“Music to My Ears”
Identifying & Revising Victim Language in Popular Music
Presenters
Tracy L. Davis
Coordinator for Student Success & Co-curricular Programs
Karen Y. Jackson
Adjunct Faculty, EDL 110
1st Annual “On Course” Conference
St. Louis, MO March 24, 2006
Satisfaction
Rolling Stones
I can’t get no satisfaction,
I can’t get no satisfaction.
’cause I try and I try and I try and I try.
I can’t get no, I can’t get no.
When I’m drivin’ in my car
And that man comes on the radio
And he’s tellin’ me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination.
I can’t get no, oh no no no.
Hey hey hey, that’s what I say.
______
Reach -- Gloria Estefan
Some dreams live on in time forever
Those dreams, you want with all your heart
And I’ll do whatever it takes
Follow through with the promise I made
Put it all on the line
What I hoped for at last would be mine
If I could reach, higher
Just for one moment touch the sky
From that one moment in my life
I’m gonna be stronger
Know that I’ve tried my very best
I’d put my spirit to the test
If I could reach
______
Help
Beatles
Help, I need somebody,
Help, not just anybody,
Help, you know I need someone, help.
When I was younger, so much younger than today,
I never needed anybody's help in any way.
But now these days are gone, I'm not so
self assured,
Now I find I've changed my mind and opened up the doors.
Help me if you can, I'm feeling down
And I do appreciate you being round.
Help me, get my feet back on the ground,
Won't you please, please help me?
______
We Gotta Get Out of This Place
The Animals
In this dirty old part of the city
Where the sun refuse to shine
People tell me there ain't no use in crying
my little girl you're so young and pretty
And one thing I know is true
you're gonna die before your time is due
see my daddy in bed and tired
see his hair been turning gray
He's been working and slaving his life away
I know
cause He's been working yea
everyday
slaving his life away
he's been working baby
he’s been at
work work work
We gotta get out of this place
If it's the last thing we ever do
We gotta get out of this place
______
Melissa Manchester Don't Cry Out Loud
Baby cried the day the circus came to town
'cause she didn't want parades just passin' by her
So she painted on a smile and took up with some clown
While she danced without a net upon the wire
I know a lot about 'er 'cause, you see
Baby is an awful lot like me
Don't cry out loud
Just keep it inside, learn how to hide your feelings
Fly high and proud
And if you should fall, remember you almost had it all
______
Shining Star
Earth Wind & Fire
Yeah, hey
When you wish upon a star
Dreams will take you very far, yeah
When you wish upon a dream
Life ain´t always what it seems, oh yeah
Once you see your light so clear
In the sky so very dear
You´re a shining star, no matter who you are
Shining bright to see what you can truly be
That you can truly be
______
Ain’t No Sunshine
Bill Withers
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
It's not warm when she's away.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And she's always gone too long anytime she goes away.
Wonder this time where she's gone,
Wonder if she's gone to stay
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone
And this house just ain't no home anytime she goes away.
______
One Fine Day
Chiffons
One fine day
You'll look at me
And you will know our love was
Meant to be
One fine day
You're gonna want me for your girl
The arms I long for
Will open wide
And you'll be proud to have me
By your side
One fine day
You're gonna want me for your girl
Though I know you're the
Kind of boy
Who only wants to run around
I'll keep waiting and
Someday darling
You'll come to me when you want to settle down oh
______
Blame It on the Rain
Milli Vanilli
You said you didn't need her
You told her good-bye (good-bye)
You sacrificed a good love
To satisfy your pride
Now you wished
That you should have her (have her)
And you feel like such a fool
You let her walk away
Now it just don't feel the same
Gotta blame it on something
Gotta blame it on something
Blame it on the rain (rain)
Blame it on the stars (stars)
Whatever you do don't put the blame on you
Blame it on the rain yeah yeah
You can blame it on the rain
______
Cat’s in the Cradle
Harry Chapin
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin' 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say "I'm gonna be like you dad
You know I'm gonna be like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin' home dad?
I don't know when, but we'll get together then son
You know we'll have a good time then
______
Chain of Fools
Aretha Franklin
Chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools
Five long years I thought you were my man
But I found out I'm just a link in your chain
You got me where you want me
I ain't nothing but your fool
You treated me mean oh you treated me cruel
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools
Every chain has got a weak link
I might be weak child, but I'll give you strength
You told me to leave you alone
My father said come on home
My doctor said take it easy
Whole bunch of lovin is much too strong
I'm added to your chain, chain, chain
Chain, chain, chain, chain,
Chain, chain of fools
One of these mornings the chain is gonna break
But up until then, yeah, I'm gonna take all I can take
Chain, chain, chain, chain, chain, chain
Chain, chain, chain, chain of fools
______
Survivor
Destiny’s Child
Now that you are out of my life,
I'm so much better,
You thought that I'd be weak without ya,
But I'm stronger,
You thought that I'd be broke without ya,
But I'm richer,
You thought that I'd be sad without ya,
I laugh harder,
You thought I wouldn't grow without ya,
Now I'm wiser,
You thought that I'd be helpless without ya,
But I'm smarter,
You thought that I'd be stressed without ya,
But I'm chillin'
You thought I wouldn't sell without ya,
Sold nine million.
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what),
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what),
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm gonna make it (what),
I will survive (what),
Keep on survivin' (what),
______
It’s My Party
Lesley Gore
Nobody knows where my Johnny has gone
Judy left the same time
Why was he holding her hand
When he's supposed to be mine
It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you
Playin' my records, keep dancin' all night
Leave me alone for a while
'Till Johnny's dancin' with me
I've got no reason to smile
It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to
Cry if I want to, cry if I want to
You would cry too if it happened to you
______
Keep Your Head to the Sky
Earth Wind and Fire
Master told me one day
I’d find peace in every way
But in search for the clue
Wrong things I was bound to do
Keep my head to the sky
For the clouds to tell me why
As I grew, and with strength
Master kept me as I repent
And he said
Keep your head to the sky
Keep your head to the sky
He gave me the will to be free
Purpose to live his reality
Hey, and I found myself never alone
Chances came to make me strong
To step right up and be a man
cause you need faith to understand
So we’re saying for you to hear
Keep your head and face atmosphere
Keep your head to the sky
So the clouds
Keep your head to the sky
So they can tell you why, lord
Keep your head to the sky
Surely, the clouds are gonna tell you why
______
Fight the Power
Isley Brothers*
Time is truly wastin'
There's no guarantee
Smile's in the makin'
You gotta fight the powers that be
Got so many forces
Stayin' on the scene
Givin' up all around me
Faces full a' pain
I can't play my music
They say my music's too loud
I kept talkin about it
I got the big run around
When I rolled with the punches
I got knocked on the ground
With all this bull***t going down
______
Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
Allan Sherman*
Hello muddah, hello faddah
Here I am at Camp Granada
Camp is very entertaining
And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining.
I went hiking with Joe Spivy
He developed poison ivy
You remember Leonard Skinner
He got ptomaine poison last night after dinner.
Take me home, oh muddah, faddah
Take me home, I hate Granada
Don't leave me out in the forest where
I might get eaten by a bear.
Take me home I promise I will not make noise
Or mess the house with other boys.
Oh please don't make me stay
I've been here one whole day.
Dearest faddah, darling muddah,
How's my precious little bruddah
Let me come home, if you miss me
I would even let Aunt Bertha hug and kiss me.
Wait a minute, it's stopped hailing.
Guys are swimming, gals are sailing
Playing baseball, gee that's better
Muddah, faddah kindly disregard this letter.
______
I’ve Got to Use My Imagination
Gladys Knight and the Pips*
I've really got to use my imagination
To think of good reasons
To keep on keepin' on
Got to make the best of a bad situation
Ever since that day
I woke up and found
That you were gone
Darkness all around me
Blackin out the sun
Old friends call me
But I just don't feel like talkin to anyone
Emptiness has found me
And it just won't let me go
I go right on livin'
But why I just don't know
______