In Lyrical Voices students are presented with an enriching study of a variety of song lyrics and texts related to song and the music industry, focusing in particular on Jared Thomas’ YA novel, Songs that Sound Like Blood.

Through looking at the way song lyrics and texts about song writing express emotions, attitudes, ideas and themes related to personal and collective experiences, students will develop their understanding of the powerful ways the language of song is used to tell stories, shape thinking, represent points of view, and inspire action.

The study includes a range of activities on the following songs and texts related to music and the language of song:

• ‘Backwater Blues’ by Bessie Smith

• ‘How Music Can Change the Way You Feel and Act’ by Nina Avramova

• Blinded by the Light directed by Gurinder Chadha

• ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem

• ‘Fast Car’ by Tracy Chapman

• ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield

• ‘Imagine’ by John Lennon

• ‘Where Is The Love?’ (track and film clip) by the Black Eyed Peas

• ‘Rap and Drill Music Give Voice to the Pain of Life in a World of Violence, and YouTube is the New Amphitheatre’ by Ciaran Thapar

• ‘Working Class Man’ by Jimmy Barnes

• ‘The Day the Music Died: The Story of Don McLean’s American Pie’ directed by Mark Moormann

• ‘Now and Then: The Last Beatles Song’ directed by Oliver Murray

The core text study is Jared Thomas’ novel Songs that Sound Like Blood.

Authors: Emily Bosco, Anthony Bosco, and Sarah Peachman

Format: PDF download, 99 pages

ISBN: 978 1 923140 10 3