As we have discussed in class, Percy Bysshe Shelley’s 1821 essay “A Defence of Poetry,” announces that poets are the “unacknowledged legislators of the world.” The implications of this statement are far reaching: Do poets/songwriters affect listeners’ belief systems on a personal level? Are poets lawmakers in any sense of the idea? And, can they alter the ideological and political landscape of an entire society?
After giving much thought to Shelly’s observation, write a five (5) paragraph, 600-800 word MLA styled essay that engages with this concept by testing it against the backdrop of modern POP music. Choose one or more of the artists/poet-songwriters from the list below and discuss how their melodies and lyrics may serve to shape listener’s concepts of the world. As you work through the essay, ask yourself, “Does the songwriter/poet shape the views and value systems of individual listeners, and do they possibly shift the collective mindset of the larger culture?” (All of the song and lyric selections listed below can be accessed via Google searches.)
Your essay may include some outside research; however, it should primarily display your ability to think critically and argue persuasively. ABOVE ALL, MAKE SURE YOU ARRIVE AT A CLEAR AND CONCISE THESIS, AND COMMIT TO PROVING YOUR POINT.
Elvis Presley – In The Ghetto (lyrics by Mac Davis)
Michael Jackson – Man In The Mirror (lyrics by Glen Ballard and Siedah Garrett)
Tyler Childers – Can I Take My Hounds To Heaven?
Kendrick Lamar – We Gonna Be Alright
Tupac Shakur – Dear Mama
Marvin Gay – What’s Goin’ On
Pink Floyd – Another Brick In The Wall (Lyrics by Roger Walters)
Billie Eilish – What Was I Made For (lyrics by Billie and her brother Finneas O’Connell)
Lady Gaga – Baby I Was Born That Way
George Michael – Father Figure
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Fortunate Son (lyrics by John Fogerty)
Beyonce – Jolene (Lyrics by Dolly Pardon / adapted by Beyonce)
Dolly Pardon – Jolene or Coat of Many Colors
Nina Simon – Mississippi Goddamn