Using Billy Joel to Teach Poetry Poetry and Lyrics Using Billy Joel to Teach Poetry

POETRY!!!

MUSIC & LYRICS

Poetry: What Makes It Different? The poet chooses each word for a reason. Each word has a purpose and meaning. BEAUTIFUL or GORGEUOUS? PROUD or ARROGANT?

Poetry: What Makes it Great? Poetry connects to the reader and allows for diverse interpretation. What does it mean to you? How can you relate to the poem? Make connections Make it your own!

Why Billy Joel? The lyrics of Billy Joel’s songs often hold symbolism or tell a story. The lyrics are relatively easy to interpret. The lyrics are fun to illustrate.

GUESS THE SONG

“We Didn’t Start the Fire” List Poem Filled with historical events studied in other classes. Related to current events (students are able to update) Catchy rhythm

Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnny Ray, South Pacific, Walter Winchell, Joe DiMaggio, Joe McCarthy, Richard Nixon, Studebaker, Television, North Korea, South Korea, Marilyn Monroe, Rosenberg's, H-bomb, Sugar Ray, Panmunjom, Brando, The King and I, And The Catcher In The Rye, Eisenhower, Vaccine, England's got a new queen, Marciano, Liberace, Santayana goodbye

Exercise Options Choose five topics to research and write about. Why are they mentioned in the song? What is their historical importance? Create a poster-collage based on the people, places, and events listed in the song. Arrange chronologically, by importance, or in categories (politics, entertainment, war, etc.) Write your own verse based on the last thirteen years. Include at least twenty items. These can be people, places, or events.

GUESS THE SONG

“Only the Good Die Young” Loaded with Symbolism Presents an Argument to Debate Deals with Stereotypes

Come out Virginia, don't let me wait You Catholic girls start much too late But sooner or later it comes down to fate I might as well be the one They showed you a statue and told you to pray They built you a temple and locked you away But they never told you the price that you pay For things that you might have done..... Only the good die young

Exercise Options Write about the symbolism in the poem. What do specific words mean? Why did he choose these words? Write your own persuasive poem arguing one side of an argument. (Partner Project: Each partner argues a side) Write a poem that uses heavy symbolism along with a explanation essay on what the poem means and why you chose specific words.

GUESS THE SONG

No idea? Let’s try this…

“It’s Still Rock-n-Roll to Me” Deals with peer pressure Ties in fashion and pop-culture Deals with perception: what makes something “cool”?

What's the matter with the clothes I'm wearing? "Can't you tell that your tie's too wide?" Maybe I should buy some old tab collars? "Welcome back to the age of jive. Where have you been hidin' out lately, honey? You can't dress trashy till you spend a lot of money." Everybody's talkin' 'bout the new sound Funny, but it's still rock and roll to me

Exercise Options Write a similar poem using more modern fashion trends. Write an essay on how the poem deals with peer-pressure. Create a poster-collage based on two categories: “cool” and “uncool”

Other Billy Joel Songs to Use “Piano Man” “The Entertainer” “Captain Jack” (mature students only) “The Longest Time” “River of Dreams” “Uptown Girl”