| "Songs go far beyond words in their ability to insert | | | | films appealed to people at a deeply personal |
| emotion into | | | | level.Pop Songs in Learning |
| communication." Robert Sylwester, A Celebration of | | | | In Training With A Beat, I discussed at length the |
| NeuronsFilmmakers, if they knew who brain | | | | application of pop songs in the |
| researcher Robert Sylwester was, would agree | | | | learning environment. In part, I said:"Concert halls, |
| with him. They often integrate familiar songs into their | | | | ballrooms, parties, and yes, the class room, can be |
| movies. Pop songs are so | | | | uncomfortable |
| successful that movie producers will pay exorbitant | | | | environments. When people hear a song they've |
| sums, in some cases as much as | | | | listened to in the privacy of their |
| $100,000, to acquire the rights for the song.Sylwester, | | | | home, they relax. Comfortable music emotionally |
| in his book A Celebration of Neurons, went on to | | | | warms the training room, placing |
| explain:"The songs of our adolescent years often | | | | learners in a receptive frame of mind for learning. |
| become the beacons of our adult life | | | | Songs with lyrics, especially |
| because they can help us to recall the important | | | | popular hits of the last 50 years, are extremely useful |
| developments of our adolescence. | | | | for this reason. They are old, |
| We often listen to this music to relive the memories in | | | | well worn, welcome friends."Songs with lyrics also |
| the extended reverie of song. | | | | engage learner brains in multiple ways. The words and |
| The song slows the simple message so that we can | | | | rhythm |
| savor all the emotions of the | | | | of a song are largely processed in the brain's left |
| experience."In a film composer's hands, pop songs are | | | | hemisphere, where the melody is |
| chosen and linked to those memories in | | | | largely processed by the right hemisphere. By using |
| a way that adds emotional texture to the film. Films | | | | songs with lyrics, you help your |
| with pop music scores function | | | | learners engage both hemispheres. In the process, |
| on two distinct levels. The first level is the application | | | | they gain a deeper meaning than |
| of the song in the film. Every | | | | is possible with one hemisphere alone.Song lyrics can, |
| song lyric tells a story and a well placed song's story | | | | as was the case in The Big Chill, speak directly to the |
| will dovetail with the film's | | | | learning topic. |
| visual.The second, and deeper, level is the emotional | | | | The many applications are too numerous to state in |
| meaning the use of specific songs | | | | this one article, but a few |
| brings forth within the listener. The songs become | | | | examples should prove the point:Career planning - "All |
| metaphors, placing the subject | | | | Star" by Smash Mouth |
| to be taught in the context of the learners prior | | | | Change management - "Bad Day" by Daniel Powter |
| experiences. When people hear | | | | Communication - "Hello, Goodbye" by the Beatles |
| songs they know, and have personal memories of, | | | | Conflict management - "Shut Up" by the Black Eye |
| they immediately are drawn back | | | | Peas |
| into those memories, and the experience is enhanced. | | | | Customer service - "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers |
| In essence, pop music helps | | | | Diversity - "Short People" by Randy Newman |
| us relate to the story being told in a deeply personal, | | | | Finance - "Takin' Care of Business" by |
| highly emotional way.Three famous films used this | | | | Bachman-Turner Overdrive |
| technique to achieve success.American Graffiti (1973), | | | | Project Management - "One Little Slip" by the Bare |
| telling the story of a group of early 1960s high | | | | Naked Ladies |
| schoolers enjoying a last summer before adulthood, | | | | Sexual harassment - "Respect" by Aretha Franklin |
| was intentionally designed as a | | | | Time management - "Right Place, Wrong Time" by Dr. |
| series of pop music vignettes. George Lucas, the | | | | JohnOnce you've decided on an appropriate song, |
| film's director, developed the | | | | placement is simple Considering the |
| storyline, and selected the songs to almost | | | | Randy Newman song "Short People" for |
| simultaneously.Each scene matched the length of the | | | | example:Introduction - Play the song as the learners |
| song accompanying it. For example, Bill | | | | enter. Once the song is over call |
| Haley's "Rock Around The Clock," played during the | | | | attention to the songs lyrics and ask for comments |
| opening credits, set up the | | | | about the meaning conveyed by |
| film's innocence of summer theme. The Crests' | | | | those lyrics. Use those comments as a transition to |
| "Sixteen Candles" accompanied a | | | | your presentation.Filler - Play the song during breaks to |
| young girls sixteenth birthday. "Teen Angel" by Mark | | | | add a subliminal message to your content.Activity - |
| Dinning was played when a | | | | Divide your learners into groups and instruct them to |
| character dies in a drag race. The film ends with the | | | | read and discuss the |
| Spaniels' "Goodnight, Well It's | | | | lyrics. Then lead a general discussion to share each |
| Time To Go."The Big Chill tells the story of a group of | | | | group's observations.Conclusion - Conclude your |
| former 1960s radicals turned | | | | session by stating, "We are all short people in |
| 1980s yuppies who gather to mourn the passing of an | | | | someone's eyes." Then ask the rhetorical question, "If |
| old friend. Like American | | | | none of us were welcome |
| Graffiti, The Big Chill uses pop songs, although in this | | | | around here, who would be left to complete our |
| case, to add commentary to | | | | work?" Start the song and thank |
| the on-screen occurrences.Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It | | | | everyone for attending. Your learners will walk out of |
| Through The Grapevine" accompanied the actors as | | | | the classroom with the song |
| they | | | | and its lyrics firmly implanted in their brains, and you will |
| hear about their friend's passing. "You Can't Always | | | | have closed with a visually |
| Get What You Want" by the | | | | powerful learning point.Given the large number of pop |
| Rolling Stones is played as an ironic commentary on | | | | songs available, the options are limited only by your |
| the friend's death. As the | | | | imagination and the musical preferences of your |
| friends discuss relationships, The Young Rascals | | | | learners. You too can have your |
| "Good Lovin'" is performed. Finally, | | | | learners, in the words of the old song by "M", "talkin' |
| "Bad Moon Rising'" by Credence Clearwater Revival | | | | 'bout pop music."Please respect song owner rights. |
| is played immediately after a | | | | Consult your organization before you use another |
| former lover proposes that she and her old flame | | | | person's musical composition.Visit Lenn on line at |
| reunite for an evening.The best subconscious music | | | | Blog with Lenn at Millbower, BM, MA, the |
| placement occurs in a supermarket between the two | | | | Learnertainment(R) Trainer is an expert in applying |
| former lovers who contemplate rekindling their | | | | show biz techniques to learning. He is the author of |
| relationship. Although their desire | | | | the ASTD Info-Line, Music as a |
| for each other is palpable, both hold back, only | | | | Training Tool, focused on the practical application of |
| conversing about the shopping task | | | | music to learning; Show Biz |
| at hand as the store's Muzak system plays Frank | | | | Training, the definitive book on the application of |
| Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night."Forest Gump tells the | | | | entertainment industry |
| story of a dimwitted man who experiences a series of | | | | techniques to training; Cartoons for Trainers, a popular |
| | | | collection of 75 cartoons for |
| life adventures over several decades. Because the | | | | learning; Game Show Themes for Trainers, a |
| film's extended time frame, the | | | | best-selling CD of original learning |
| music serves to establish the time and | | | | game music; and Training with a Beat: The Teaching |
| place.Credence Clearwater Revival's "Fortunate Son" | | | | Power of Music, the foremost |
| sets up Gump's Vietnam tour. To | | | | book on the application of music to learning. Lenn is an |
| state that Forest's girlfriend has moved to California, | | | | in-demand speaker, with |
| California Dreaming" by the | | | | successful presentations at ASTD 1999-2005 and |
| Mamas and Papas is used. "San Francisco" by Scott | | | | SHRM 2006; a creative and |
| Mackenzie frames Forest's 1960s | | | | dynamic instructional designer and facilitator formally |
| visit to San Francisco. When Forest returns home to | | | | with the Disney University |
| Alabama, Lynyrd Skynyrd's | | | | and Disney Institute; an accomplished |
| "Sweet Home Alabama" is played. These music | | | | arranger-composer skilled in the |
| placements help the films listeners | | | | psychological application of music to learning; a popular |
| comprehend the different locations and eras | | | | comedian, magician and |
| represented in the film.American Graffiti, The Big Chill, | | | | musician; and the president of Offbeat Training(R), |
| and Forest Gump were all highly successful films, | | | | infusing entertainment-based |
| and their pop song application played a huge part in | | | | techniques into learning to keep 'em awake! |
| creating that success. All three | | | | |