I plan to use some song lyrics to teach poetry this year. I would never have asked this for fear of rejection, but everyone's kindness to PeaceFrog's dillemma inspired me. Please give me some ideas!

What are a few songs that you think have absolutely poetic lyrics? (Unfortunately, they must be "clean" in order to preserve the virgin ears of 9th graders.) I already have plans for a few Beatles tunes, so...what do you all think?

I had opinions that didn't matter,
I had a brain, that felt like pancake batter.

- The Hardest Button to Button - White Stripes

any songs by the cure and the smashing pumpkins.

That's absolutely terrible.

Dylan.

I love 90210!!

Luke Perry is dreamy!!

"If I do this will you stop stealing my water?"

"Sure... whatever."

There's blood in the streets in the town of New Haven...

sorry, had to do it.

ben harper & ryan adams have pretty some lyrics.

*so im offically dyslexic now.

(Edited by rachel at 9:42 pm on Aug. 21, 2003)

Any specific songs?

me? well, off the top of my head i cant think of any good ryan adams lyrics that dont have to do with him getting drunk, etc. ill look later, though.
alone is a good ben harper song. i think so, anyway, but poetry really isnt my schtick. maybe faded? this makes me nervous.

I suggested Roger Waters.

I suggest early Syd Barrett because of the whimsical nature of the lyrics, but my favorite lyricist has always been Ian Curtis.......but i guess you dont want your students to go hang themselves so I wont suggest it......

I think you should use lyrics from Depeche Mode, The Cure, Bjork, Nine Inch Nails, Cypress Hill, and Tori Amos. You may even want to cover some lyrics from some hip hop artists like The Pharcyde, Dialated Peoples, or Raekwon.
Here is one from Depeche Mode just to get you started.

I'm taking a ride with my bestfriend,
I hope he never lets me down again,
He knows where he's taking me,
Taking me where I want to be,
I'm taking a ride with my bestfriend.

We're flying high,
We're watching the world pass us by,
Never want to come down,
Never want to put my feet back down on the ground.

I'm taking a ride with my bestfriend,
I hope he never lets me down again,
Promises me I'm safe as houses,
As long as I remember who's wearing the trousers,
I'm taking a ride with my bestfriend.

Your own
Personal
Jesus

Words are very, unnecessary
They can only do harm

Obviously, Dylan. Some of Lou Reed's clean stuff, perhaps.

This will come as no surprise to anyone on this board, but I will throw out my old standby's, Paul Westerberg, Neil Young, and Jeff Tweedy.

As was discussed on a recent thread, I'm sure there are David Berman supporters out there...

Also, what about some clean hip hop artists? I mean real hip hop, not gangsta rap.

Like Young MC?

soma, disarm, thru the eyes of ruby- smashing pumpkins

some jeff buckley tunes would be good as well.

I just remembered...Leonard Cohen

"I've got a bike, you can ride it if you like, it's got a basket and a bell, it rings and things to make it look good. I'd let you have it if I could, but I borrowed it....

I know a mouse and he hasn't got a house I don't know why I call him Gerald (?)...he's getting very old, but he's a good mouse..."

There's some good syd barrett. My fave would be some smiffs...I thought I was completely understood in the 9th grade when I listened to them.

What about Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison........David Lowery and Adam Duritz...........what really makes lyrics poetic anyway, is it the rhyme sceme, is it the ideals, the expression?

I think Jello Biafra was prehaps one of the best political lyricists ever...

and i agree with the earlier mention of Dylan. Idiot Wind is absolutely fantastic.

my personal favorite Syd Barrett-Era Pink Floyd song is "apples and oranges". i also love "vegatable man" and "see emily play" as well as the previously mentioned "bike"

his solo material is also very very very very good

ah yes i forgot about ol Morrisey. The Smiths will definitely change the life of the sensitive sexually confused males in the classroom.

I never "got" Syd Barrett. Just because you do a bunch of acid and write absurdist, slightly left-of-center lyrics doesn't make you a genius. Some of his stuff, like that bike song, is pretty cool.

he's definitely not a genius, but i just love the playful nature of his lyrics

(Edited by ray davies at 5:38 pm on Aug. 24, 2003)

dude, don't shield the little pansies. people hang themselves. let them deal with it.

(damon may or may not be responsible for this post)

(Edited by deathscythe257 at 8:29 pm on Aug. 24, 2003)

I used a Lauryn Hill song last week. The response was great. Not all were R&B/Hip-hop fans, of course, but they were able to search for meaning in the song/text.

As far as what makes lyric poetic, I think it can be a combination of things. I am no expert on lyrics or even poetry (I'm more of a prose person myself), but I think something is poetic when it creates a poignant image in your head or just stops and makes you think, "Wow. That's beautiful, powerful, eloquent, etc." You know, giving words thier full potential.

I will look into many of these suggestions. Thanks, everyone. You've been very helpful!

Oh, and as far as the issue of shielding the pansies, etc: No. I don't think that's really necessary. I am pretty comfortable bringing up issues like suicide, rape, racism, and the like because it really isn't too shocking to them anymore. We had a suicide last year, and one of my nightmare students from last year is currently on trial for murder. Kids these days!

good lord!

Yeah, I know. As if spraying his bus driver's eyes with pepper spray wasn't enough!

wow. hopefully not while driving...

Um, yeah. While driving.

token token toekn, this is my favorite topic ever. *smirk* im not sure if you know this, but im a senior poetry major. and a music snob. so here's my compiled list -

jeff buckley- grace, dream brother

tori amos - her lyrics are odd, but they have a lot of meaning; i think they are perfect for discecting. boys for pele might be a good record to look into for this. songs like marrianne or blood roses. little earthquakes is a little more on point. easier to disect.

some later led zeppelin might be good - ethereal and magical lyrics

dead kennedys/ jello biafra - political punk rock is so fun!

bright eyes - something vague

anything on august and everything after by counting crows - that's poetry in its purest bestest form.

lou reed, bob dylan, leanord cohen - too many to name

REM's earlier records have some great lyrics also.

that's all for now. i might post more later. good luck!!

Thanks for all the great suggestions! I had already thought about using some Tori Amos, so good. I will look into the rest.

I was shocked to hear that this student, Joshua Capleton from North Nashville (Salem town), was murdered on Thursday night. You may have heard about it on the news. His murderer was a 15 yr. old kid who got kicked out of our school last year. He slammed him on the ground and broke his neck. Many of my current students witnessed this.

This is horribly sad and now I feel badly for making light of this guy's life on here. Granted, he wasn't the nicest human being I've ever met, but he didn't deserve to die at age 18. Just had to get that out.

Try the song "dead flag blues" by God Speed You Black Emperor from the album "f#a#oo". Truly beautiful.

God Speed You Black Emperor lyrics

Oh my gosh, that's terrible. I'm sorry your students had to see that.

im very sorry to hear this. maybe you can make a difference in these kids' lives to come...

Well, I guess anything's possible.