Searching Popular Music by Themes

[Dale]

You know, there are websites on which one can search for quotations based on certain themes. Has anyone ever seen a similar website for popular music?

In the absence of one, maybe some ideas about songs?:

1. I need two or three songs that are about beginnings, starting something new. Something kind of catchy. (This music will be played as new teachers arrive for an orientation at a school.)

2. More of a challenge: We're going to do a slide show of the school system motto ("Effective, Challenging, Engaging") showing how it appears on signs, clothing, coffee mugs, bulleting board, and all over the school system. So, I'm trying to think of a song that's thematically relates to: the use of signs to, well, signify; or maybe teaching, learning, inspiring. That kind of thing.

Thanks for thinking about it a little for me.

Dale

[peeplj]

So, I'm trying to think of a song that's thematically relates to: the use of signs to, well, signify; or maybe teaching, learning, inspiring. That kind of thing.

"A sign, a sign, everywhere a sign,
Blocking out the scenery, bending my mind.
Do this! Don't do that!
Can't you read the sign?!?"



--James

P.S. Sorry, Dale, couldn't resist. I'll give your question some serious thought and see what I can come up with.

[Wombat]

1. I need two or three songs that are about beginnings, starting something new. Something kind of catchy. (This music will be played as new teachers arrive for an orientation at a school.)



Dale

Optimistic songs from civil rights days? Say, 'People Get Ready' and 'A Change is Gonna Come.' They might not be quite what you want.

[peeplj]

A little different feel, perhaps, than you are after, but "Morning Has Broken" is a good song, definitely about fresh starts and new beginnings.

Plus, it's based on an Irish air. What more could you want?

--James

[djm]

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign
Blockin' out the scenery, breakin' my mind
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign?

That's what came to me first, too. Signs by Five Man Electrical Band - another fine Canadian group, out of Ottawa, my home town.

Then I considered the subject matter and Alice Cooper's School's Out seemed more memorable. But really, can there be any doubt:

We don't need no education.
We don't need no thought control.
No dark sarcasm in the classroom.
Teacher, leave those kids alone.
Hey! Teacher, leave those kids alone.
All in all you're just a-
<A TARGET="NEW" HREF="http://youtube.com/watch?v=M_bvT-DGcWw">Nother brick in the wall</A>.

- Pink Floyd

djm

[FJohnSharp]

I'm terrible at this sort of thing, but I had the misfortune of having to listen to the Delilah radio show on a recent drive and I was amazed how they came up with songs that fit the situations of each caller. Some were better matches than others, but someone there has a gift (or a database)for it. I'm wondering if you could email Delilah and ask if she could suggest something.

http://www.radiodelilah.com/home/home.html

[carrie]

Teach Your Children Well?

[s1m0n]

Lou Reed - beginning of a great adventure.
John Lennon - Starting over

5 Man Electrical Band - Signs (you won't find a better match for the 'signs' theme.)

Of course, all these are ancient in the context of a high school in 2008

[Colin]

A little different feel, perhaps, than you are after, but "Morning Has Broken" is a good song, definitely about fresh starts and new beginnings.

Plus, it's based on an Irish air. What more could you want?

--James

What more? How about it's actual origin - Scotland. The melody is called
Bunessan and is a traditional Scots air collected on the island of Mull in the
Inner Hebrides.

Colin

[peeplj]

A little different feel, perhaps, than you are after, but "Morning Has Broken" is a good song, definitely about fresh starts and new beginnings.

Plus, it's based on an Irish air. What more could you want?

--James

What more? How about it's actual origin - Scotland. The melody is called
Bunessan and is a traditional Scots air collected on the island of Mull in the
Inner Hebrides.

Colin

I stand corrected...I was under the impression that this was based on the Irish air Eochaill.

--James

[mutepointe]

Sting "A Brand New Day."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQQax5AofV8

His music appeals to multi-generations.

[s1m0n]

I stand corrected...I was under the impression that this was based on the Irish air Eochaill.

It wouldn't be the first Caledonian melody to also have a secret hibernian identity, or vice versa.

Years ago I was busking in the montreal metro when a guy came up to me when I finished a piece and said "that's a pretty tune. What's it called?"

"Are you scots or Irish" I asked him.

He blinked. "Scots."

"In that case, it's a song called Twa Bonnie Maids, about Bonnie Prince Charlie fleeing in drag to Skye, along with Flora MacDonald."

"And if I was Irish?"

"A melody by the blind harpist Turlough O'Carolan called Planxty George Brabazon."

He didn't put any money into my pot; guys who want to talk never do.

[djm]

The melody is called Bunessan and is a traditional Scots air collected on the island of Mull in the Inner Hebrides.

Just because it was written down from the Scots doesn't first mean it was originally a Scottish tune. Many tunes are shared between the two countries, but written tune collections started earlier in Scotland. This business of claiming all Irish tunes to be Scottish is a bit silly, as far as I can see.

djm

[Colin]

Just because it was written down from the Scots doesn't first mean it was originally a Scottish tune. djm

It also does not preclude the possibility that it was indeed Scots.
I don't recollect seeing any Irish tune collections that include the melody
Bunessan, but perhaps you or others may have.

This business of claiming all Irish tunes to be Scottish is a bit silly, as far as I can see. djm

I couldn't agree more, but who, exactly, is making such sweeping claims?
Not I, nor any others on Chiff & Fipple that I have read in the several years
I have been frequenting the board.

[peeplj]

I thought that I had read somewhere that it was based on the tune of Eochaill; however, to me it's not that big a deal, as I may not be remembering that accurately.

Wikipedia lists Bunessan as being the source of the melody. I'm willing to go with that; I certainly didn't mean to ruffle any feathers.

It's kind of a nice melody, no matter how you name it.

--James