Socially Conscious Music Assignment
Socially Conscious Music Assignment
This assignment explores how popular musicians from all eras address or make reference to social justices, social injustice and public health. These song are referred to as socially conscious songs. You can find socially conscious songs in the music of our contemporaries and in the music of the past. Many communities use music as a means to communicate, reflect or address problems and concerns. Perhaps you are aware of a few.
Guidelines:
- Do not select a song that your classmates are using.
- Find a song that has lyrics that address a social justice issue.
- Copy the lyrics – type them out or cut and past.
- Write an insightful one page analysis about why you think this song addresses an important social justice issue, what the artist is saying (message), why you think it is important, what symbols did the artist use to convey the message?
- If your song is selected, be prepared to introduce the song and what it means.
***** Songs must not glorify violence, consumerism or sexism. Songs cannot objectify women or any other person in any way. Songs must not belittle or prejudge groups of people. Cursing is acceptable in the art of the song as long as it is not gratuitous.
Grading Scale
A – B
- Song fulfills all of the above requirements.
- Song offers a solution to the problem(s) in the song.
- You wrote an insightful analysis of the lyrics.
- You have a recording.
B – C
- Song fulfills all of the above requirements.
- Song refers to a social justice or public health problem
- You wrote an insightful analysis of the lyrics.
- You have a recording
C – D
- Song fulfills all of the above requirements.
- Song refers to a social justice or public health problem/
- You wrote an ok or mediocre analysis of the lyrics.
- You have a recording
Mr. McDowell’s example of a socially conscious song
PRINCE – “Sign of the Times.”
“Sign O’ The Times”
In France a skinny man
Died of a big disease with a little name
By chance his girlfriend came across a needle
And soon she did the same
At home there are seventeen-year-old boys
And their idea of fun
Is being in a gang called The Disciples
High on crack, totin’ a machine gun
Time, time
Hurricane Annie ripped the ceiling of a church
And killed everyone inside
U turn on the telly and every other story
Is tellin’ U somebody died
Sister killed her baby cuz she could afford 2 feed it
And we’re sending people 2 the moon
In September my cousin tried reefer 4 the very first time
Now he’s doing horse, it’s June
Times, times
It’s silly, no?
When a rocket ship explodes
And everybody still wants 2 fly
Some say a man ain’t happy
Unless a man truly dies
Oh why
Time, time
Baby make a speech, Star Wars fly
Neighbors just shine it on
But if a night falls and a bomb falls
Will anybody see the dawn
Time, times
It’s silly, no?
When a rocket blows
And everybody still wants 2 fly
Some say a man ain’t happy, truly
Until a man truly dies
Oh why, oh why, Sign O the Times
Time, time
Sign O the Times mess with your mind
Hurry before it’s 2 late
Let’s fall in love, get married, have a baby
We’ll call him Nate… if it’s a boy
Time, time
Time, time
Andy’s Example:
Hunting for Witches – Bloc Party
On the roof of my house
With a shotgun
The newscaster says the enemy’s among us
As bombs explode on the thirty bus
Kill your middle class indecision
Now is not the time for a liberal thought
I go hunting for witches
Heads are going to roll
I go hunting for
Now its terror
Airplanes crash into towers
Taking our women and taking our jobs
The reasonable fool is being drowned out
By the non-stop baying, baying, baying for blood
Fame to go
I go hunting for witches
Heads are going to roll
I go hunting for
I watched TV and it formed me
I was an ordinary man with ordinary desires
There must be accountability
Fear will keep us all in place
I go hunting for witches
Heads are going to
I go hunting for
I watched TV and it formed me
I was an ordinary man with ordinary desires
There must be accountability
Fear will keep us all in place