Writing List Songs

Making a list and singing it twice...

🎶Lesson Overview: Writing List Songs

Get ready to turn your lists into lyrics!

Have you ever made a list of your favorite things, places you want to travel, or foods you love? In this lesson, you’ll learn how list songs take everyday ideas and turn them into creative, catchy, and sometimes hilarious lyrics.

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Introduction Video:

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Handout:

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List of List Songs:

• “We Didn’t Start the Fire” – Billy Joel

• “I’ve Been Everywhere” – Johnny Cash

• “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off” – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong

• “12 Days of Christmas” – Traditional

• “The Nations of the World” – Animaniacs

• “What Kind of Cat Are You?” – Billy Jonas Band

• “My Favorite Things” – The Sound of Music

• “The Elements” – Tom Lehrer

• “It’s the End of the World As We Know It” – R.E.M.

• “One Week” – Barenaked Ladies

• “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” – Paul Simon

• “Rhode Island is Famous for You” - Blossom Dearie

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🎵Lesson Plan: Writing List Songs

Grade Level: 4th–12th

Subject: Music / Songwriting

Time: 1–2 class periods (45–60 minutes each)

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🎯 Objectives

Students will:

1. Analyze and discuss the structure and features of list songs.

2. Generate a list of items related to a chosen theme.

3. Compose original lyrics in the style of a list song.

4. (Optional) Perform or share their songs with peers.

5. Reflect on the creative process and the impact of using list structure in music.

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Examples of List Songs

🎼 Standards Alignment

Aligned with National Core Arts Standards (NCAS):

• MU:Cr1.1.4-12a: Generate musical ideas for various purposes and contexts.

• MU:Cr2.1.4-12a: Organize and develop musical ideas using given or chosen forms.

• MU:Cr3.1.4-12a: Evaluate and refine draft compositions.

• MU:Pr4.3.4-12a: Demonstrate understanding of expressive intent through interpretation.

• MU:Re7.2.4-12a: Describe and interpret musical works and respond to musical context.

• MU:Cn10.0.4-12a: Relate music to societal, cultural, and historical contexts.

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📚 Materials Needed

• Musical Wonders video on List Songs (or teacher-selected examples)

• Audio playback device and speakers

• Printed List Song Planning Worksheet (or shared digital doc)

• Writing materials (notebook, Chromebook, etc.)

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🧠 Warm-Up (10–15 min)

1. Play excerpts from lists songs and/or use the Musical Wonders Introduction Video

2. Discussion Questions:

   • What do these songs have in common?

   • Are the items in the list random or connected by a theme?

   • How do these songs provide context for the list?

   • What makes a list funny, emotional, or memorable?

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🧾 Main Activity (25–30 min)

1. Distribute List Song Planning Worksheet

   (Include prompts such as: “What’s your list about?”, “Brainstorm 10–15 items,” “What’s the tone? Funny? Serious?”, “What’s a verse that gives the listener context?”)

2. Students:

   • Choose a topic (e.g., favorite foods, superhero powers, pets they’ve had, places they want to go).

   • List items related to that theme.

   • Write a “context verse” to explain the list to the listener.

   • Bonus: Write an introduction verse if it makes sense for their song.

3. Encourage them to use rhyme and rhythm (even a short four-line list is fine).

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🎤 Share & Reflect (10–15 min)

• Students perform or read their songs aloud (solo or with a partner).

• Classmates can snap or clap along.

• Optional discussion/reflection prompts:

  • What list was the most surprising or creative?

  • How did the structure affect your writing process?

  • Did adding a context verse change the meaning of the list?

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✨ Optional Extensions

• Musical Performance: Have students set their lyrics to a backing beat or chord progression.

• Group Collab: Each student contributes one line to a class-wide list song.

• Illustration Project: Students illustrate each item on their list to make a lyric zine or flipbook.