SONG ANALYSIS WEBQUEST
RBHS Main / Mancoff Main / Freshman Main
Introduction Task Process Resources Conclusion
When we began our unit, we defined poetry as "focused writing which communicates a mood and/or experience". The popular music we listen to today, be it Britney Spears or Metallica or Eminem, fits this definition just as surely as the works of Shakespeare, Poe, or Dickinson. Now, imagine your favorite song and consider how its lyrics might work as poetry.
Write a short essay analyzing the presence and effect of poetic devices in the lyrics of a song of your choice. How does your chosen song fit the definition and function of a poem/
1. Select a song. It must fit the following criteria:
2. Use the resources below to find the lyrics of the song online.
- The song must have lyrics; no instrumentals.
- The song must be school appropriate; check with me if you have questions.
- Ideally, the song will have rich, diverse lyrics.
3. Copy and paste or retype a copy of the lyrics into a word processor.
4. Print TWO copies of the lyrics. Save one copy and use the other for notes.
5. Analyze the lyrics for the presence of some/all of the following:
6. Write a FIVE PARAGRAPH essay covering the following:
- Imagery (note the sense being used)
- Poetic devices (metaphor, simile, allusion, conceit, etc.)
- Sound devices (alliteration, repetition, rhyme, etc.)
- The experience communicated by the song
- The mood communicated by the song
7. Attach the 2nd copy of the lyrics to the end of your essay.
- What are the experience and mood of the song?
- What imagery and devices are present?
- How do the images and devices create the experience and mood?
Resources:
(All of the following are collections of song lyrics online)Worldwide Internet Music Resources
Google.com
(Search for: "song name" "artist name" "lyrics")
Now that you have analyzed your song lyrics, take some time to be aware of the poetry in the music you hear every day. The next time you turn on the radio, listen closely! You'll hear similes, metaphors, alliteration, and all of the devices we've been learning about during our unit. Imagine that!