There’s not many things in the world that will automatically make you think of Schoolhouse Rock, but in the pure randomness of the universe I recently remembered it exists, and now I wonder how I could ever forget it.
Schoolhouse Rock is a series of animated musical educational short films, covering themes including grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics and civics. For so much of my childhood these songs were a staple, and I’d sooner know the words to “Conjunction Junction” or “I’m Just a Bill” than “Misery” (Maroon 5) or “TikTok” (Ke$ha).
Frankly, the songs are an absolute bop and transcend genre and subject matter, making things like adverbs and budgeting easy to learn as song lyrics. The catchy music and cute animations impart surprisingly detailed lessons, with specific songs relating to the different parts of the Constitution’s preamble and immigration in America.
There are some important moral teachings in these songs as well, such as diversity, inclusion and social responsibility. These are not preachy, long-winded messages;instead, they are basic assumptions made in the songs that inform the listener.
My favorite set of songs have to do with American History, as the songs take on a style that could sit side-by-side with “Yankee Doodle” and “John Paul Jones,” but much better. This set of songs – classics like “The Great American Melting Pot” and “Shot Heard Round the World” – pair effective lessons with entertaining songs and create a soundtrack that sticks with you long after you’ve first listened to the music.
As a college student, I might not need to memorize a song in order to know what proper nouns are, but hearing the Federal Government referred to as a “three ring circus” is surprisingly accurate for a song made in 1976. It’s like they say, “the more things change, the more things stay the same.” The songs on personal finance might just be the best of the bunch; the song “Dollars and Sense” in particular shows an amazing lesson on savings and loans.
Schoolhouse Rock is a fun series of songs that anyone should listen to. Whether you realize that there’s something from the songs you can learn or if you’re in the mood for some catchy music, check it out on Youtube, Spotify, or try local thrift stores to find it on CD’s and VHS tapes.
