This document provides descriptions and summaries for over 50 songs related to American history and social issues. Each entry includes 1-3 sentences summarizing the song's topic, such as the West Memphis Three case, serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Gary Ridgway, civil rights events like the Greensboro massacre and Rodney King beating, wars and protests like Vietnam and 9/11, and political figures like Richard Nixon. The document aims to suggest research topics for students based on songs exploring important events and issues in American history.
The document provides descriptions and discussion prompts for over 50 songs related to significant historical events and people in American history. The songs cover a wide range of topics including serial killers, civil rights leaders and events, political scandals and protests, natural disasters, and wars. For each song, background information and discussion points are given to help students explore the historical context and issues addressed in the songs.
The document provides descriptions and summaries of various songs that could be chosen for a project on unraveling American history through song selections. Some of the songs and topics mentioned include "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam about a boy who committed suicide, "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan about civil rights and war protests, "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young about the Kent State shootings, and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2 about Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
This document provides descriptions and background information for over 40 songs related to American history and social issues. The songs cover topics like serial killers, racial violence and civil rights events, political scandals and protests, natural disasters, wars and military conflicts, and more. For each song, a brief overview is given of the real-life events, people, or issues that inspired or are discussed in the song.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
- The document discusses the 1988 film "Mississippi Burning" which is based on the real-life events of the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi.
- It provides summaries and reviews of the film from several contemporary critics who debate whether the film accurately portrayed the racism and discrimination faced by African Americans in the South during the Civil Rights era.
- The film led to renewed discussions around the brutal killings and racial tensions that had long persisted in Mississippi, though some white residents claimed it exaggerated the issues between blacks and whites.
John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer who murdered 33 young men and boys in the 1970s. He buried most of his victims under his home. Gacy presented himself as a model citizen, but had a dark past involving abuse from his father. He developed an inferiority complex and killed his victims to feel control and superiority. Gacy's crimes were not detected for many years due to his double life as a respected community member and brutal serial killer.
The document provides descriptions and discussion prompts for over 50 songs related to significant historical events and people in American history. The songs cover a wide range of topics including serial killers, civil rights leaders and events, political scandals and protests, natural disasters, and wars. For each song, background information and discussion points are given to help students explore the historical context and issues addressed in the songs.
The document provides descriptions and summaries of various songs that could be chosen for a project on unraveling American history through song selections. Some of the songs and topics mentioned include "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam about a boy who committed suicide, "Blowin' in the Wind" by Bob Dylan about civil rights and war protests, "Ohio" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young about the Kent State shootings, and "Pride (In the Name of Love)" by U2 about Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
This document provides descriptions and background information for over 40 songs related to American history and social issues. The songs cover topics like serial killers, racial violence and civil rights events, political scandals and protests, natural disasters, wars and military conflicts, and more. For each song, a brief overview is given of the real-life events, people, or issues that inspired or are discussed in the song.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
This document provides summaries for over 40 songs exploring a variety of topics related to American history, including serial killers like Jeffrey Dahmer and Charles Manson, racist violence like the Greensboro massacre and Watts riots, political scandals like Watergate, and social movements like the fight for civil rights and opposition to wars in Vietnam and Iraq. The songs cover significant people and events in recent American history from different perspectives.
- The document discusses the 1988 film "Mississippi Burning" which is based on the real-life events of the 1964 murders of three civil rights workers in Mississippi.
- It provides summaries and reviews of the film from several contemporary critics who debate whether the film accurately portrayed the racism and discrimination faced by African Americans in the South during the Civil Rights era.
- The film led to renewed discussions around the brutal killings and racial tensions that had long persisted in Mississippi, though some white residents claimed it exaggerated the issues between blacks and whites.
John Wayne Gacy was a serial killer who murdered 33 young men and boys in the 1970s. He buried most of his victims under his home. Gacy presented himself as a model citizen, but had a dark past involving abuse from his father. He developed an inferiority complex and killed his victims to feel control and superiority. Gacy's crimes were not detected for many years due to his double life as a respected community member and brutal serial killer.
Aileen Wuornos was America's first female serial killer, murdering 7 men in Florida between 1989 to 1990. She had a troubled childhood, being abandoned by her parents and engaging in sex work from a young age. After over a decade of prostitution, she began killing her clients. She was eventually arrested in 1991 after police matched her fingerprints to items from the crime scenes. At her 1992 trial, she was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. She was executed by lethal injection in 2002.
John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 teenage boys in the 1970s. He would lure the boys to his home by impersonating a clown named "Pogo" for children's birthday parties. Gacy buried 26 of his victims under the crawl space of his house. He was executed by lethal injection in 1994 after being convicted of 33 counts of murder.
The document provides an outline and analysis of Caryl Churchill's play "A Play for Gaza". The play examines the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through conversations between family members trying to explain events to children. It discusses themes like the suffering of Palestinians, tensions within Israel around violence, and the difficulty of explaining political violence to children. The play generated controversy and debate over whether it promotes anti-Semitism or legitimate criticism of Israeli policies. The document discusses various critiques and defenses of the play from public figures and in media sources.
1. A young British soldier is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot in deadly 1970s Belfast, Northern Ireland.
2. All over the world, ordinary people are committing violent acts without knowing why, and cyborgs must stop it.
3. The documentary focuses on the 1970s era of dangerous Grand Prix car racing and the drivers and those who made changes to improve safety in the sport.
[Hi 366] Smoke Signals: Counternarratives of Indigenous IdentityIbironkeTychus
Smoke Signals counters mainstream American ideas about indigenous identity in several ways:
1) It adopts stereotypes commonly portrayed in media like mysticism, alcoholism, and stoicism but then refutes them, showing their inaccuracy.
2) It utilizes conventions from indigenous oral traditions like emerging twins, sacred clowns, and circular time in the storytelling.
3) By not including a mediating white narrator, it presents an indigenous perspective without filtering it for non-indigenous audiences.
The document summarizes Carol Clover's "Final Girl" theory about the role of female characters in horror films. It discusses how Clover argued that the "Final Girl" is typically a virginal or sexually unavailable female character who survives confrontations with the killer by taking on masculine traits. The document also outlines some of Clover's key arguments for the theory, such as how the audience's identification shifts from the killer's perspective to the Final Girl's. It provides examples of films that conform to the Final Girl trope and discusses Freudian interpretations of audiences' motivations for watching violent acts against women in horror films.
Jeffrey Dahmer was a serial killer and cannibal who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He would lure victims back to his home, where he would drug, rape, murder, and dissect them. He kept body parts of his victims, including heads and genitalia. In 1991, a potential victim escaped and led police back to Dahmer's apartment, where they found disturbing altars and human remains. Dahmer was convicted and sentenced to over 900 years in prison. In 1994, he was beaten to death by another inmate.
The UCO Theatre Department will perform the play "See How They Run" by Philip King from November 21-24. The play is a comedy featuring mistaken identities and unfortunate coincidences. It stars UCO students portraying exaggerated British cockney accents, which adds humor. The fast-paced play keeps the audience entertained with constant action and changing agendas among the characters.
The UCO Theatre Department will perform the play "See How They Run" from November 21-24. The play is a comedy featuring mistaken identities and misunderstandings. It will showcase exaggerated British accents, which the actors spent time learning. Tickets can be purchased at Mitchell Hall Box Office for $3-10 depending on age and student status.
Aileen Wuornos had a troubled childhood marked by sexual abuse and early pregnancy. She became a prostitute and was in and out of jail for various offenses. In the late 1980s, she began killing older male clients who had either raped or tried to rape her, claiming self-defense. She was eventually charged and convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and was executed by lethal injection in 2002. Her case highlighted debates around the motivations and classifications of serial killers as well as defenses related to victims of abuse.
Aileen Wuornos was a serial killer born in 1956 in Michigan who murdered 7 people in Florida in the early 1990s. She had a troubled background, with divorced parents and her father being convicted of sex crimes against children. She was convicted of 6 counts of first-degree murder and 1 count of second-degree murder for shooting male drivers who had picked her up while she was hitchhiking and prostituting herself. She was executed in 2002.
This document provides a timeline and details of the events surrounding the murder of Emmett Till in 1955. It describes how Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago, was visiting family in Mississippi and was kidnapped and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. The document highlights Till's courage in the face of racism and danger through various anecdotes and suggests he embodied American values of free speech.
Film Question re:The Revenant, Bridge of Spies, Gran Torino and The MartianSigmond Cromwell
As a religious instruction teacher, if a parent asked you to explain why any of the four films (The Revenant, Bridge of Spies, Gran Torino and The Martian) might or might not be a good film for their youngsters to see, what would you advise and why?
This document discusses serial killers, their traits, motives, and some famous examples. It notes that serial killers often had troubled childhoods, with domineering mothers and absent fathers. Many tortured animals as children and lacked empathy. Their motives often involved sex, attention-seeking, or delusions. The document divides serial killers into organized, disorganized, and mixed categories based on how they plan their killings. It lists some infamous American and Canadian serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and the Zodiac killer.
Dupree Phillips was gunned down by two bored, depressed people while rocking out to their own rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark". Dupree overheard the perpetrators singing lyrics about being tired, bored with life, and wanting trouble as they shot him. When interviewed, Dupree recounted some of the rendition's lyrics which referenced getting a gun due to having nothing else to do, and shooting in the dark.
The document discusses the mission and goals of GLAAD, an organization dedicated to promoting fair representation of LGBTQ people in media. It provides details about hate crimes against Matthew Shepard and Gwen Araujo who were murdered for being gay and transgender. It encourages readers to support GLAAD's efforts to combat homophobia and promote equality through education and advocacy.
This document provides descriptions and background information for over 40 songs related to American history and social issues. The songs cover topics like serial killers, racial violence and civil rights events, political scandals and protests, disasters both natural and man-made, and controversial government policies and military operations. For each song, a brief overview is given of the real-life events, people, or issues that inspired or are discussed in the lyrics.
Read Article and Answer Questions related to Music.pdfsdfghj21
This document summarizes Stanley Hyman's argument about how Child ballads change when transmitted to America. Hyman argues that supernatural, sexual, and tragic elements tend to be removed or diminished in American versions. Magic is rationalized, explicit sex is toned down, and tragic endings are replaced with less ominous conclusions. Additionally, some ballads lose their narrative structure and become simplified lyrics or nonsense. Hyman provides many examples comparing details and endings between British and American variants of the same ballads. Overall, he asserts that the Child ballads adapt to a more optimistic American cultural configuration that distances itself from death, darkness, and tragedy.
This document provides a summary of the February 27, 2014 issue of the Winter Weekly Reader. It lists upcoming meetings for the Plano Rotary Club, including speakers on hypnosis, the TV show Shark Tank, and the state of the city. It also provides the February birthdays of Rotary club members and recognizes Myrtle Hightower as the 2013 Plano Citizen of the Year. The bulk of the document summarizes the Black History Month program featuring speakers on civil rights and the accomplishments of Black pilots, computer scientists, and others. It recognizes guests and visiting Rotarians who attended.
Contexts for poet Frank X Walker's TURN ME LOOSE: THE UNGHOSTING OF MEDGAR EVERSMary Vermillion
This document summarizes and analyzes a poetry collection by Frank X Walker titled Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers. The collection uses persona poems to tell the story of Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1963. Walker coins the term "Affrilachia" to represent the importance of the African American presence in Appalachia. The document discusses various poems from the collection, analyzing references and allusions to history, music, and culture. It provides context on the people and events mentioned in the poems, such as Emmett Till, Harriet Tubman, and the songs "Dixie" and "Strange Fruit."
Aileen Wuornos was America's first female serial killer, murdering 7 men in Florida between 1989 to 1990. She had a troubled childhood, being abandoned by her parents and engaging in sex work from a young age. After over a decade of prostitution, she began killing her clients. She was eventually arrested in 1991 after police matched her fingerprints to items from the crime scenes. At her 1992 trial, she was found guilty of murder and sentenced to death. She was executed by lethal injection in 2002.
John Wayne Gacy murdered 33 teenage boys in the 1970s. He would lure the boys to his home by impersonating a clown named "Pogo" for children's birthday parties. Gacy buried 26 of his victims under the crawl space of his house. He was executed by lethal injection in 1994 after being convicted of 33 counts of murder.
The document provides an outline and analysis of Caryl Churchill's play "A Play for Gaza". The play examines the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through conversations between family members trying to explain events to children. It discusses themes like the suffering of Palestinians, tensions within Israel around violence, and the difficulty of explaining political violence to children. The play generated controversy and debate over whether it promotes anti-Semitism or legitimate criticism of Israeli policies. The document discusses various critiques and defenses of the play from public figures and in media sources.
1. A young British soldier is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot in deadly 1970s Belfast, Northern Ireland.
2. All over the world, ordinary people are committing violent acts without knowing why, and cyborgs must stop it.
3. The documentary focuses on the 1970s era of dangerous Grand Prix car racing and the drivers and those who made changes to improve safety in the sport.
[Hi 366] Smoke Signals: Counternarratives of Indigenous IdentityIbironkeTychus
Smoke Signals counters mainstream American ideas about indigenous identity in several ways:
1) It adopts stereotypes commonly portrayed in media like mysticism, alcoholism, and stoicism but then refutes them, showing their inaccuracy.
2) It utilizes conventions from indigenous oral traditions like emerging twins, sacred clowns, and circular time in the storytelling.
3) By not including a mediating white narrator, it presents an indigenous perspective without filtering it for non-indigenous audiences.
The document summarizes Carol Clover's "Final Girl" theory about the role of female characters in horror films. It discusses how Clover argued that the "Final Girl" is typically a virginal or sexually unavailable female character who survives confrontations with the killer by taking on masculine traits. The document also outlines some of Clover's key arguments for the theory, such as how the audience's identification shifts from the killer's perspective to the Final Girl's. It provides examples of films that conform to the Final Girl trope and discusses Freudian interpretations of audiences' motivations for watching violent acts against women in horror films.
Jeffrey Dahmer was a serial killer and cannibal who murdered 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He would lure victims back to his home, where he would drug, rape, murder, and dissect them. He kept body parts of his victims, including heads and genitalia. In 1991, a potential victim escaped and led police back to Dahmer's apartment, where they found disturbing altars and human remains. Dahmer was convicted and sentenced to over 900 years in prison. In 1994, he was beaten to death by another inmate.
The UCO Theatre Department will perform the play "See How They Run" by Philip King from November 21-24. The play is a comedy featuring mistaken identities and unfortunate coincidences. It stars UCO students portraying exaggerated British cockney accents, which adds humor. The fast-paced play keeps the audience entertained with constant action and changing agendas among the characters.
The UCO Theatre Department will perform the play "See How They Run" from November 21-24. The play is a comedy featuring mistaken identities and misunderstandings. It will showcase exaggerated British accents, which the actors spent time learning. Tickets can be purchased at Mitchell Hall Box Office for $3-10 depending on age and student status.
Aileen Wuornos had a troubled childhood marked by sexual abuse and early pregnancy. She became a prostitute and was in and out of jail for various offenses. In the late 1980s, she began killing older male clients who had either raped or tried to rape her, claiming self-defense. She was eventually charged and convicted of six counts of first-degree murder and was executed by lethal injection in 2002. Her case highlighted debates around the motivations and classifications of serial killers as well as defenses related to victims of abuse.
Aileen Wuornos was a serial killer born in 1956 in Michigan who murdered 7 people in Florida in the early 1990s. She had a troubled background, with divorced parents and her father being convicted of sex crimes against children. She was convicted of 6 counts of first-degree murder and 1 count of second-degree murder for shooting male drivers who had picked her up while she was hitchhiking and prostituting herself. She was executed in 2002.
This document provides a timeline and details of the events surrounding the murder of Emmett Till in 1955. It describes how Till, a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago, was visiting family in Mississippi and was kidnapped and murdered after reportedly whistling at a white woman. The document highlights Till's courage in the face of racism and danger through various anecdotes and suggests he embodied American values of free speech.
Film Question re:The Revenant, Bridge of Spies, Gran Torino and The MartianSigmond Cromwell
As a religious instruction teacher, if a parent asked you to explain why any of the four films (The Revenant, Bridge of Spies, Gran Torino and The Martian) might or might not be a good film for their youngsters to see, what would you advise and why?
This document discusses serial killers, their traits, motives, and some famous examples. It notes that serial killers often had troubled childhoods, with domineering mothers and absent fathers. Many tortured animals as children and lacked empathy. Their motives often involved sex, attention-seeking, or delusions. The document divides serial killers into organized, disorganized, and mixed categories based on how they plan their killings. It lists some infamous American and Canadian serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and the Zodiac killer.
Dupree Phillips was gunned down by two bored, depressed people while rocking out to their own rendition of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark". Dupree overheard the perpetrators singing lyrics about being tired, bored with life, and wanting trouble as they shot him. When interviewed, Dupree recounted some of the rendition's lyrics which referenced getting a gun due to having nothing else to do, and shooting in the dark.
The document discusses the mission and goals of GLAAD, an organization dedicated to promoting fair representation of LGBTQ people in media. It provides details about hate crimes against Matthew Shepard and Gwen Araujo who were murdered for being gay and transgender. It encourages readers to support GLAAD's efforts to combat homophobia and promote equality through education and advocacy.
This document provides descriptions and background information for over 40 songs related to American history and social issues. The songs cover topics like serial killers, racial violence and civil rights events, political scandals and protests, disasters both natural and man-made, and controversial government policies and military operations. For each song, a brief overview is given of the real-life events, people, or issues that inspired or are discussed in the lyrics.
Read Article and Answer Questions related to Music.pdfsdfghj21
This document summarizes Stanley Hyman's argument about how Child ballads change when transmitted to America. Hyman argues that supernatural, sexual, and tragic elements tend to be removed or diminished in American versions. Magic is rationalized, explicit sex is toned down, and tragic endings are replaced with less ominous conclusions. Additionally, some ballads lose their narrative structure and become simplified lyrics or nonsense. Hyman provides many examples comparing details and endings between British and American variants of the same ballads. Overall, he asserts that the Child ballads adapt to a more optimistic American cultural configuration that distances itself from death, darkness, and tragedy.
This document provides a summary of the February 27, 2014 issue of the Winter Weekly Reader. It lists upcoming meetings for the Plano Rotary Club, including speakers on hypnosis, the TV show Shark Tank, and the state of the city. It also provides the February birthdays of Rotary club members and recognizes Myrtle Hightower as the 2013 Plano Citizen of the Year. The bulk of the document summarizes the Black History Month program featuring speakers on civil rights and the accomplishments of Black pilots, computer scientists, and others. It recognizes guests and visiting Rotarians who attended.
Contexts for poet Frank X Walker's TURN ME LOOSE: THE UNGHOSTING OF MEDGAR EVERSMary Vermillion
This document summarizes and analyzes a poetry collection by Frank X Walker titled Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers. The collection uses persona poems to tell the story of Medgar Evers, a civil rights leader who was assassinated in 1963. Walker coins the term "Affrilachia" to represent the importance of the African American presence in Appalachia. The document discusses various poems from the collection, analyzing references and allusions to history, music, and culture. It provides context on the people and events mentioned in the poems, such as Emmett Till, Harriet Tubman, and the songs "Dixie" and "Strange Fruit."
- The document describes the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, where a white mob attacked the prosperous black community of Greenwood in Tulsa, Oklahoma and destroyed over 35 blocks of homes and businesses.
- Over 10,000 black residents were left homeless and an untold number were killed, though some estimates put the death toll as high as 300. Planes were even used to drop incendiary bombs on the Greenwood district.
- The massacre was sparked by accusations that a young black man assaulted a white woman in an elevator, though he was never convicted. It revealed the deep racial tensions and inequality that still existed after the abolition of slavery.
Marilyn Manson argues that (1) violence has always existed in humanity and predates modern media influences, (2) the media exploits tragedy by over-covering events like school shootings and scapegoating cultural influences, and (3) there is no single cause for violence but rather a complex interplay of many social and personal factors.
2. “3”
The West Memphis Three Case—this truly is an intriguing
and super cool topic. Three kids (who dressed in black and
did not fit in with others in the town) were accused and
convicted of killing young boys. For years, Hollywood
celebs like Johnny Depp and Eddie Vedder fought for the
release of the West Memphis Three. Who really killed the
young boys if these 3 did not? Pick this and you will be
investigating a modern-day witch hunt.
3. “213”
Hailing from my home state, Dahmer
brought us great shame. He was a serial
killer and cannibal of 17 boys. He didn’t
live to see a later life.
4. 5 marchers were shot and killed
by members of the KKK and
American Nazi Party
The shady part is that police
watched the event and didn’t do
much to prevent it.
“88 Seconds in Greensboro”
5. “American Skin” or “41 Shots”
A Bruce Springsteen song about the 1999
murder of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed
immigrant, which set off a tirade about
racial profiling in America
6. “Angel of Harlem”
Billie Holiday was jazz singer whose
performances often moved people to
tears. She battled much in her life—
racism, drug addiction, and relationships.
She died too early.
7. “April 29, 1992”
Rodney King, a black motorist, was
beaten in a routine traffic stop. His
attackers (the police) were acquitted and
the world rioted for 6 straight days. 53
people died.
8. “Ballad of Ira Hayes”
Tale of one of five marines who raised the
flag at Iwo Jima
His death was a horrible one—one all too
common for our veterans
9. “Black Day in July”
Police raided an African-American drinking
club…to find a party welcoming home
Vietnam vets. A racial riot ensued. The
numbers were startling…over 7000 were
arrested; many were injured; a multitude
were dead.
10. “Blowin’ in the Wind”
―The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the
wind.‖ It is a protest song, but what is
Dylan protesting? Civil rights? War?
11. “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee”
Systematic destruction of the Native
Americans by our government—go
figure, the destruction still continues
today
12. “Campaigner”
If you love corrupt politicians, then this is
the song for you. It is a song highlighting
America’s finest—liar that is…Richard
Nixon
13. “Candle in the Wind”
The song has gone through several
versions, but you would be researching
the initial inspiration—Marilyn Monroe—
her life and death
14. “Cassie”
Some question the ―legend‖ of her being
the one asked/killed because she said she
did believe in God.
Typical teenage girl who once was
consumed in a life of drugs…she found her
faith and supposedly tried to defend it on
that infamous day in Littleton, Colorado.
15. “Deep Red Bells”
You will be researching the Green River
killer Gary Ridgway. He was convicted of
48 separate murders. He admitted to
killing twice that amount of people.
16. “Demolition Lovers”
Can there be a COOLER story than that of
the infamous outlaws Bonnie and Clyde? I
think not.
17. “Enola Gay”
Dropped ―Little Boy‖ on Hiroshima—
forever changing the world.
Named after the mother of the pilot.
18. “Empty Garden”
If you are interested in the assassination
of John Lennon (of the Beatles), this
would be a cool topic for you.
19. “For What it is Worth”
―Stop, children. What’s that sound?
Everybody look what’s going down.‖
The song takes on a true generational
problem—its real inspiration came from
the Sunset Strip riots
20. “Freedom” by Rage
The song recounts the wrongful conviction
of Leonard Peltier (a Native American
whose tribe had been annihilated in drive-
by shootings by our government). The
tribe fought back and Peltier was
wrongfully convicted. He rots in jail
because the legal system is too weak to
admit it is WRONG!
21. “Gemini”
Want to learn more about one of the most
famous killers to exact revenge on his
victims and the police? Then enter the of
this Slayer song about the Zodiac Killer.
22. “Georgia Bush”
A scathing look at President George W.
Bush and FEMA’s slow rescue of those
stranded in New Orleans due to Hurricane
Katrina.
23. “Goodnight Saigon”
A song about how much our Vietnam
veterans went through and how little they
were supported while at war/when they
returned.
24. “Heaven Runs on Oil”
Interested in the war with Iraq and our
world’s reliance on black gold (oil that is)?
Pick this song.
25. “Helter Skelter”
Had its own life before Charles Manson
hijacked the song. It was a prophetic
song of racial tensions destroying our
nation.
You can also study its relation to my
favorite freakazoid, Charles Manson
26. “Hey Man, Nice Shot”
Be prepared to be disturbed, really
disturbed about this on-air suicide which
was shown in classrooms throughout our
nation. The man is from our local area.
27. “Hurricane”
Don’t ignore this song…one of the coolest
topics to research. Have you seen the
movie with Denzel Washington? Rubin
Carter was a black boxer who, in my
opinion, was FRAMED for murders he did
not commit. He spent 20 years in jail—a
wrongfully convicted man.
28. “I Don’t Like Mondays”
I know you hate Mondays. The song’s origin
is truly fascinating. A crazy woman opened
up fire on a bunch of young kids at a
playground…the end result? Fascinating.
Remember the House episode with Dave
Matthews? This song was a crucial part of
the episode.
*Did I fail to mention that Hugh Laurie is my
biggest celebrity crush? I know he is old and
that is creepy…
29. “Jeremy”
Eddie Vedder tried to give life to a small
story of a boy who committed suicide in
his English class; it has a second story as
well. In my opinion, it is the best SONG
on the list.
30. “John Wayne Gacy”
Truly disturbing…
Not for the weak of heart
Beyond SICK serial killer who dressed as
Pogo the clown to lure boys to their
death.
31. “Jonestown”
One of the most fascinating stories on the
list. ―Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid‖ takes on
new meaning. A cult leader who led young
children and others to mass suicide.
GREAT documentaries on this historical
event
32. “Justice”
Remember Trayvon Martin…the kid we
studied on the first day of school? The
African-American kid who was shot by a
Hispanic man…thinking Trayvon was up to
no good. All Trayvon had in his pocket
was Skittles. But was this self-defense?
33. “Latimer’s Mercy”
Just added this one this year…I would love
someone to pick this topic. Latimer killed
his son who was in pain and suffering (he
had multiple crippling diseases). Latimer
went to prison while many think what he
did was humane. Peer into the dark tale…
34. “Let’s Roll”
While 9-11 was a dark, dark day, Flight 93
was a slight ray of light in the midst of the
utter despair. This song was written about
Todd Beamer and the others who overtook
the plane and crashed it. Ultimately, they
saved many lives on that day.
35. “Lonesome Death of Hattie Caroll”
One of the stories on this list that makes
me ashamed of my American
ancestors…her SENSELESS death and the
nation’s reaction to it REPULSES me
36. “Mary Kay”
Most twisted love story I have ever heard
of…you know Mary Kay, the elementary
teacher, who fell in love with her young
student. She had kids with him, went to
jail, and then still went after him.
What is wrong with the world today?
38. “Miracle Man” by Ozzy Osbourne
Disgruntled with corrupt religious figures?
Jimmy Swaggart took a pretty big
religious FALL, and Ozzy discusses
Swaggart’s disgrace.
39. “Mississippi Goddam”
A civil rights leader who was gunned down
outside his home…his kids found him
dead. It took 31 years for his killer to be
brought to justice.
40. “Nothing to Gein”
Squeamish? Can’t handle a story about a
man who skinned his victims and then
wore their flesh? Don’t pick this topic.
41. “Ohio”
Anti-war? Choose this song about the
Kent State Riots. You will have a wealth of
research. ―Innocent?‖ college kids were
gunned down for their beliefs on war.
42. “Papers Please”
Recent Arizona legislation which is our
nation’s most stringent law on the books
for anti-immigration. There is great
controversy over this bill.
43. “Polly”
Great song…not-so-great story that
inspired the event. This song is the
HARDEST one on the list to research. You
would have to dig REALLY deep and have
a whole lot of Nirvana books to find the
answers.
44. “Pride in the Name of Love”
MLK’s assassination—a safe topic with a
wealth of research. A great song to
dissect.
45. “Make it Stop”
Too many gay, lesbian, queer, and
transgender kids seem to be turning to
suicide after terrible bullying. Tyler
Clementi (the boy who jumped off a
bridge after his college roommate secretly
filmed him) and others are profiled in the
song.
46. “Roulette”
A song recounting the nuclear Power Plant
accident and Three Mile Island. Our
government reported no deaths or
injuries. They lied. Lung cancer and
leukemia rates in the area spiked (as did
infant mortality rates).
47. “Scarecrow”
I would love to have a group cover this
song about the senseless murder of
Matthew Shepard. He was a homosexual
who was brutally beaten, tied to a
fence, and left for dead. Why? That is
where the mystery starts.
48. “She’s Going Places”
A song written in memory of Caylee
Anthony whose mom got away with
murder (my opinion). Obviously, the
courts feel differently. Such an injustice
this young girl is dead.
49. “Sister Rosa”
Safe song…great story…a ton of research
Tale of Rosa Parks and what she so
bravely accomplished with one simple
gesture.
50. “Southern Man”
A look into our nation’s dark past when it
comes to slavery.
51. “Talking Cuban Crisis”
There was a time where our nation got
eerily close to war with Cuba…It was a
tense time and a shameful one for our
government.
52. “Tearjerker”
This song was written as a memorial to
Kurt Cobain after his tragic ―suicide?‖
You would be looking at the death and
life/legacy of Kurt Cobain
53. “Ted, Just Admit It”
Nice guy with a not –so-nice obsession.
Girls about to go off to college…don’t pick
the topic. Ted Bundy is the source for
much disconcerting information.
54. “The Big Three Killed my Baby”
In this song, the White Stripes attack
GM, Chrysler, Ford and unions for killing
off part of America.
55. “The Last Resort”
Calling fellow environmentalists—a look at
how the government takes away what
little natural resources we have left.
56. “The Manhattan Project”
Science gurus unite
Our first attempt to develop a nuclear
weapon…shame …shame…shame
Tons of research to help here
57. “The Nobodies”
If you are obsessed with the boys who
shot up Columbine, this is the song for
you. Fascinating research. Incredibly
fascinating.
58. “The Wreck of the Edmund…”
Mystery abounds with this ship that sank
with NO distress calls.
59. “Tie My Hands”
Lil Weezy critizes my favorite president of
all time about his ―quick‖ response with
Hurricane Katrina (I do miss George W.)
60. “Throw Yourself Away”
Prom is about fun and dancing, right?
Well, for one young teen it was a place to
birth a baby in the bathroom and then
throw it away in the trash. Truly a
sobering tale.
62. “Valentine’s Day”
Valentine’s Day isn’t all love and roses.
For Chicago, it is the day of one of the
worst mob massacres ever.
63. “When This is Over”
Don’t like your kids? Why don’t you put
them in a car, roll them into a lake, and
blame it all on an innocent African-
American man.
This is the messed-up world of convicted
mother/murderer Susan Smith.
64. “Whitey on the Moon”
A biting social commentary on our race to
the moon at the expense of more pressing
social issues.
65. “Who Will Stop the Rain”
This song details Vietnam and the EMPTY
promises of politicians.
It is a great Creedence Clearwater Revival
song.
66. “Wide Awake”
Kanye West wasn’t the only artist to
criticize the SLOW response time of our
government when it came to Hurricane
Katrina. Audioslave took on the issue as
well.
67. “Without Chains”
So, there is a little government secret
known as Guantanamo Bay, and there are
some not-so-nice things which happened
there. Patti Smith recalls the story of
Murat Kurnaz, a man who rotted away
there for 4 years without any real
evidence against him.
68. “Where Were You When the World
Stopped Turning?”
9-11 video to have us stop and think what
we were doing when we received the
dreaded news
69. “World Wide Suicide”
Pearl Jam’s stance on Operation Iraqi
Freedom. Let’s just say they are not fans
of the war or the government who sent
our troops into Iraq.
Vedder claims the song was written to
honor Pat Tillman (the American football
player who left his team to join the Army.
He later died in the war).