9-11Points of View
“You can be sure that the American spirit will
prevail over this tragedy.” -Colin Powell
How do the different songs reflect 9-11?



How would explain the different points of
view of same topic?
What strategies would you use?
What would be cumulating activity?
Song Lyrics Analysis Worksheet
Title of Song:_________________ Artist:________________
What images do you see in the
song as your hear it?
What is the purpose of the song?
Which lyrics pop out to you?
What is the message of the song?
What are symbols or metaphors
of the song?
How are lyrics used to convey its message?
What are historical references?
What is the mood of the song?
What questions do you have about
the song?
Where would you find the answers?
Which lyrics had the most impact on you and why?
"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)"
by Alan Jackson
Where were you when the world stopped turning on
that September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or working on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black
smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?
Where were you when the world stopped turning on
that September day?
Were you teaching a class full of innocent children
Or driving down some cold interstate?
Did you feel guilty 'cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone?
Did you call up your mother and tell her you loved
her?
Did you dust off that Bible at home?
Did you weep for the children who lost their dear
loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the
rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white and
blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?
Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep?
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Or speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Or go out and buy you a gun?
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're
watchin'
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns?
[Chorus:]
I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell
You the difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some
strangers
Did you stand in line and give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your
family
Thank God you had somebody to love?
[Chorus x2]
And the greatest is love.
And the greatest is love.
Far Away by Sleater-Kinney
7:30am nurse the baby on the
couch
then the phone rings
"turn on the t.v."
watch the world explode in
flames
and don't leave the house
and the sky overhead
is silent, waiting
clear blue holds its breath
and the heart is hit
in a city far away
but it feels so close
don't breath the air today
don't speak of why you're
afraid
(standing here on a one way
road
and i fall down,
no other direction for this to
go
so we fall down)
WHY CAN'T I GET ALONG
WITH YOU?
and the president hides
while working men rush in
to give their lives
i look to the sky
and ask it not to rain
on my family tonight
“You're Missing” by Bruce Springsteen
Shirts in the closet, shoes in the hall
Mama's in the kitchen, baby and all
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
But you're missing
Coffee cups on the counter, jackets on
the chair
Papers on the doorstep, you're not there
Everything is everything
Everything is everything
But you're missing
Pictures on the nightstand, TV's on in the
den
Your house is waiting, your house is
waiting
For you to walk in, for you to walk in
But you're missing, you're missing
You're missing when I shut out the lights
You're missing when I close my eyes
You're missing when I see the sun rise
You're missing
Children are asking if it's alright
Will you be in our arms tonight?
Morning is morning, the evening falls I
have
Too much room in my bed, too many
phone calls
How's everything, everything?
Everything, everything
You're missing, you're missing
God's drifting in heaven, devil's in the
mailbox
I got dust on my shoes, nothing but
teardrops
“Rising” by Bruce Springsteen
Can't see nothin' in front of me
Can't see nothin' coming up behind
I make my way through this darkness
I can't feel nothing but this chain that binds me
Lost track of how far I've gone
How far I've gone, how high I've climbed
On my back's a sixty pound stone
On my shoulder a half mile line
Come on up for the rising
Com on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Left the house this morning
Bells ringing filled the air
Wearin' the cross of my calling
On wheels of fire I come rollin' down here
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
Spirits above and behind me
Faces gone, black eyes burnin' bright
May their precious blood forever bind me
Lord as I stand before your fiery light
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
I see you Mary in the garden
In the garden of a thousand sighs
There's holy pictures of our children
Dancin' in a sky filled with light
May I feel your arms around me
May I feel your blood mix with mine
A dream of life comes to me
Like a catfish dancin' on the end of the line
Sky of blackness and sorrow (a dream of life)
Sky of love, sky of tears (a dream of life)
Sky of glory and sadness (a dream of life)
Sky of mercy, sky of fear (a dream of life)
Sky of memory and shadow (a dream of life)
Your burnin' wind fills my arms tonight
Sky of longing and emptiness (a dream of life)
Sky of fullness, sky of blessed life (a dream of
life)
Come on up for the rising
Come on up, lay your hands in mine
Come on up for the rising
Come on up for the rising tonight
Li,li, li,li,li,li, li,li,li
"Worlds Apart“ by Bruce Springsteen
I hold you in my arms, yeah that's
when it starts
I seek faith in your kiss and comfort
in your heart
I taste the seed upon your lips, lay
my tongue upon your scars
But when I look into your eyes we
stand worlds apart
Sometimes the truth just ain't enough
Or is it too much in times like this
Let's throw the truth away we'll find
it in this kiss
In your skin upon my skin in the
beating of our hearts
May the living let us in before the
dead tear us apart
Where the distant oceans sing and
rise to the plain
In this dry and troubled country
your beauty remains
Down from the mountain road
where the highway rolls to dark
'Neath Allah's blessed rain we
remain worlds apart
We'll let blood build a bridge over
mountains draped in stars
I'll meet you on the ridge between
these worlds apart
We've got this moment now to live
then it's all just dust and dark
Let's let love give what it gives
Let's let love give what it gives
"Paradise“ By Bruce Springsteen
Where the river runs to black
I take the schoolbooks from your pack
Plastics, wire and your kiss
The breath of eternity on your lips
In the crowded marketplace
I drift from face to face
I hold my breath and close my eyes
I hold my breath and close my eyes
And I wait for paradise
And I wait for paradise
The Virginia hills have gone to brown
Another day, another sun goin' down
I visit you in another dream
I visit you in another dream
I reach and feel your hair
Your smell lingers in the air
I brush your cheek with my fingertips
I taste the void upon your lips
And I wait for paradise
And I wait for paradise
I search for you on the other side
Where the river runs clean and wide
Up to my heart the waters rise
Up to my heart the waters rise
I sink 'neath the river cool and clear
Drifting down I disappear
I see you on the other side
I search for the peace in your eyes
But they're as empty as paradise
They're as empty as paradise
I break above the waves
I feel the sun upon my face