Sociology 101: Introduction to Sociology
Seeing the Sociology in a Song
Music is one of the story-generating mediums of any culture. Some songs discuss personal heartbreak, longing, joy, loss, sadness, etc., however, other songs talk about the larger social structures and are thus ripe for sociological analysis.
Think for example of John Lennon’s song, Imagine. Although he doesn’t name them, it is clear that his song is a critique of nationalism, capitalism, religion and war. Another example is Tracy Chapman’s song, Fast Car. When she sings,
“You’ve got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we can make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero, got nothing to lose
Maybe we’ll make something
Me and myself, I got nothing to prove
She’s referring to the concept of the American Dream which is the idea that anyone who works hard enough will be successful and wealthy (Griffiths and Keirns 2015). The song also refers to the concept of upward social mobility when people improve their economic status in a way that affects social class, they experience social mobility (Griffiths and Keirns 2015). When she sings,
I know things will get better
You’ll find work and I’ll get promoted
We’ll move out of the shelter
Buy a big house and live in the suburbs
She’s talking about (upward) social mobility.
The Assignment.
Working on your own, pick a song (“Respect” Aretha Franklin 1967 Original Version) and analyze it using a sociological term or terms. Focus on the lyrics, not any video choreography or cinematography.
Your analysis should include:
1. Call dibs on your song. Check the list first to make sure your choice is still available, since I’d like every pair to analyze a different song.
2. A sociological concept and its definition
3. How this song tackles or illustrates the concept
4. Detailed analysis of at least two sections of the lyrics as illustrated above with the Tracy Chapman song.
5. Decide whether you want to make your analysis:
a. In writing. If you do this please include a link to an audio or video version of the song. The analysis, including the song lyrics should be about two pages, double spaced.
