Triadelphia Ridge ES 2014

Triadelphia Ridge Elementary School, Ellicott City MD

Here are the seven songs written by grades 3 & 4 in my parody songwriting residency at Triadelphia ES. Students in grade 3 wrote about Heat, Light and Sound from the science curriulum, and grade 4 classes wrote about Maryland History, including the War of 1812, slavery, the Civil War, Fort McHenry, etc. The grade 3 songs lyrics are first:

Mr Buzzerd’s class: Parody of Best Song Ever by One Direction

Maybe it’s the way sun blinds me.

Over at the beach we hated!

Cooler wasn’t cool enough.

We were really frustrated!

I wish we could go home right now.

Translucent glasses might show me how.

And we camped all day on the worst trip ever!

We got sunburned ‘cause we weren’t too clever.

Our transparent tents couldn’t stand the weather.

Our opaque glasses made us crash together.

I think we went, “OW, OW, OW!”

I think we went, “OH, OH, OH,!”

I didn’t go, “wow…”

Feet are burning in the sand.

Jumped and washed them in the water.

Now my feet are nice and cool.

Sand must be a good conductor.

Our opaque tent won’t let us see.

And we had to pay a parking fee.

And we slept all night on the worst trip ever!

We saw every fish but we couldn’t catch ‘em.

We lit a fire and cooked it together.

We burn our dinner and it wasn’t clever.

I think I want to go home.

Mr. Buzzerd went, “OW, OW, OW!”

I want to go home…..

It hurt when I got stung by that jellyfish.

It hurt when I got a really bad sunburn.

Dinner was a really bad horrible dish.

I know we shouldn’t have gone to this really hot beach.

No, No, NO, I hate this beach

And we camped all night at the worst beach ever!

And we hoped and hoped, but it never got better.

The fire went out ‘cause of horrible weather.

‘Cause we camped all night at the worst beach ever.

I think we went, “OW, OW, OW!”

I think we went “OUCH, OUCH, OUCH!”

I think it goes…..

Mr Kuykendall’s class - parody of Happy by Pharrell Williams

Verse 1 

It might seem silly what I’m ‘bout to say

We were on a boat the other day

It was hot and bright and we were cast away

But with science, I don’t care.  It will be okay.

Chorus 1

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you feel like the heat is a big concern

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you feel like you got a bad sunburn

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you think the sun is very bright

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you think we have plenty of light

Verse 2

We got lost on the ship by the bay, yeah

We used heat, light and sound to find our way, yeah

Build a fire to radiate heat, yeah

Tracking vibrations to catch our meat

Chorus 2

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you want to go in the shade and cool

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you want to swim in an enormous pool

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if you feel like the light is bugging your eyes

Because it’s sunny

Clap along if the sun is bright and the temperature’s gonna rise

Bridge

(Sound, heat and light,     sound, heat     and light)

--Chirping     sounds     of blue 

(So bright, so bright,     so bright, so bright)

birdsPara-    dise the sun’s so 

(Sound, heat and light,     sound, heat         and light)

    brightGiant     rocks to spell out 

(So bright, so bright,     so bright, so bright)

words S.O.    S.         help us live

Ms Russell’s class - parody of Treasure by Bruno Mars

Give us your, give us your, give us your flashlight students

The power went out and it’s so dark in our room

Let’s remember our heat and light experiment

If we don’t get light it’ll mean our certain doom

Oh, whoa, oh-oh, oh-oh

I know that you don’t know it, but it’s dark so dark (dark so dark)

Oh, whoa, oh-oh, oh-oh

Boy, we’ll be grateful when the power sparks (power sparks)

Some light, that is what we need

Yes, a flashlight will succeed

I know you can get us needed light

To face this horrible fright

To face this horrible fright, oh, oh

Very cold, very cold, very cold since the outage

We aren’t getting any heat in here

That’s all I need, just want some heat

With electric radiation heat’ll be near

Oh no-o-oooo

The power went out and it’s very dark, dark, dark (dark, dark, dark)

Oh, no, oh-oh, oh-oh

We need wood to make an amber spark, spark, spark (spark, spark, spark)

Fire, that is what we need

We really need some heat

We’re going to make it radiate

It will make us feel so great

It will make us feel so great, oh, ohhh

I need a flashlight, I need a flashlight

I feel so blind, I can’t get out the door

I need a heat source, I need a heat source

Is there a blow-torch laying on the floor?

Heat source, that is what you are

Honey you’re my burning star

I know you can make my light burn bright

Let me borrow your flashlight

Let me borrow your flashlight-ight-ight

Ms Thompson’s class - parody of On Top of the World by Imagine Dragons - April 2014

We’re on Top of the Fort

verse 1:

If you want our country

You’ll have to take it with some force

You will not win without a fight

They will be sorry for this mess

It just depends on us

We’re gonna put in all our might

I’ve seen the biggest bombs

I’ve lived the longest nights

We’ve breathed the smoky air

pre-chorus:

We take the pain but don’t give up

chorus 1:

‘Cause we are winning this war, ay

We are winning this war, ay

Loading our muskets and firing

Fighting for our freedom

Our food is expiring

Living here is so tiring

Long way from a miracle

All the Red Coats are whining

‘Cause we are winning this war

verse 2:

I’ve tried to cut these ropes

Tried to run but I can’t hide now

I kept on running into people

They won’t let me give up now

I have to hold onto hope now

Harriet Tubman come and save me

pre-chorus:

We take the pain but don’t give up

chorus 2:

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m fighting for freedom a while now

Giving my life to the world

I’ve been tryin’ to survive, ay

Protect Maryland for a while, ay

Take you with me if I can

Been watching the flag since a child

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort

chorus tag:

Boo - ooh - ooh - ooh ooh ooh - oom, the Red Coats, are coming

Boo - ooh - ooh - ooh ooh ooh - oom, the Red Coats, are coming

chorus 3:

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m fighting for freedom a while now

Giving my life to the world

I’ve been tryin’ to survive, ay

Protect Maryland for a while, ay

Take you with me if I can

Been watching the flag since a child

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort

bridge:

I hear all these shots and bombs all around

You see all these people layin’ on the ground

Let’s win now, let’s win, let’s win now

I still see our flag flyin’ around

And I’m on the ground with an aching pound

Let’s win now, let’s win, let’s win now

chorus 4:

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m on top of the fort, ay

I’m fighting for freedom a while now

Giving my life to the world

I’ve been tryin’ to survive, ay

Protect Maryland for a while, ay

Take me with you if you dare

Been watching the flag since a child

‘Cause I’m on top of the fort

Mrs Oxenham’s class - parody of Let Her Go by Passenger - April 2014

chorus 1:

Only need the flag when you’re fighting wars

British dropping bombs on Maryland shores

We don’t want your useless taxes anymore

Well the British rob me when I buy some tea

Commander Barney will help us be free

You’re feeling terrible ‘bout slavery

‘bout slavery

verse 1:

We need freedom from the British mess,

Started a war to save our happiness

We started to like them less and less

Why did they fire bombs over the bay?

We are sure the make the British pay

It was surely the worst day

chorus 2:

But you only need some coal when you’re train is slow

You only need to ride on the B and O

Railroad take you where you wanna go

We all know you need to ride on the B and O

You only miss the train when you’re on a boat

Railroad can take you where you wanna go

verse 2:

Shooting at the soldiers in the fort

Hoping we never have to abort

‘Cause peace comes slow and it goes so fast

Well the North tried to end slavery

And when they attacked the South had to flee

But the Yankees had the victory

chorus 3:

You only need canals when you’re feeling slow

Only miss the boat when it has to go

You only need a mule to help it flow

We’re in the Civil War and we need some dough

Transported goods like baggages and coal

Why don’t you come work for C and O

coda:

Come along on the C and O

Oh, oh, oh

Come along on the B and O

Ms Haag’s class - parody of Team by Lorde

intro:

It’s the Civil War

We will risk our lives for freedom

We’ll be armed for battle

We’ll fight the southern states, to end slavery

Yeah we will win, we will win, we will win…

verse 1:

We’re on this awful ship, One hundred cents for me

Ten thousand cents for all, I’ve left my coun-ter-y

Now separated, from my family

Now I am all alone, no one to comfort me

Working in the fields all day

Don’t even get any pay

I am not allowed to have any say

chorus 1:

We live on plantations, our masters are so mean

Not very happy but we really want to be free

Sittin’ on the battlefield, waitin’ for enemies

And you know it’s called, the Civil War

I’m kinda’ thinkin’ twenty-three thousand soldiers died in a day

It’s bad

verse 2:

The Northerners they hoped, to end slavery

Through the underground railroad

There were re-bell-i-ons, raging across the East

‘Cause all the slaves want, to be released

chorus 2:

We live in war you’ll never see us slaves

Not very fun but we sure know how to be brave

Livin’ in cabins, followin’ the star to escape

And I hope we can get away

I’m kinda’ over gettin’ told that I’m so horrible and dumb

Freedom

I’m kinda’ over getting told that this day would finally come

Freedom

chorus 3:

We live on plantations, our masters are so mean

Not very happy but we really want to be free

Sittin’ on the battlefield, waitin’ for enemies

And you know it’s called the Civil War

coda:

The painful Civil War

And you know it’s the bloodiest war

The painful Civil War

Painful War, Civil war, hurtful war

Mr Finnegan’s class - parody of I Knew You Were Trouble by Taylor Swift

verse 1:

Once upon a time, two centuries ago

You locked me in a cell, 

You took me, you sold me, you hurt me - ee - ee - ee - ee

I guess you didn’t care, about me anyways

You were selfish, back in those days

You sold me, you sold me, you sold, me - ee - ee - ee - ee

pre-chorus 1:

Slaves were lo - o - o - ong gone

And we le - e - e - et them free

And I re - e - e - alize the blame is on me

chorus 1:

‘Cause I knew you were making me work all day

So shame on me now 

Oh, figured I would have to run away

Till you chained me down, oh

You tried to sell me almost every day

So shame on you now

Ship me off places where i get no pay

Now I’m lying on the cold hard ground

Oh, oh, southern trouble, trouble

Oh, oh, southern, trouble, trouble

verse 2:

No apologies, you never care for me

You don’t even know I’m planning to be free

I will be whipped, I will be whipped, I will be whipped, whipped whipped whipped whipped

I think that I’ll move on, to a safe house on the road

Underground railroad, with many secret codes

Harriet please come save me - ee - ee - ee

pre-chorus 1:

Slaves are lo - o - o - ong gone

They should be free - ee - ee

‘Cause that’s how it’s supposed to be

chorus 2:

bridge:

And the saddest slave comes creeping in

And Harriet helped me, and her, and everyone, and everything

In Mar - y - land

chorus 3:

coda:

I knew you were Southern when you walked in

Southern Rebel trouble

I knew you were Southern when you walked in

Southern Rebel trouble