Learning about America, One Song at a Time: Part One

There are many different strategies to learn English. One method I highly recommend is to listen to music, study the lyrics and sing along (=sing while it is playing). In doing so, you will improve your pronunciation, listening, and increase your vocabulary. Depending on the song, you might even learn more about American culture. Below you will find a by no means (=certainly not) exhaustive (=complete) list of songs that will teach you about an aspect of American culture that I often call the key to understanding this country: the African-American experience.

Without comprehending the history of ideological, systemic and institutionalized racism in the United States, some questions you might have about America can never be fully  answered. Have you, for example, ever asked yourself why there is no universal health care, or why American cities look the way they look? The answer lies in the African-American experience. In the future, there will be more blog posts filled with amazing English vocabulary and more information about American culture and history. For now, let’s dive into some of the songs that speak to (=say a lot about) certain moments in American history so that you can gain a deeper understanding of this country and the wonderful English language.

Let’s learn more about America and improve your English at the same time. Remember to look up words you don’t know, and please feel free to send me an email if you have any questions:

1. Curtis Mayfield: We are a Winner

2. Aretha Franklin: Respect

3. Neil Young: Southern Man

4. Randy Newman: Baltimore 

5. Gil Scott-Heron: The Revolution will not be Televised

6. Gil Scott-Heron: We almost lost Detroit

7. Gil Scott-Heron: Winter in America

8. Sam Cooke:  Change is Gonna Come 

9. Stevie Wonder: Living for the City

10. Nina Simone: Mississippi Goddam

11. Nina Simone: Old Jim Crow

12. Nina Simone: To Be Young, Gifted and Black

13. Nina Simone: Baltimore 

14. Billie Holiday: Strange Fruit

15. Sly & The Family of Stone: Everyday People