And my boots on my feet
Watch out so you don't step on me

Well, lookit here buddy
You want to be like me?
Pull out your six-shooter
And rob every bank you can see
Tell the judge I said it was all right
Yes
posted by scratch at 7:51 AM on January 15, 2020

Hip Hop Speaks to Children, edited by Nikki Giovanni, is a *fantastic* resource. It comes with a CD so that students can both read and hear the pieces. Even if you don't use the CD, it offers a really nicely curated collection of school-appropriate hiphop and would help with bringing in more non-white poets and musicians to your lessons. I'd also look at Rhiannon Giddens's work.
posted by bibliotropic at 8:01 AM on January 15, 2020 [11 favorites]

Dessa. I know of many tweens who were very into Fire Drills (though it does have "motherfucking vigilance" in the lyrics, so won't work for you).

Skeleton Key
Beekeeper
Good Grief
Half of You

Because the 5th and 6th graders I know have zero interest in the Beatles or Peter Paul and Mary even with the concept that song lryics can be poetry
posted by crush at 8:16 AM on January 15, 2020 [4 favorites]

In AP English, we did American Pie. I’m sure that’s too advanced for fifth graders, and they probably wouldn’t know many of the musical and other references, but I want to applaud you for this approach.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 8:32 AM on January 15, 2020

Yes, Dessa. I also think Momento Mori (the title is not a typo) is a good candidate.

Fiona Apple is my perpetual rec here. Werewolf is fairly short and has some nice figurative language. Every Single Night has a mention of her "breast" in the chorus, but it is not sexy. Red Red Red is also an underappreciated song that I think could definitely stand up to some classroom analysis.
posted by purpleclover at 8:38 AM on January 15, 2020

I'm showing my age, but we also covered We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel and It's the End of the World as We Know it by REM, doing a G&T project to reference every lyric in each.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:42 AM on January 15, 2020

For homework, ask students to ask a parent, grandparent, or other adult to suggest a song that works as poetry. You'll have to screen for appropriateness, but maybe some kids would listen to music with their parents.

In addition to bibliotropic's excellent suggestion, Beyonce's Lemonade album, and other non-white artists should be included. I think all students should know about Lift Every Voice and Sing, J. Rosamond Johnson and James Weldon Johnson, considered the Black National Anthem, and a powerful poem.
posted by theora55 at 8:56 AM on January 15, 2020 [4 favorites]

Chumbawamba's English Rebel Songs might be worth a listen, since much of the content was originally sung, then recorded only as lyrics (though sometimes with the assumption of well known hymns), and then re-set to music a century or more later. Or, perhaps, some Woody Guthrie? Sounds like a fun class!
posted by eotvos at 9:29 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

A bunch of Mountain Goats songs are child-appropriate, and as no-one has suggested any yet, I'll start...

Possum by Night

Tianchi Lake

Idylls of the King

One good thing about the Mountain Goats for poetry appreciation is that John Darnielle's lyrics are very metrically regular, as well as having a lot of bold imagery.
posted by howfar at 10:06 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

It's a little heavy for kids, but in the spirit of spotlighting the work of artists of color, consider Gil Scott-Heron. In addition to well-crafted, emotionally affecting lyrics, his work often makes then contemporary, now dated political references that could serve as a good entry point to lessons in American history.
posted by zeusianfog at 10:23 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

I also really like the lyrical chops of LCD Soundsystem. "Someone Great" and "All My Friends" are both great songs with interesting lyrics, although the kids may struggle to relate to the themes.
posted by zeusianfog at 10:28 AM on January 15, 2020

Oh, and Vampire Weekend! Try "Step" or "Holiday." Sorry, I'll stop now.
posted by zeusianfog at 10:32 AM on January 15, 2020

Josh Ritter's songs are often little story poems, and kids are very unlikely to have heard of him. Some mild references to sex and death and the occasional damn, so you'll have to judge appropriateness.

Kathleen
Bone of Song
Temptation of Adam
The Curse
Henrietta Indiana
Getting Ready to Get Down
posted by that's candlepin at 10:33 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

The first poetry analysis I ever did in school was Bob Dylan’s “Highway 61 Revisited,” but that was in part because we could all spot the Bible references from religion class. (I will never not love that teacher for introducing me to Bob Dylan!)

Lots of John Prine’s lyrics would be good for this—they’re usually a combination of sly, goofy, and meaningful. Maybe “Dear Abby,” “It’s a Big Old Goofy World,” “Jesus: the Missing Years,” or Please Don’t Bury Me” (although it is about death and contains the somewhat spicy line “kiss my ass goodbye”)

Neil Young is great for abstract imagery, for the part of poetry where there isn’t one clear meaning and the students can have different interpretations and be ok with not being correct: maybe “Thrasher,” “Ambulance Blues,” or “Powderfinger”
posted by sallybrown at 11:11 AM on January 15, 2020 [1 favorite]

People Are Strange - Doors
Paint It Black - Rolling Stones
The Ocean - Dar Williams
Fire and Rain - James Taylor
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Breathless - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Tear in my Heart - Twenty One Pilots

Kids will probably think most of these are boring old person songs, but Twenty One Pilots are currently popular.
posted by Redstart at 12:57 PM on January 15, 2020

Oh, one more Dar Williams: Spring Street.
posted by purpleclover at 1:13 PM on January 15, 2020

Or start with some poetry made in to song - T S Eliot's poems for children - now Cats

Edward Lear's Nonsense Songs

Spike Milligan's songs
posted by Barbara Spitzer at 3:17 PM on January 15, 2020

The Hamilton cast recording will have its devotees, but perhaps not be universally known? There are some great visualizations of its rhymes on the internet, too.
posted by mahorn at 3:44 PM on January 15, 2020

The Spoon River Anthology has been recorded variously and I really liked the Richard Buckner versions, but he’s maybe too dude-with-a-guitar, given the other suggestions.
posted by mahorn at 3:48 PM on January 15, 2020

Maybe just ask your kids what they listen to and see what youtube offers as similar. You need to filter some, obviously, but Spotify usually has censored tracks available. But I also sincerely believe that our kids are their own funds of knowledge, and what they bring to the classroom should be just as valid as what you can find.

Definitely seconding asking their parents/guardians, but look also to NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts and whatever service publishes Sound Opinions. The former has a lot of actually poppy music, and the latter really know about music. Maybe also look to The World and Here and Now for their DJ sessions... they get a lot of international music that might appeal to kids, if only because it isn't western pop music.

And check out other MeFi posts, like this one! Sometimes some tough content, but good for the visual and the lyrical. I think there is a site that catalogs references in songs to classics and canon, but I can't find it right now.
posted by Snowishberlin at 4:26 PM on January 15, 2020

Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton
Under the Milky Way Tonight by The Church
Hazard, Eternity, or Silent Scream by Richard Marx
The Dead Heart by Midnight Oil
posted by ChristineSings at 6:37 PM on January 15, 2020

How about For What it's Worth? Depending on the makeup of your class, it might really speak to them... and it allows a discussion not just of history they might not be aware of (Vietnam war, civil rights riots, etc.), but also show how poetry can be social commentary.
posted by cgs06 at 5:39 AM on January 16, 2020