Singing with Meaning: What the Song Is About
Primary 1 · Creative Arts
Singing with Meaning: What the Song Is About
Lesson 1 of 8
11 min
Let's begin
Keza knows a song from the radio. She sings every word, all the way to the end.
Her small brother asks her what it means. Keza opens her mouth. Nothing comes out.
Today you will learn how to find what a song is about.
You can know every word of a song. That is the outside.
The message is what the song wants you to do or to feel. That is the inside.
Ask yourself one small question: what is this song telling people?
Most songs have one line that comes back again and again.
That line is nearly always the message. The song repeats it so you will keep it.
Worked example
A song keeps saying: wash your hands, wash your hands before you eat.
Step 1 Find the line that comes back. It is the one about washing hands.
Step 2 Ask what it wants you to do. It wants you to wash.
Step 3 Say the message: this song says that we should keep clean.
Use the same sentence every time. Start it like this:
This song says that ...
This song says that we should wash our hands.
This song says that school helps us.
This song says that a new baby is welcome.
One sentence is enough. You do not need many words.
Gatete is asked what his song is about. He sings the first line again.
That is still the outside. Stop singing. Now say it in your own words.
Tip
This song says that ..
Find the line that comes back. Then finish that sentence out loud.
If all you can do is sing it back, you have not found the message yet.
Do each one, then tap Show answer to check.
A song keeps saying: sweep the yard, sweep the yard. What is the message?
Answer: this song says that we should keep our home clean. The line that comes back is about sweeping.
The words of a song are the outside. What is the inside?
Answer: the message. It is what the song wants you to do or to feel.
Uwase is asked what her song means. She sings the first line again. Has she answered?
Answer: no. She must stop singing and say it in her own words.
Listen to one song at home today. Which line comes back?
Answer: any line you hear twice or more. Say that line out loud.
Now finish this sentence about that same song: This song says that ...
Answer: any true sentence of your own. One short sentence is enough.
What you learned today
Quick check
Match each part of a song.
Tap one on the left, then its partner on the right.
