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Tara2117 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gunma, Japan

Hi all,

I have an 18-year old private student who is interested in the same music I am. (Namely, hard rock and metal.) I was thinking about trying to do a lesson involving song lyrics. Most of the stuff I like has pretty high-level lyrics... can anyone think of some rock songs with lyrics simple enough to build a lesson around? Or at least to do a short, fun activity around?

(Note... I know I should post this on the teacher forum, but I'm still waiting for the magic seal of approval from the mods before I have posting access there...)

Thanks!

alexrocks · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Kyoto, Japan

"Rock and roll all night" by KISS

David W · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 457 Location: Japan

I'm guessing "Lick My Love Pump" by Spinal Tap is out of the question?
I might start by finding out his favourite songs, cutting them into bite size pieces and going from there.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I used to be excited about using song lyrics. Then I came to the realization that lyrics are terribly ungrammatical, and that even with English songs, I had a hard time picking out the words, so why should my students have to?

Sorry, but I really don't see the point other than sharing the music itself. Get some history of the song or artist and use that to build vocabulary.

Insubordination · Joined: 07 Nov 2007 Posts: 394 Location: Sydney

Well, it ain't heavy but I always think that 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police has fairly easy lyrics (well, except for every claim you stake) as do some of the slower RHCPeppers' songs (My Friends, Under the Bridge'. Elton John also has some easy ones like 'Daniel' and some simple Beatles' songs are easy to teach too. You'll just have to look through your ipod and you'll find a suitable one. I'm sure there are some online lessons along these lines too.

It's a great way to engage students. Many are ungrammatical but that's the way it is.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

I used to teach using song lyrics, as a supplemental activity to text work, to my advanced adult students. The trick is to find songs with words that are fairly easy to distinguish. I don't think I ever used a metal/hard rock song, even though some of my students liked that type of music. Some songs I used were Hey Jude, You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Beth, You're So Vain, Suspicious Minds, and Bridge Over Troubled Water. I would normally white out about ten or twelve words in the song, have the students listen to the song a couple of times and try to fill in the missing words, then after they know what the words are, listen to the song again. Finally, we'd discuss the meaning of the lyrics. Of course, this type of activity is not for beginners.

Tara2117 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gunma, Japan

Tara2117 · Joined: 14 Aug 2006 Posts: 89 Location: Gunma, Japan

Under the Bridge and You've Got to Hide Your Love Away actually sound pretty good...

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

Students, and especially kids, should have fun activities in class, to break up the monotony of text work and give them something to look forward to when going to the eikaiwa. Even if the listening excercise isn't a complete success, it doesn't hurt to try.

Hawaiibadboy · Joined: 22 Apr 2007 Posts: 26

alexrocks · Joined: 13 Feb 2006 Posts: 75 Location: Kyoto, Japan

How about "Party Hard" by Andrew WK? Those lyrics are pretty straightforward.

Khyron · Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Tokyo Metro City

The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald is quite heavy. Literally.

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

2LiveCrew should probably be avoided. Laughing

markle · Joined: 17 Jan 2003 Posts: 1316 Location: Out of Japan

AndyH · Joined: 30 Sep 2004 Posts: 417

True, but have fun EXPLAINING them! Very Happy