lyrics help: positive message

[mahg33ta]

My son needs to bring in a poem or song lyrics that explains why the world is a wonderful place.

Since my immediate answer to all things is MMJ-related, I thought this would be an easy assignment.... but, I'm actually struggling a bit.   Any advice?  Lots of good love songs, but...?!  this is obvious, but "Wonderful (the way I feel)" is the best I can come up with.

[capt. scotty]

Rollin Back would be a good option

Look at You, Knot Comes Loose, and Golden are also possibilities

[AMightyCaporal]

Wonderful (the way I feel), Look at you, Bermuda Highway

[johnnYYac]

Wonderful (the way I feel), Look at you, [highlight]Bermuda Highway[/highlight]

I don't know if you want to give him a song with lyrics like

"your ass, it draws me in" and "short, bitter fucked up life."

Not that it isn't wonderful, of course.  

[wakebord]

Just One Thing?
I Will Sing You Songs?
Tonight I Wanna Celebrate W/You?

[AMightyCaporal]

Wonderful (the way I feel), Look at you, [highlight]Bermuda Highway[/highlight]

I don't know if you want to give him a song with lyrics like

"your ass, it draws me in" and "short, bitter fucked up life."

Not that it isn't wonderful, of course.  

Haha, i guess thats true... the "Don't let your silly dreams fall in between" part overshadowed the rest of the lyrics I suppose

[mahg33ta]

Thanks for all the responses.   I think it's a harder question than I originally thought, because of course implicit in my question is asking about song interpretation which is very personal.

My son is 7 so Bermuda Highway definitely won't fly. LOL.

I would love to use Golden, as it's a brilliant song and if any of the kids actually go try and track down the song to listen, it's appropriate.  But I really don't think the song is about all that's good in the world.   To me it's about how much JJ likes touring / playing in a band and how much he loves that he's found a woman (I assume) that's willing to support him.

Rollin' back I don't really know what it's about !

I will sing you songs - hmmm, hadn't considered...

I will sing to you of greater things... money, gold, and diamond rings
just don't make it last any longer than it has to
stories of the greater things... fill your heart and soul with beer (tears)
just don't make it last any longer than it has to
I will sing to you of greater things... money, gold, and diamond rings
just don't make it last any longer than it has to
stories of the greater years... what's in here won't disappear
just don't make it last any longer than it has to

not sure what that's got to do with how great the world is, but maybe I'm thinking too closed-mindedly?!?

Look at You, Just One Thing, Tonite - seems to directed at one person....

I do appreciate the thoughts - I'll keep thinking too....

[tdb810]

This is a tricky, but AWESOME project for a 7 year old!  I can remember doing this in HS english, and thought it was so fantastic (I chose the song Bad by U2 which I ended up being about heroin addiction) but anyway, I digress...

So I looked through a lot of the songs and also find that some of them would be tough for a 7 y.o. to grasp, and much of the material may not be appropriate...(i have a 7 y.o. daughter so i am trying to think of it through her eyes -- though she would undoubtedly choose a flippin' Justin Bieber song)....Anyhoo.

My suggestions:

Ahead of the Curve--MOF

The Sandman, the Brakeman and me -- MOF (kids love trains)

Look at You


And that's all I got.....let us know how it goes!!

[wakebord]

i know it isn't MMJ, but Band of Horses "Ode to the LRC" might be good.  Especially b/c it repeats "the world is such a wonderful place" a few times.

actually - nevermind -- it talks about sex.

maybe MOF "the right place"

[mahg33ta]

It is a great project for a 7 yr old, I agree... and thanks to everyone for the continued involvement.   The original assignment was to find a poem - he and I designed song lyrics are fine too.... but then we're realizing how hard it is.

My son loves MOF as much as MMJ and it's a great place to look - but nothing is a clear-cut direct hit.    And there's a lot of adult contact there once you start looking, lol.    

The exact assignment is
bring a poem that reminds you what a wonderful place the world is

and when I read the lyrics, nothing's really working.  Ex: sandman, brakeman - love the song, love the lyrics, but ...?!  bummed that I can't take this opportunity to expand the mind of a bunch of 1st graders.    

[ALady]

This is a tricky, but AWESOME project for a 7 year old!  I can remember doing this in HS english, and thought it was so fantastic (I chose the song Bad by U2 which I ended up being about heroin addiction) but anyway, I digress...

When I had to do this in freshman year of high school I picked "Three Days" by Jane's Addiction   ;D  I got kept after class.

I really think "Golden" is a good choice.  Or "Look At You"?

[tdb810]

This is a tricky, but AWESOME project for a 7 year old!  I can remember doing this in HS english, and thought it was so fantastic (I chose the song Bad by U2 which I ended up being about heroin addiction) but anyway, I digress...

When I had to do this in freshman year of high school I picked "Three Days" by Jane's Addiction   ;D  I got kept after class.

I really think "Golden" is a good choice.  Or "Look At You"?

That's a great story!

The best thing about this assignment for me was it really got me thinking about lyrics and listening for meaning....it was sort of the next step after all of the interpretation of poetry we had done, and kind of took it to the next level.

SO--poetry --- isn't JJ on the Shel Silverstein tribute album?  Lullabys, Legends, & Lies....don't know the lyrics but who doesn't LOVE LOVE LOVE a good shel silverstein poem!

Edit:  nevermind that song
Lyrics to Lullabys, Legends And Lies :
Gather 'round fellas, I'll tell you some tales
About murder and blueberry pies
And heroes and hells and bottomless wells
And lullabys, legends and lies.

And gather 'round ladies, come sit at my feet.
I'll sing about warm sunny skies.
There's mermaids and beans and lovin' machines
In my lullabys, legends and lies.

Lullabys, legends and lies and lies,
Lullabys, legends and lies.
I'll sing you a song then I'll shuffle along
With my lullabys, legends and lies.

I may make you wonder, I may make you smile.
I may bring the tears to your eyes,
But when I disappear, Lord, you'll wish I was here
With more lullabys, legends and lies.

So open the bottle and pass the guitar,
And look in my warm loving eyes.
I'll take you to places you ain't been before
With my lullabys, legends and lies.

Lullabys, legends and lies and lies,
Lullabys, legends and lies.
I'll sing you a song then I'll shuffle along
With my lullabys, legends and lies.

[AlwxanderD10]

I know this is a little bit different than what you asked for but "We're going to be friends" by the white stripes seems like a pretty perfect choice for a seven year old. ;)

Fall is here,hear the yell
back to school,ring the bell
brand new shoes,walking blues
climb the fence,books and pens
I can tell that we're going to be friends

Walk with me,Suzy Lee
through the park and by the tree
we will rest upon the ground
and look at all the bugs we found
then safely walk to school
without a sound

Well here we are,no one else
we walked to school all by ourselves
there's dirt on our uniforms
from chasing all the ants and worms
we clean up and now its time to learn

Numbers,letters,learn to spell
nouns,and books,and show and tell
at playtime we will throw the ball
back to class,through the hall
teacher marks our height
against the wall

And we don't notice any time pass
we don't notice anything
we sit side by side in every class
teacher thinks that I sound funny
but she likes the way you sing

Tonight I'll dream while I'm in bed
when silly thoughts go through my head
about the bugs and alphbet
and when I wake tommorow I'll bet
that you and I will walk together again
cause I can tell that we're going to be friends

[AMightyCaporal]

The way that he sings?

[weeniebeenie]

Wordless Chorus?
I think it has a pretty positive message behind all those aaaaaaaohoooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh's.
Espacially "We are the innovators" .

[rusty95]

What a wonderful Man , best I can come up with.

[mahg33ta]

after all this help, I decided to go w/ Golden and got it all typed up pretty-like... only to be shot down by the wife who didn't like the glowing skin and bars and other 1st grade objectionable stuff that didn't bother me!

oh well, thanks for the help everyone.... it was due today and they went with some Robert Frost nonsense...

[hide]

Maybe we can find some other way to attack the 1st grade with MMJ.

[tdb810]

after all this help, I decided to go w/ Golden and got it all typed up pretty-like... only to be shot down by the wife who didn't like the glowing skin and bars and other 1st grade objectionable stuff that didn't bother me!

oh well, thanks for the help everyone.... it was due today and they went with some Robert Frost nonsense...

Exactly why I didn't recommend Golden - your wife is keenly aware of the do's and don'ts of  1st grade!