Analyze a Protest Song—Worksheet

Instructions: To use this chart, you can print, copy, and paste into a document of your own, or create a chart of your own with the same information.

Complete the following using your selected protest song.

A. Provide the Song Facts

1.Song title: All she wants to do is dance

2.Songwriter: Danny Kortchmar

3.Performed by: Don Henley

4.Describe the historical context in three to five sentences.

All she wants to do is dance is a 1984 song by Don Henley that soon made it to number nine in the Billboards top ten in March 1985. This song became a hit party song of American culture. While Danny was writing the song he states “ I was in a groove move and the lyrics just came out”. The song was in the movie Real Genius in 1985. and

5.Imagine that you are creating a music video for the song. Include two images that would complement or support the historical context of the song.

If I was creating a music video I would imagine a man that was very serious trying to write a song, he loosened up and got groovy and the lyrics made him start dancing. I would also put at the end the Billboard sign. This music video is telling the journey but in a fun way.

6.Copy and paste the lyrics. Be sure to edit or alter any words that are not school appropriate.

They're pickin' up the prisoners and puttin' 'em in a pen

And all she wants to do is dance, dance

Rebels been rebels since I don't know when

And all she wants to do is dance

Molotov cocktail the local drink

And all she wants to do is dance, dance

They mix 'em up right in the kitchen sink

And all she wants to do is dance

Crazy people walkin' 'round with blood in their eyes

And all she wants to do is dance, dance

Wild-eyed pistol wavers who ain't afraid to die

And all she wants to do is, all she wants to do is dance

And make romance

She can't feel the heat comin' off the street

She wants to party, she wants to get down

All she wants to do is, all she wants to do is dance

Well the government bugged the men's room

In the local disco lounge

And all she wants to do is dance, dance

To keep the boys from sellin'

All the weapons they could scrounge

And all she wants to do is dance

But that don't keep the boys from makin' a buck or two

And all she wants to do is dance, dance

They still can sell the army all the drugs that they can do

And all she wants to do is, all she wants to do is dance

And make romance

Well, we barely made the airport for the last plane out

As we taxied down the runway I could hear the people shout

They said, "Don't come back here Yankee!"

But if I ever do I'll bring more money

'Cause all she wants to do is dance

And make romance

Never mind the heat comin' off the street

She wants to party, she wants to get down

All she wants to do is, all she wants to do is dance

And make romance, all she wants to do is dance

and to make sure they were the same

B. Label and Analyze the Lyrics

1.Identify one allusion in the song. You may need to research any unfamiliar references in the song lyrics to determine the allusion. Paste or type the lines in the space below.

2.Locate one website that explains the event, phenomenon, or person to which the line(s) allude. Paste the website address and one sentence explaining the allusion you have identified.

  1. Complete the following chart based on your selected song. Identify two total figures of speech and two sound devices to include in the chart below.

Label
What is the figure of speech or sound device? / Actual Lines from the Song
Paste the lines of each example in the space provided. / Effect
Does the example create an image, create a particular mood, make listeners feel something, or make listeners think something?
Figure of Speech #1
Figure of Speech #2
Sound Device #1
Sound Device #2

4.What is the tone of the song? How do the figures of speech and sound devices that you have identified contribute to the tone?

5.What is the mood of the song? How do the figures of speech and sound devices that you have identified create the mood?

6.In a short paragraph of four to six sentences, discuss the effectiveness of this protest song. Did or does it influence people to change how they think, feel, or act?

7.In a brief paragraph of four to six sentences, discuss why it is important for people to participate in (by supporting, protesting, etc.) current political, social, and cultural issues.

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