Sociology Song Project

Pumped Up Kicks (Foster the People) Robert's got a quick hand. He'll look around the room, he won't tell you his plan. He's got a rolled cigarette, hanging out his mouth he's a cowboy kid. Yeah, he found a six shooter gun. In his dad's closet hidden with a box of fun things, and I don't even know what. But he's coming for you, yeah he's coming for you. [Chorus: x2] All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet. Daddy works a long day. He'll be coming home late, yeah he's coming home late. And he's bringing me his dark surprise. 'Cause dinner's in the kitchen and it's packed in ice. I've waited for a long time. Yeah the sleight of my hand is now a quick-pull trigger, I reason with my cigarette, And say your hair's on fire, you must have lost your wits, yeah. [Chorus: x2] All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet. [Whistling] [Chorus: x3] All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, outrun my gun. All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet.

Wavin Flag (K’naan) When I get older I will be stronger They'll call me freedom, just like a wavin' flag Chorus When I get older, I will be stronger They'll call me freedom just like a wavin' flag And then it goes back, and then it goes back And then it goes back, oh Born to a throne, stronger than Rome A violent prone, poor people zone But it's my home, all I have known Where I got grown, streets we would roam Out of the darkness, I came the farthest Among the hardest survival Learn from these streets, it can be bleak Accept no defeat, surrender, retreat So we struggling, fighting to eat And we wondering when we'll be free So we patiently wait for that fateful day It's not far away, but for now we say Chorus So many wars, settling scores Bringing us promises, leaving us poor I heard them say 'love is the way' 'Love is the answer,' that's what they say But look how they treat us, make us believers We fight their battles, then they deceive us Try to control us, they couldn't hold us 'Cause we just move forward like Buffalo Soldiers But we struggling, fighting to eat And we wondering, when we'll be free So we patiently wait for that faithful day It's not far away but for now we say Chorus And everybody will be singing it And you and I will be singing it And we all will be singing it Repeat Chorus

Interpretation What are these songs about? Does the video accent or change the meanings? Lyrics and overall message? Pumped up Kicks Wavin Flag What cultural values are reflected in these songs? What is your “interpretation” of these songs? E.g. What do they “mean” to you?, How do they “resonate”? What do you feel with these songs?

Sociology Song Project Step 1: Choose partner and song Step 2: Analyze song lyrics Step 3: Analyze song meaning (overall message, genre, target audience) Step 4: Analyze cultural significance and connections to song (additional context, reflective of values, language, norms, symbols) Step 5: Create Word Document with analysis (Due: 11/16) Step 6: Present song and interpretation (11/17 & 11/18)