Responding to Music (Poetry)

Music is something that everyone can relate to. Cultures across the world incorporate music into special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, holidays etc. Music can calm you down when you are upset, bring you up when you are feeling down, get you pumped for a big event, give you motivation to get things done and can be a means of escaping from the negativity that the world can throw at you. Every good writer uses their own experiences and background knowledge as a starting point. It is for this reason that music can be so powerful. A well written song can evoke emotions and memories as well as inspire new ideas. History is deeply rooted in the songs of many artists. In fact, what makes a song good is its ability to stand the test of time. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Who, Pearl Jam and The Beatles have been successful and continue to be successful because of their ability to bring history and culture into their music. The themes and messages in their work are still applicable today. In your writers notebook, take a few minutes and jot down what music means to you.

Read the lyrics for The Beatles’ “Let it Be”. Does this song have any personal meaning for you? How does it make you feel? What does it make you think of? If the song is unfamiliar to you, can you predict what type of song it will be? (Rap, Pop, Rock, Hymn, Alternative etc.)

The Beatles - Let it Be This is lyrics from When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be. And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. let it be. Let it be, let it be, And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me, shine until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be.

Now listen to the song “Let it Be” sung by Paul McCartney. How does the music put meaning to the words? What is the singer feeling? Is this song celebrating something, giving the listener a warning, criticising someone etc.

The Story Behind “Let it Be” Paul McCartney’s mother, Mary, died when he was 14. Paul was known to be a perfectionist and The Beatles often argued over the details of their music. He had a dream one night when he was paranoid and anxious. He saw his mom who had been dead for ten years or so; she came to him in his time of trouble, “speaking words of wisdom” and told him to just let it be. Since this was The Beatles last album (Abbey Road- 1970), it made an appropriate statement about leaving problems behind and moving on in life. You can see how this theme can be taken from 1970 and applied to anyone, anywhere in the world, at any stage in life. Now that you know the background behind the song, does it change the meaning for you? Listen to another version of the song, which was recorded more recently for the movie “Across the Universe”. How does this version differ from the original?