Information and Resources for using songs to content-based lessons and/or teach English in an ESL environment.
Song Sites & Resources
- Song Index Google Doc
- Genius.com
- Songfacts.com
- LyricsTraining.com
- TTP Kitchen Song Lessons
- Songactivityfactory.com
- EnglishExercises.org Online Song Worksheets
- ISLCollective Song Materials
- BusyTeacher Song Worksheets
Clean Song Playlists
- TTP PopSongs for ELT Playlist (join)
- TOP 100 – Clean Classroom 2020 Playlist
- Clean Classroom Playlist 2020 to 2021
- Clean Music For Kids: Best Pop Songs 2020
Example Songs & Lessons
History Song
We Didn’t Start the Fire (1989) by Billy Joel
Video
Annotated Lyrics
Lesson
Descriptive Language
Tom’s Diner (1987) by Suzanne Vega
A woman walks by a diner and describes things.
Video
Lyrics
Lesson
Adjectives
Logical Song (1979) by Supertramp
Deep existential thoughts, lots of adjectives and adverbs
Songs that Tell a Story
Billy, Don’t Be a Hero (1974) by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods
As a young soldier heads off to war, his sweetheart warns him not to be a hero in order to stay alive. Not a happy ending.
Video
Video
Don’t you Want Me (1981) by The Human League
He Said/She Said about about a relationship and break-up
He Said/She Said about about a relationship and break-up
The Devil and Johnny have the ultimate fiddle battle – for a golden fiddle or a country boy’s soul.
Video
Lyrics
Fast Car (1988) by Tracy Chapman
A gritty realistic story of a working poor woman trying to escape the cycle of poverty.
Video
Lyrics
You’re So Vain” Carly Simon
Thoughts about an arrogant ex-lover
Thoughts about an arrogant ex-lover
“Cat’s in the Cradle” by Harry Chapin (1974)
A father that’s too busy to spend time with his son eventually gets a dose of his own medicine.
Coward of the County by Kenny Rogers
Speak Now (2010) by Taylor Swift
Wedding crasher ex-girlfriend decides to speak now and not hold her peace.
Half Breed (1973) by Cher
A woman who is half-Cherokee and half-Caucasian describes the rejection she felt from both races while growing up.
Wildfire (1975) by Michael Martin Murphy
A lost horse on a snowy night, a tragic search, and the loss of the woman he loved.
Space Oddity (1969) by David Bowie
An astronaut is floating in space and feels alienation from the world he left behind.
Sympathy for the Devil (1969) by The Rolling Stones
The Devil recounts evil acts throughout human history.
The Gambler (1978) by Kenny Rogers
Over a game of cards, an older gambler provides a stranger some free advice.
Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (1976) by Gordon Lightfoot
Based on a true story, a ship sinks with its crew during an early winter storm on the Great Lakes
One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) (1973) by Coven
The warlike Valley People covet the hidden treasure of the peaceful Mountain People so they invade their territory. The found treasure but not what they expected.
Video
Video
Taxi (1972) by Harry Chapin
A taxi driver picks up a woman and realizes she is an old lover
Taxi Sequel (Part 2)
Video
Lyrics
Jolene (1974) by Dolly Parton
A woman’s concern about another women stealing her husband’s heart
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