An online space for our community to extend our engagement with education and pop culture
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
October 17…Playlists
Please paste the information for one of your songs and the annotation here so that you can share it with the class. Post a comment about two of your classmates’ songs/annotations.
Interlude: Holiday- Paramore Lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynoC4v1pnY Paramore is a band that I was into in high school and this song was very relatable to me with its lyrics. In the song Hayley Williams sings “Now I can move on to facing big girl problems no more high school drama graduated with honors [...] now I get a holiday wherever I go I might stay I don't plan on coming back ever if I can help it”. The lyrics take me back to my mindset about school when I was younger and just wanted to get school over with, I saw it as a time of waiting for my life to begin once I graduated high school. Back then it felt like I had very little agency and my life was just school, practice, and homework with no free time. I was eager to move on and be able to do whatever I wanted as the song mentions with going anywhere and deciding if you want to stay later.
Paramore was huge when i was growing up, and in fact i saw them live in high school. I agree that so much of their lyrics can be related to the type of feelings you experience during teenage or school years.
Rachel Wolburg I agree with the part about agency, it feels that school allows for barely any of it. I remember being 19 in my senior year and I still had no kind of agency in my school. The school wouldn't even let me sign my own paperwork or release slips to leave early when needed. I still needed parent signatures at age 19.
1.All My Life ( J cole and Lil Durk) Video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4N8lzKNfy4 Lyrics:Lil Durk - All My Life (Lyrics) ft. J. Cole The song All my life had come out at the exact time when I was graduating from high school which was being heard all over the place. The song is basically about the challenges being faced and just getting through the journey. Which that song meant so much for me especially just graduation high school going through so much adversity and the challenges I had faced over the 12 years of public schools had felt so good when I had walked across that stage feeling so relieved knowing that I had finally did it going through all the obstacles of my entire life of some teachers through middle school and high school saying I would never make it in life and had finally proved them wrong and rubbed it in their faced and never turned back around. I feel like this song is a very relatable personal thing to my story for me because my entire life I had faced so much negative criticism of people saying I won’t ever make it out on my own and being doubted by my friends and the only people who believed in me were my parents.
Lyrics: https://genius.com/Gorillaz-feel-good-inc-lyrics Video: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (Official Video)
When I was in elementary school, every song I had heard had been given to me. My understanding of music only came from the radio and what my friends and parents listened to. The Gorillaz was the first band that no one told me about, no one showed me, and took me searching to find it. When I was 11 years old, I found Feel Good Inc. and was hooked by personally discovering a sound I loved. From then on, I listened to everything the Gorillaz put out. To this day, when I hear some of their old music it immediately takes me back to that feeling of original discovery and true freedom
That feeling of finding things for yourself when your younger is one that I was also reminiscing about as I went through my playlists to find songs for this assignment
I agree. That feeling of finding something for yourself is unmatched. There's no outside influence when you find music on your own because you make a connection that is solely based on your experiences.
I can definitely relate to the feeling of finding something on my own without having it be shown to you, it's very rewarding finding music or a hobby over time rather than having it introduced to you.
I can agree to feeling the pressure to academically achieve. In high school i felt enormous pressure to preform and it resulted in me only focusing on my school work and forgetting to enjoy my teenage years too.
I agree with your idea that the pressures to perform well in school are insanely high now. I know so many people who have been burnt out from the amount of work they have been putting into school work.
I’ve been a fan of Nas since my father introduced me to him when I was in middle school and I’ve been listening to him consistently ever since then. Nas is communicating to the youth through this song with lyrics like “You can be anything in the world, in God we trust”. He tells kids also to focus on their education and stay away from bad influences like drugs and alchool. He also tells black youth the importance of knowing your herritage and understating the contributuions our ancestors brought to the world. This song was a lot more uplifting than I thought it would be and the messages hold up over twenty years later.
I listened to the song for the first time, and I agree with your observations. I appreciate how you shared a Nas song since he had such an influence on hip-hop and Black culture.
School Shooter (XXXTentacion) Lyrics: https://genius.com/Xxxtentacion-school-shooters-lyrics Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRJ6JBuSS7I&ab_channel=XXXTENTACION
I wanted to start this playlist off with something that has heavily bothered me recently involving the school system. School shootings have become an event that the USA is almost known for. It's something so prominent in the US that popular rappers have begun singing about it in order to raise awareness. I was never a big fan of X, however I enjoy some of his songs including this one. The song itself is hard to listen to as he sounds like he needs to clear his throat, but the message the song makes about protection and why these occur is heavily illustrated in the music. Sadly enough X passed away in 2018, and he is unable to see how we have still been unable to stop these horrific events. Since his death there have been a total of 212 shootings in a little over 5 years.
Christine: Hi Cooper, I agree that the increasing trend of school shootings in the US is extremely troubling, especially the fact that there have been 212 shootings in half a decade! The fact that school shootings have stuck around for so long to now have a presence in pop culture is also messed up. What's might be worse is that I've become used to them and hearing about them makes me feel numb. I remember there was a shooting in my junior year of high school. It was mentioned in the announcements. In addition, at least two of my teachers talked about it in class and how it shouldn't be our reality as students; one of them even teared up talking about it. However, for me and my peers, we barely batted an eye since it's kinda "normal" at this point, and I honestly felt mildly uncomfortable watching one of my teachers be so distraught over it; the fact that that's our reaction shows how awful the situation has gotten.
Christine: JUST TO CLARIFY: the shooting was NOT at my school. It was a school shooting in the news. (I realized how bad it sounded the way I worded it)
I loved this song. After I graduated from highschool in florida and knew was moving back to VA, I would rarely see the friends If I ever would. We played this song the last time we meet and it always brings back nostalgia of them.
Rachel Wolburg I understand what you mean about perseverance. Sometimes it felt so hard when I was in highschool but I knew I just had to keep going and couldnt give up.
Christine: Hi Jackson, I think that's a good point! Especially since city schools tend to be poorer and have less resources because cities tend to have more minorities and people with lower income in general. Since these schools have less money and resources and a lot of their kids don't have access to outside resources that can support them, they naturally tend to perform worse, which continues the cycle of these schools lacking funds. It's unfortunately natural then that not enough people make a concentrated effort to reach and aid the kids that are involved in violence and crimes. This situation kind of reminds me of the book The Outsiders, where the main character has been part of a life of gangs and violence while sorta accepting (at least in the beginning) the limitations of this way of life and what it's taken away from him.
This song by Taylor Swift can be very nostalgic to listen to because it was in a very early era of Swift. I agree with you when you mentioned that it feels like a Disney Channel experience of watching movies about high school and that is our only expectation.
Yes! I agree with you about the feelings of remembrance. I associate this song with the memories of 6th grade graduation and saying all the goodbyes. The lyrics represent good times and feelings.
I agree with how much pressure is being placed on students in schooling, especially in high school where students are expected to adjust quickly to the work load and expectation to succeed after graduation.
"It’s a Hard Knock Life" from Annie Lyrics | Youtube https://www.streetdirectory.com/lyricadvisor/song/eloowe/its_the_hard_knock_life/
This iconic track from Annie captures the difficult and gritty reality of life as an orphan. The children sing about the daily challenges they face, making the song both a metaphor for resilience and a critique of harsh conditions.
While this song may seem like it's just about the struggles of childhood, it can also be linked to how systemic issues, like poverty and neglect, influence children's access to education. It makes me reflect on how some kids face enormous hurdles just to attend school and succeed academically, which relates to class and access to opportunities.
The song reminds me that the experiences of students are never one-size-fits-all. Some kids have to fight just to get through the day, let alone thrive in school. It speaks to resilience in the face of adversity, a theme that's central to education for many.
This is an awesome pick! In relation to the high school and school experience in general, this song shows the essence of such in various different ways that you listed above.
I feel similarly to Feven and Cooper, this song is so nostalgic to me because it was always playing at events like graduation or the end of an organization. I used to summer swim team and at our end of the season party this would be the song they played during the picture slideshow and while the party was ending and everyone was leaving.
I had a big Taylor Swift phase, not particularly her older music like this song, but I do remember this song. The best way I can describe this song is just "so high school", I definitely agree with what you said about the Disney Channel part. I thought your last part was interesting, about how Disney Channel used to be how we saw high school when we were young. Which is really true and this song definitely fits that feel of a young kid looking at high school.
Funeral: Phoebe Bridgers Lyrics: https://genius.com/Phoebe-bridgers-funeral-lyrics Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDsdLfvmNms Phoebe Bridgers was “that artist” for me in high school, I loved her lyricism and really resonated with a lot of her lyrics. One lyric in particular in this song I wanted to point out is “I'm singing at a funeral tomorrow, For a kid a year older than me, And I've been talking to his dad, it makes me so sad, When I think too much about it, I can't breathe” This song follows the artist as she is learning about and coping with the death of someone in her community. I think this represents the complexity in education, a student is not just a student, but a human being with a whole life outside of school. With the current political climate in our country and world, it can be hard for people to think about school and their grades when there is so much going on, like the high rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. I think that students are feeling the weight of the world around them very intensely, at least I know this was the case with my peers when I was in high school, whether or not the issue itself is directly impacting them.
Yes I definitely agree. I personally am one of the many college students that's questioned my major and even my college attendance but dropped it because of what my parents would think of me; very relatable.
I agree, listening closely to this song again made me realize a whole new meaning of this song. I didn't have the newest pair of shoes and brand new iphone growing up but I was always content with myself and my life.
Runaway by Kayne West My freshman year of highschool Kayne West became one of my favorite artists. This song reminds me of getting up at 7am walking to the bus stop blasting this song with my dollar tree wired headphones. Kanye is a pessimist and perfectionist, he focuses on the negative as opposed to the positive. I learned a lot about him from this song and it made me feel connected in a way. The song further implies that he can’t change the way he is, the world will have to learn to live with Kanye, or run away.
This is a great pick! Another song by Kanye West that would be great to include for this assignment is "All Falls Down" as it talks about being in high school and college and having no idea what to do next.
Song: The Greatest by Sia Audio: https://youtu.be/sG6aWhZnbfw?si=5xDtdUrX_XJzvvZ0 Sia's resilient and uplifting song highlights the importance of conquering challenges, particularly in schools. This song expresses my idea that patience is key to learning since obstacles can teach us important lessons. It emphasizes the educational theory that challenges lead to growth.
That's a great choice! “All Falls Down” really captures those feelings of uncertainty and pressure that so many of us face, especially in high school and college.
"Happy" - Pharrell Williams This upbeat anthem radiates positivity and joy, perfectly encapsulating the carefree moments of school life. And for me it just reminds me of elementary school, they would play this song all of the time for students. I feel like nothing screams childish and giddy like the song Happy blasting. And I have a fond memory of this song because one of my core memories is when I had won a bedroom blitz and they played this song. I just associate positivity with this song and fond memories.
“We’re All In This Together” By the High School Musical Cast Scene from the Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DykVJl6wr_ This may not be the most traditional pick for this assignment but I think my fellow classmates would agree that the High School Musical franchise was essential to us growing up and this song encapsulated the essence of being in high school and all that it comes with. I chose this song as I remember hearing it for the first time so vividly and it made me ecstatic for the upcoming four years I was about to face. Not only this song but the rest of the songs throughout the franchise talk about the ups and downs of being a high school student.
Kanye West playfully responds to a skit where his high school principal asks him to make a graduation song. The lyrics state, “Drug dealing just to get by, stacking money till it gets sky high. We wasn’t supposed to make it past 25; jokes on you, we still alive. Throw your hands up in the sky and say we don’t care what people say.” This song toys with school administrators who doubted him, while Kanye is now regarded as one of the best artists of the 2000s. It evokes laughter, yet highlights the harsh reality of marginalized communities, where money often takes precedence over education.
Playboi Carti- Long Time This song reflects on themes of growth. Not only is this one of my favorite songs of all time I think it just relates perfectly with this assignment. This song is something that has been on repeat since I was in the 8th grade. I just have a lot of great memories associated with it.The song tells you to take in the flowers and look back on what you have accomplished but knowing it is just the beginning of your journey .Personally, it serves as a reminder of the dedication it takes to reach my goals. In relation to this class, this song connects with student agency by emphasizing that we have the power to shape our narratives over time
What Time Is It (High School Musical 2) Lyrics: High School Musical Cast – What Time Is It Lyrics | Genius Lyrics I used to listen to this song every year when school let out for the summer with my younger brother. It was our summer ritual. School always was best when we got out of it. “No more wakin' up at 6 a.m. 'Cause now our time is all our own” is the most accurate part of this. Our agency was so limited because school took up so much time. I would get up at 5 am to get ready for the bus, and we didn’t get back home until about 4 30 pm (8 pm if I had practice after school). Getting out of school was way more exciting. Looking back, I miss the time I spent at school with my friends.
Super Rich Kids - Frank Ocean Lyrics: https://genius.com/896163 Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XCQNpjWmRE
Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" has been a part of my life for a very long time. I remember listening to the song a lot when I was in middle school, and still to this day. The song highlights how kids from affluent backgrounds might have access to the best schools, opportunities, and money but they still feel disengaged or have a lack of real direction in life. I believe one of the reasons why I related some much to this song is because growing up in a more upscale community, I was also comparing myself to my peers. I thought that it was embarrassing that I did not have the newest phone, no car, shoes, or clothes since everything at my school moved at a fast pace. While looking back, I can say that mindset was dumb, but also reliving this song Frank is explaining how material wealth and privilege doesn't necessarily lead to happiness or fulfillment. Yet, instead it can create a sense of emptiness and disconnection. Being that the protagonist (Frank) is emotionally numb while feeling neglected because of his absentee parents and meaningful relationships. He soaks in this feeling so much to the point where he almost takes his life at a party, but is saved by an attendee of the party. Middle school I did not fully understand the message like I do now, which I am happy for that personal growth. (Reposting since I don't know what happened to my original response)
Interlude: Holiday- Paramore
ReplyDeleteLyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xynoC4v1pnY
Paramore is a band that I was into in high school and this song was very relatable to me with its lyrics. In the song Hayley Williams sings “Now I can move on to facing big girl problems no more high school drama graduated with honors [...] now I get a holiday wherever I go I might stay I don't plan on coming back ever if I can help it”. The lyrics take me back to my mindset about school when I was younger and just wanted to get school over with, I saw it as a time of waiting for my life to begin once I graduated high school. Back then it felt like I had very little agency and my life was just school, practice, and homework with no free time. I was eager to move on and be able to do whatever I wanted as the song mentions with going anywhere and deciding if you want to stay later.
i agree the into adulthood the lessons we learned during their the school years
DeleteParamore was huge when i was growing up, and in fact i saw them live in high school. I agree that so much of their lyrics can be related to the type of feelings you experience during teenage or school years.
DeleteI agree with the part when you talk about how little agency you feel like you have when your in highschool.
DeleteRachel Wolburg
DeleteI agree with the part about agency, it feels that school allows for barely any of it. I remember being 19 in my senior year and I still had no kind of agency in my school. The school wouldn't even let me sign my own paperwork or release slips to leave early when needed. I still needed parent signatures at age 19.
1.All My Life ( J cole and Lil Durk)
ReplyDeleteVideo:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4N8lzKNfy4
Lyrics:Lil Durk - All My Life (Lyrics) ft. J. Cole
The song All my life had come out at the exact time when I was graduating from high school which was being heard all over the place. The song is basically about the challenges being faced and just getting through the journey. Which that song meant so much for me especially just graduation high school going through so much adversity and the challenges I had faced over the 12 years of public schools had felt so good when I had walked across that stage feeling so relieved knowing that I had finally did it going through all the obstacles of my entire life of some teachers through middle school and high school saying I would never make it in life and had finally proved them wrong and rubbed it in their faced and never turned back around. I feel like this song is a very relatable personal thing to my story for me because my entire life I had faced so much negative criticism of people saying I won’t ever make it out on my own and being doubted by my friends and the only people who believed in me were my parents.
Feel Good Inc (Gorillaz)
ReplyDeleteLyrics: https://genius.com/Gorillaz-feel-good-inc-lyrics
Video: Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc. (Official Video)
When I was in elementary school, every song I had heard had been given to me. My understanding of music only came from the radio and what my friends and parents listened to. The Gorillaz was the first band that no one told me about, no one showed me, and took me searching to find it. When I was 11 years old, I found Feel Good Inc. and
was hooked by personally discovering a sound I loved. From then on, I listened to everything the Gorillaz put out. To this day, when I hear some of their old music it immediately takes me back to that feeling of original discovery and true freedom
That feeling of finding things for yourself when your younger is one that I was also reminiscing about as I went through my playlists to find songs for this assignment
DeleteI agree. That feeling of finding something for yourself is unmatched. There's no outside influence when you find music on your own because you make a connection that is solely based on your experiences.
DeleteI forgot to put my name. The comment above is mine^
DeleteI can definitely relate to the feeling of finding something on my own without having it be shown to you, it's very rewarding finding music or a hobby over time rather than having it introduced to you.
DeleteI can agree to feeling the pressure to academically achieve. In high school i felt enormous pressure to preform and it resulted in me only focusing on my school work and forgetting to enjoy my teenage years too.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that the pressures to perform well in school are insanely high now. I know so many people who have been burnt out from the amount of work they have been putting into school work.
ReplyDeleteThis song also came to mind when I was thinking about song that had to do with school, I agree that it is cringy
ReplyDeleteJeff Baker
ReplyDeleteI can (Nas)
Lyrics
I’ve been a fan of Nas since my father introduced me to him when I was in middle school and I’ve been listening to him consistently ever since then. Nas is communicating to the youth through this song with lyrics like “You can be anything in the world, in God we trust”. He tells kids also to focus on their education and stay away from bad influences like drugs and alchool. He also tells black youth the importance of knowing your herritage and understating the contributuions our ancestors brought to the world. This song was a lot more uplifting than I thought it would be and the messages hold up over twenty years later.
I listened to the song for the first time, and I agree with your observations. I appreciate how you shared a Nas song since he had such an influence on hip-hop and Black culture.
DeleteSchool Shooter (XXXTentacion)
ReplyDeleteLyrics: https://genius.com/Xxxtentacion-school-shooters-lyrics
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRJ6JBuSS7I&ab_channel=XXXTENTACION
I wanted to start this playlist off with something that has heavily bothered me recently involving the school system. School shootings have become an event that the USA is almost known for. It's something so prominent in the US that popular rappers have begun singing about it in order to raise awareness. I was never a big fan of X, however I enjoy some of his songs including this one. The song itself is hard to listen to as he sounds like he needs to clear his throat, but the message the song makes about protection and why these occur is heavily illustrated in the music. Sadly enough X passed away in 2018, and he is unable to see how we have still been unable to stop these horrific events. Since his death there have been a total of 212 shootings in a little over 5 years.
Christine:
DeleteHi Cooper, I agree that the increasing trend of school shootings in the US is extremely troubling, especially the fact that there have been 212 shootings in half a decade! The fact that school shootings have stuck around for so long to now have a presence in pop culture is also messed up. What's might be worse is that I've become used to them and hearing about them makes me feel numb. I remember there was a shooting in my junior year of high school. It was mentioned in the announcements. In addition, at least two of my teachers talked about it in class and how it shouldn't be our reality as students; one of them even teared up talking about it. However, for me and my peers, we barely batted an eye since it's kinda "normal" at this point, and I honestly felt mildly uncomfortable watching one of my teachers be so distraught over it; the fact that that's our reaction shows how awful the situation has gotten.
Christine:
DeleteJUST TO CLARIFY: the shooting was NOT at my school. It was a school shooting in the news. (I realized how bad it sounded the way I worded it)
I just listened to it and it does come off as cringey. But I definitely agree with heartwarming sentiment.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to the feeling of pressures at school. High school brings up so many new challenges in education, you can feel lost sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI loved this song. After I graduated from highschool in florida and knew was moving back to VA, I would rarely see the friends If I ever would. We played this song the last time we meet and it always brings back nostalgia of them.
ReplyDeleteRachel Wolburg
ReplyDeleteI understand what you mean about perseverance. Sometimes it felt so hard when I was in highschool but I knew I just had to keep going and couldnt give up.
Christine:
ReplyDeleteHi Jackson, I think that's a good point! Especially since city schools tend to be poorer and have less resources because cities tend to have more minorities and people with lower income in general. Since these schools have less money and resources and a lot of their kids don't have access to outside resources that can support them, they naturally tend to perform worse, which continues the cycle of these schools lacking funds. It's unfortunately natural then that not enough people make a concentrated effort to reach and aid the kids that are involved in violence and crimes. This situation kind of reminds me of the book The Outsiders, where the main character has been part of a life of gangs and violence while sorta accepting (at least in the beginning) the limitations of this way of life and what it's taken away from him.
This song by Taylor Swift can be very nostalgic to listen to because it was in a very early era of Swift. I agree with you when you mentioned that it feels like a Disney Channel experience of watching movies about high school and that is our only expectation.
ReplyDeleteYes! I agree with you about the feelings of remembrance. I associate this song with the memories of 6th grade graduation and saying all the goodbyes. The lyrics represent good times and feelings.
ReplyDeleteI agree with how much pressure is being placed on students in schooling, especially in high school where students are expected to adjust quickly to the work load and expectation to succeed after graduation.
ReplyDelete"It’s a Hard Knock Life" from Annie
ReplyDeleteLyrics | Youtube https://www.streetdirectory.com/lyricadvisor/song/eloowe/its_the_hard_knock_life/
This iconic track from Annie captures the difficult and gritty reality of life as an orphan. The children sing about the daily challenges they face, making the song both a metaphor for resilience and a critique of harsh conditions.
While this song may seem like it's just about the struggles of childhood, it can also be linked to how systemic issues, like poverty and neglect, influence children's access to education. It makes me reflect on how some kids face enormous hurdles just to attend school and succeed academically, which relates to class and access to opportunities.
The song reminds me that the experiences of students are never one-size-fits-all. Some kids have to fight just to get through the day, let alone thrive in school. It speaks to resilience in the face of adversity, a theme that's central to education for many.
This is an awesome pick! In relation to the high school and school experience in general, this song shows the essence of such in various different ways that you listed above.
DeleteI feel similarly to Feven and Cooper, this song is so nostalgic to me because it was always playing at events like graduation or the end of an organization. I used to summer swim team and at our end of the season party this would be the song they played during the picture slideshow and while the party was ending and everyone was leaving.
ReplyDeleteI had a big Taylor Swift phase, not particularly her older music like this song, but I do remember this song. The best way I can describe this song is just "so high school", I definitely agree with what you said about the Disney Channel part. I thought your last part was interesting, about how Disney Channel used to be how we saw high school when we were young. Which is really true and this song definitely fits that feel of a young kid looking at high school.
ReplyDeleteI loved this song, it definitely brings back nostalgic feelings for me. I also get sad because of the Fast and Furious movies.
ReplyDeleteFuneral: Phoebe Bridgers
ReplyDeleteLyrics: https://genius.com/Phoebe-bridgers-funeral-lyrics
Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDsdLfvmNms
Phoebe Bridgers was “that artist” for me in high school, I loved her lyricism and really resonated with a lot of her lyrics. One lyric in particular in this song I wanted to point out is “I'm singing at a funeral tomorrow, For a kid a year older than me, And I've been talking to his dad, it makes me so sad, When I think too much about it, I can't breathe” This song follows the artist as she is learning about and coping with the death of someone in her community. I think this represents the complexity in education, a student is not just a student, but a human being with a whole life outside of school. With the current political climate in our country and world, it can be hard for people to think about school and their grades when there is so much going on, like the high rates of suicide and suicidal ideation. I think that students are feeling the weight of the world around them very intensely, at least I know this was the case with my peers when I was in high school, whether or not the issue itself is directly impacting them.
Yes I definitely agree. I personally am one of the many college students that's questioned my major and even my college attendance but dropped it because of what my parents would think of me; very relatable.
ReplyDeleteI second this! I was a big Kayne fan in highschool and a lot of his songs, specifically this one made me think a lot about my future in college.
ReplyDeleteI agree, listening closely to this song again made me realize a whole new meaning of this song. I didn't have the newest pair of shoes and brand new iphone growing up but I was always content with myself and my life.
ReplyDeleteKaylyn Spinner^
ReplyDeleteRunaway by Kayne West
ReplyDeleteMy freshman year of highschool Kayne West became one of my favorite artists. This song reminds me of getting up at 7am walking to the bus stop blasting this song with my dollar tree wired headphones. Kanye is a pessimist and perfectionist, he focuses on the negative as opposed to the positive. I learned a lot about him from this song and it made me feel connected in a way. The song further implies that he can’t change the way he is, the world will have to learn to live with Kanye, or run away.
Omg, I used to listen to this too. That’s such a vivid memory! It’s amazing how music can shape our experiences, especially during high school
DeleteYesss I loved this song sm in high school. Anytime I hear it now I can't help but associate it to that time in my life.
Delete^nicole
DeleteThis is a great pick! Another song by Kanye West that would be great to include for this assignment is "All Falls Down" as it talks about being in high school and college and having no idea what to do next.
DeleteSong: The Greatest by Sia
ReplyDeleteAudio: https://youtu.be/sG6aWhZnbfw?si=5xDtdUrX_XJzvvZ0
Sia's resilient and uplifting song highlights the importance of conquering challenges, particularly in schools. This song expresses my idea that patience is key to learning since obstacles can teach us important lessons. It emphasizes the educational theory that challenges lead to growth.
That's a great choice! “All Falls Down” really captures those feelings of uncertainty and pressure that so many of us face, especially in high school and college.
ReplyDelete"Happy" - Pharrell Williams
ReplyDeleteThis upbeat anthem radiates positivity and joy, perfectly encapsulating the carefree moments of school life. And for me it just reminds me of elementary school, they would play this song all of the time for students. I feel like nothing screams childish and giddy like the song Happy blasting. And I have a fond memory of this song because one of my core memories is when I had won a bedroom blitz and they played this song. I just associate positivity with this song and fond memories.
I really love this song and love Frank even more he's amazing. I think you did a great job of giving me a new perspective on the meaning of this song.
ReplyDelete“We’re All In This Together” By the High School Musical Cast
ReplyDeleteScene from the Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DykVJl6wr_
This may not be the most traditional pick for this assignment but I think my fellow classmates would agree that the High School Musical franchise was essential to us growing up and this song encapsulated the essence of being in high school and all that it comes with. I chose this song as I remember hearing it for the first time so vividly and it made me ecstatic for the upcoming four years I was about to face. Not only this song but the rest of the songs throughout the franchise talk about the ups and downs of being a high school student.
Kanye West playfully responds to a skit where his high school principal asks him to make a graduation song. The lyrics state, “Drug dealing just to get by, stacking money till it gets sky high. We wasn’t supposed to make it past 25; jokes on you, we still alive. Throw your hands up in the sky and say we don’t care what people say.” This song toys with school administrators who doubted him, while Kanye is now regarded as one of the best artists of the 2000s. It evokes laughter, yet highlights the harsh reality of marginalized communities, where money often takes precedence over education.
ReplyDeletePlayboi Carti- Long Time
ReplyDeleteThis song reflects on themes of growth. Not only is this one of my favorite songs of all time I think it just relates perfectly with this assignment. This song is something that has been on repeat since I was in the 8th grade. I just have a lot of great memories associated with it.The song tells you to take in the flowers and look back on what you have accomplished but knowing it is just the beginning of your journey .Personally, it serves as a reminder of the dedication it takes to reach my goals. In relation to this class, this song connects with student agency by emphasizing that we have the power to shape our narratives over time
What Time Is It (High School Musical 2)
ReplyDeleteLyrics: High School Musical Cast – What Time Is It Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
I used to listen to this song every year when school let out for the summer with my younger brother. It was our summer ritual. School always was best when we got out of it. “No more wakin' up at 6 a.m. 'Cause now our time is all our own” is the most accurate part of this. Our agency was so limited because school took up so much time. I would get up at 5 am to get ready for the bus, and we didn’t get back home until about 4 30 pm (8 pm if I had practice after school). Getting out of school was way more exciting. Looking back, I miss the time I spent at school with my friends.
Super Rich Kids - Frank Ocean
ReplyDeleteLyrics: https://genius.com/896163
Audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XCQNpjWmRE
Frank Ocean's "Super Rich Kids" has been a part of my life for a very long time. I remember listening to the song a lot when I was in middle school, and still to this day. The song highlights how kids from affluent backgrounds might have access to the best schools, opportunities, and money but they still feel disengaged or have a lack of real direction in life. I believe one of the reasons why I related some much to this song is because growing up in a more upscale community, I was also comparing myself to my peers. I thought that it was embarrassing that I did not have the newest phone, no car, shoes, or clothes since everything at my school moved at a fast pace. While looking back, I can say that mindset was dumb, but also reliving this song Frank is explaining how material wealth and privilege doesn't necessarily lead to happiness or fulfillment. Yet, instead it can create a sense of emptiness and disconnection. Being that the protagonist (Frank) is emotionally numb while feeling neglected because of his absentee parents and meaningful relationships. He soaks in this feeling so much to the point where he almost takes his life at a party, but is saved by an attendee of the party. Middle school I did not fully understand the message like I do now, which I am happy for that personal growth.
(Reposting since I don't know what happened to my original response)