Final Gizmoz Post

It is always funny to say what a song, film or work of art's theme is. Often, one personal interpretation can be very, very different from another. For example, one of my favorite songs in recent memory is "Re: Stacks" by Bon Iver. Upon my first 10 listens, I had no idea that the song was about a gambling debt. I had painted landscapes in my mind as I listened to the serene hum of the voice and guitar. I then watched or read something about the song's "theme" or "meaning" and it caught me quite off guard. Since I fell in love with the song on my own terms - it was fruitless to reinterpret the song - and impossible. Therefore, it is my song differently then it is Bon Iver's song. Which is almost sufficient to say that once you thrust a song out there into the stratosphere - you have lost your own interpretation of that song.

That being said, when you look at System of a Down's song "Boom" it is quite clear - at the very least - that the song is about war. I know System well and I have seen the video (directed by Michael Moore) so I know that it is specifically about the Iraq war. Songs like these are valuable for classroom purposes as they so clearly deal with a certain issue (the video, I think, is fantastic) and they help emphasize the art and voices present throughout the world. System of a Down has added value because the members are Armenian and have found such a powerful fan base in America.

I used the song "Dear Mama" by Tupac Shakur to tie into Sandra Cisneros' House on Mango Street - on the theme of family. However, this song is precious to teachers because A) it is hip hop, so it plays right into what students love B) it is poetry C) it is actually good! D) it shows that a rough thug can actually sing compassionately and lovingly about his mother E) it ties into endless lessons and themes.

I think a final way to utilize songs in your classroom is to look at Irish singers and songwriters and all the fantastic songs written about Ireland and its struggle for independence.



Looking at these songs never has to simply be a "one stop shop." It is wonderful that these songs exist - not only for their beauty - but for all of their venues into different ways of thinking and learning. A song like "Foggy Dew" leads to so many questions: What do songs do for us in the face of such great opposition? What is the purpose of these songs? Why do the Irish people seem to have these songs written in their blood? What other songs relate to these Irish independence songs? And on and on.

There are so many songs, and they can be looked at in so many ways with so many lenses. I think the beautiful thing, as I alluded to earlier, is that you never have to stick with a song's intended theme - you can always go beyond. A song like this...



...sets the civil rights and women's rights movement back about 100 years and does irreparable damage to our youth (I really believe that). So lets look at it. Lets discuss it. Lets not just sit back and let it permeate millions of brains while we do nothing.

Teaching - I truly believe - is doing something.