I am a teacher and summer break is winding down. Every thing I watch I'm starting to make a lesson out of. I recently watched Chance the Rapper on NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert and I was captivated by his cover of the Stevie Wonder song, "They Won't Go When I Go." I love the contrast between the somber music and the joy of the words.
You can watch the video below.
I looked up the lyrics to the song and information about it and found some fascinating facts.
Stevie Wonder wrote the song after a car crash in 1973. The song was on the album, Fulfillingness' First Finale.
Wonder performed this song, along with "Never Dreamed You'd Leave in Summer", at Michael Jackson's memorial service on July 7, 2009.
There is clear alliusion to the 1850 German chorale tune "O mein Jesu," the setting of Thomas Kelly's 1805 Protestant hymn "Stricken, smitten, and afflicted."
I found this really great comment that was posted anonymously about the song's meaning that I found spot on.
The lesson I ended up creating and selling on Teachers Pay Teachers is based on discovering the tone of the song and lyrics.
I created questions for the students to analyze the song and compare and contrast Chance The Rapper's performance of it. If any of you teachers out there want to check it out, here is the link to my lesson.
I have discovered that some of my best teaching lessons are based on things that I find really interesting. This was no exception!