EC Poetry

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:52 pm

OK, esteemed collegues;

I am an English teacher, and I love to play songs for my students during my poetry unit. I usually stick close to the Beatles to start, and then branch off. I listened to EC when he first came out, when I was DJing at my college radio station, but only have recently "rediscovered" his music.

ANYWAY -- my question to you: What EC songs would you deem suitable for HS students for a poetry unit? It would HAVE to be "appropriate for school" - meaning no curse words and no "explicit" content. I encourage them to think about the WORDS of a song; music is enhancement.

Noiseradio brought this topic up in another post, but I was curious to see what you experts would recommend to me??

Help?

Post by **BlueChair** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 3:59 pm

Shipbuilding

mood swung · Post by **mood swung** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:05 pm

interesting thread!

The Scarlet Tide comes to mind right away, cos I've been thinking about that 'why would I want him just to lose him again' line a lot. The Other End of the Telescope--all of ATUB, in fact.

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:40 pm

Dust 2

If dust could only talk
What would we hear it say?
Before it's brushed aside
Just as it's swept away

It's just the evidence
It's of no consequence
It's only flesh and bone
Why don't you leave it alone?

If dust could only speak
Caught in a falling beam
If dust could only cry
If dust could only scream
For it's the single witness that might testify
Could I spit out the truth?
Or would you rather just swallow a lie?

But dust is always caught behind a coat of paint
Beneath the marble fingernails of kings and saints
And in the theatre curtain where they hang a drape
Or in the ticket pocket where your hands escape

Before they start to wander
Or they start to shrink
You rub your eye a little and appear to blink
And then she caught you staring
She knows just what you're thinking
What got into you was not a ghost as such
It was just dust

Here comes the juggernaut
Here come The Poisoners
They choke the life and land
And rob the joy from us
Why do they taste of sugar
Oh, when they're made of money
Here comes the lamb of God
And the butcher's boy, Sonny

Well I believe we just
Become a speck of dust...

Black Sails · Post by **Black Sails** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:48 pm

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest

Miss Macbeth,
Beyond Belief,
Man Out of Time, and
Couldn't Call it Unexpected No. 4

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 4:52 pm

Thanks Mr. - just the name would have been sufficient, but thanks for the lyrics!

elvisisking63 · Post by **elvisisking63** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:05 pm

If you are teaching all sorts of uses of language as poetry (not necessarily just imagery), then I'd go right to Get Happy!! ... Elvis's rhyme & pun work are so brilliant on that album, I'm just in awe whenever I read through those lyrics. I mean right off the bat, you get this great stanze opening Love for Tender:

You won't take my love for tender
You can put your money where your mouth is
But you're so unsure
I could be a miser or a big spender
But you might get much more than you bargained for

Just an example, but this kind of wordplay is at work throughout Get Happy.

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:10 pm

Thanks elvisisking63. I use all kinds of things. Word play is one I like to use after doing "Jabberwocky" with them - of course seguing into "I am the Walrus". I'm open to anything - as long as it is "school worthy". Because of that, much of Jim Morrison's stuff is out - as with Zappa - both my favs.

alexv · Post by **alexv** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:26 pm

I think it's great you're doing this. As a freshman in high school way back in 72 my teacher did the same using Paul Simon and the Beatles as models and it made poetry somehow cooler. One thing I suggest is that you combine the words with the music, just to let the kids know that the full effect of pop lyrics, even Elvis' often poetic ones, can't be felt without the music. I say play them all of Painted from Memory.

laughingcrow · Post by **laughingcrow** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:46 pm

Tramp the dirt down
Beyond belief
Almost blue

Mr. Average · Post by **Mr. Average** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 5:55 pm

I backed off on Beyond Belief, which I believe to be great poetry, because of the content for younger audiences. Plus, its meaning is daunting enough for most of us. I think it would scare the heck out of a group of kids who may be overcome by its complexity.

Or maybe its just me. Maybe everyone gets that song but me. I read PaulB's detailed and fine analysis, and I'm still more than a bit confused.

But my Geek Factor was 30.something, so ther you go. That likely explains it.

Watching_Detectives · Post by **Watching_Detectives** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 6:13 pm

All the Rage

oily slick · Post by **oily slick** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 6:42 pm

starting to come to me
this offer is unrepeatable
last boat leaving

wehitandrun · Post by **wehitandrun** » Wed Mar 17, 2004 6:44 pm

Man Out Of Time!

"he's got a mind like a sewer and a heart like a fridge..."

<3,
s.

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:24 am

Wow, thanks for all the help - I am really enjoying your ideas. Keep them coming if you like!!

Alexv - I do tend to "let" them enjoy the "music" part - I especially tell them about instruments used (I'm a musician too) and with the Beatles, since I am an "expert" on them, I talk about inspiriation for words and/or music.

I just find that generally, a lot of kids "like" the songs because "you can dance to them", which is all fine and good in it's own context, but not for poetry.

Also, I LOVE sharing music with them that they don't know!! They don't even know the Beatles half the time! They complain when I tell them I am going to play them but are usually begging me to play more as the unit goes on (or to put a CD on while they are working/writing!)

The music makes it "real" for the kids, I think....

noiseradio · Post by **noiseradio** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 1:13 am

Big Sisters Clothes
New Lace Sleeves
The Other Side of Summer
Indoor Fireworks
New Amsterdam

Gillibeanz · Post by **Gillibeanz** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 4:39 am

Well i'd say 'Satellite' for the pure poetry and wonderfully graphic words , and also 'All grown up' which your students could identify with but I think you might find those unsuitable for your class..so for awesome words and interesting discussion.......

You tripped at every step
You little fool
Stranger in the house
Episode of blonde
Veronica

You might find this site useful for checking out the words to all these suggestions - when you get there just pan down the page a little and click on the song!!

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/ ... 9D00297F2E

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:24 pm

Isn't "Veronica" supposed to be about his once-fun grandmother who went senile?

Post by **BlueChair** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:26 pm

Yes, it is...

Which is why it's kind of weird that Elvis has such a love/hate relationship with "Veronica." He's played it a few times in recent shows, but for a while he would say things like "If you want to hear 'Veronica', you may as well fuck off and go home and listen to the radio'"

WhipsnSpurs · Post by **WhipsnSpurs** » Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:28 pm

Possibly it's "too close to home" for him?