If you've been reading my commentary, you know that I subscribe to the quantity paradigm: every great creative artist was, above all, prolific. This doesn't mean that every prolific artist is great (as you can easily verify by looking at my body of work...), but it suggests that maintaining a level of productivity is necessary.
The catch is, of course, that you have to produce. For creative workers, this can be difficult: how can you create on demand? There's an easy solution to maintain your productivity (and continue to hone your skills) that does not require quite as much creativity: non-fiction. Asimov (the patron saint of quality through quantity) noted that it was far, far easier to write non-fiction than to write fiction, and part of that, no doubt, was that with non-fiction, you already have the story, so you can devote your creative energies to the mechanics. Ultimately, that's what it's all about: if you have the mechanics down, then if you should ever get a really good idea, you can put it together using your finely honed skill set.
The song came about while thinking about writing non-fiction songs; the natural inspiration for non-fiction songs is history (though the Animaniacs have a few geography songs). For me, the best example is Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire, which gives a year-by-year history of the U.S. from World War II to Nixon (and the final stanzas summarize from Nixon to Reagan). Here's my contribution, inspired at least in part because our kids are of an age where they can understand the words, so why not write songs they can sing that will simultaneously teach them something (see He'll be Riding Eight-Legged Horses for my first attempt in this direction). Besides, learning through music is a time honored tradition, and I hope that, when they come of age, they will be encouraged to write their own musical mnemonics. Incidentally, I'm of the opinion that mnemonic songs are useful pedgogically not because they make it easier to learn, and not necessarily because they make learning fun (though they do), but because they make associations easier to recover. For example, once you know the rhyme scheme is AABBCCDD, then remembering one of the lines in a couplet will help you remember the other line, and hopefully the context.
The music is “Turkey in the Straw,” and since most of us are not smarter than a fifth grader, I've included footnotes for the more obscure references. I wrote this between June 4 and June 6, 2007.
Update (August 16, 2008): Okay, I've done it and made my first YouTube video (embedded here). And now you'll know why I consider myself to be a writer, not a singer...
Our first President was Washington——at least that's what you say. If you start the count from constitution day If you don't then for the record you will have to name a few That the rebels in Congress chose for me and you. First there was Randolph, then Middleton Randolph again, then John Hancock won Signed his name and bid adieu To the King of Great Britain and his redcoat crew. There were other folk who served as Presidents for the US But they couldn't fix our economic mess Since the Continental Congress couldn't legislate free trade So they met in the state house and a new plan made. Three branches, each a check on the rest For Montesquieu said that form was best Congress, President, and Court And some promised amendments to keep their reach short. So George Washington was first to be the U.S. head of state. The electors chose him without much debate. Then along came the first Adams and the XYZ Affair And some laws through the Congress to keep protests rare. Jefferson wanted New Orleans town Bonaparte said “I'll give you more ground. Just pay cash and take up debt For some old bills my countrymen still owe you yet.” Our next President James Madison against the Brits made war So we'd have free trade and they'd impress no more. But they drove us out of Canada, and burned down DC too So our neighbor up north still has an extra U. Monroe saw slave states banned in the north, His Secretary, Adams went forth Said to Europe “Stay away!” And then like his dear daddy led the USA. Andy Jackson told John Marshall to enforce the laws he could Then van Buren's term was hardly any good For he tried to sink the captives of the slave ship Amistad But with Adams they won their freedom under God. What can you say about Harrison? Spoke in the rain, and then he was done. Texas Tyler tried to claim After Polk's great success made him a duck so lame. On the battlefields of Mexico Zach Taylor made his name. But he died in office and Fillmore became One of three successive Presidents that almost no one knows. Franklin Pierce and Buchanan were complete zeroes! In 1860, Lincoln won it South Carolina then had a fit Said “So long, it's been real swell.” Then they charged on Fort Sumter with a rebel yell. Well the Civil war was fought over a state's right to secede. In the end the North said you will Congress heed. Andrew Johnson's reconstruction was too gentle for their taste. So they tried and impeached him on a trumped up case. Grant's term was filled with scandals of note Tilden just needed one more state's vote But then Congress met for days Overturned the election and so we got Hayes. James A. Garfield tried to change how civil service jobs were filled. So by lone assassin he was shot and killed. Arthur followed in his footsteps, then the next election saw Grover Cleveland attacked by cries of “Where's my pa?” “Gone to the White House,” came the refrain Harrison's grandson in from the rain Cleveland back behind the scenes. Then McKinley gets Cuba and the Philippines. Then one heartbeat stood between that cowboy and the topmost chair So in '01 Teddy Roosevelt moved there Busting trusts and saving trees and don't forget the drugs and meat The Progressives and muckrakers were really neat! Don't go too far, that was Taft's big sin. Splitting the party put Wilson in. Then came war and the League Fight Prohibition and suffrage and the great Red fright Warren Harding was elected (some say ladies thought him cute) But his friends took bribes and gave him ill-repute. When he died in twenty-three then Calvin Coolidge was the one. “Laissez-faire is the way this country should be run.” Hoover came next and things fell apart. The Great Depression had a great start Teddy's cousin Franklin D. Said a New Deal is what the working man should see. Harry Truman finished World War II ('cuz Franklin died before) And he fired MacArthur in the next big war. Then we said that we like Ike and put him in the top command. And he said that an interstate would be real grand. Kennedy next sent us into space, Johnson tried poverty to erase Nixon won, gave Mao a sign But then bugs in the Watergate made him resign. Now remember Ford was never chosen by the people's vote. And that Carter walked in his election coat. But he said that we should use less and help out the Middle East. So we put in Ron Reagan and his voodoo feast. George Bush the first fought war in Iraq. Clinton spent too much time on his back. Then there's Dubya, who can say How we'll look back upon his presidential day. |