Writing the World's Worst Country Music Song --for a grade!

Yesterday, in Brit Lit, we took a brief look at the ballad form. We read a few from the textbook, things like "Sir Patrick Spens" and "Get Up and Bar the Door." Then, we went to youtube, where I selected some more modern ballads, such standards as "Margaritaville," "Gonna Hire a Wino," and "Friends in Low Places." We talked about what makes a ballad, structure-wise: things like telling a story, having a repeated or incremental refrain, etc. 

Then, I let them loose with a challenge: using five required elements (momma, dog, truck, prison, and alcohol), they had to create the world's worst country music ballad. Three verses, refrain, and all-- and they could do this with a partner. They also had to be able to either act it out or sing it-- perform in some way. All in 25 minutes. 

The results were hilarious. One had a released inmate wanting to return to prison, because he missed his jailer, Becky from Kentucky (who had a dog on the porch). They were reunited through a routine traffic stop. Another had chicken strips and mac n' cheese involved in the refrain. 

Did they learn about ballad form, at least a little? Yes. In our debrief discussion afterwards, they were able to make those connections between the ballads from tradition, the ones I played for them, and their own absurd quick-write efforts. 

This was a graded assignment, by the way. And they had a lot of fun doing it. They were astonished that this seemingly silly exercise counted for a grade. 

Sometimes, learning is just that much fun!

Hope you have a good day, and if you choose to accept the challenge, send me what you come up with.

C