Minds On
Today’s vocabulary
Press the following tab to access today’s vocabulary.
A protest song is a form of activism. It is a way to raise awareness of social, political, or environmental issues to support bringing about change.
Let’s get started
Calls to action
Access the following video to explore the song “Escarpment Blues” by Sarah Harmer. Think about what the purpose of this song might be and what the lyrics mean. Record your answer in a method of your choice.
Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
Consider each line of this verse and how they connect with each other.
- What is the hole that Sarah is referencing?
- What clues are you using to support your thinking?
If possible, share your ideas with a partner.
Action
Get ready, get set…
Lyrics as activism
The musical excerpt that you explored in Minds On is an example of how music can be used to raise awareness about an issue. It demonstrates how music can promote activism and change.
A protest song is a form of activism. It is a way to raise awareness of social, political, or environmental issues to support bringing about change.
Two teachers talking. The first teacher says:
What genres of music are associated with protest songs?
The second teacher responds:
Folk music, classical music, and the blues are genres that are typical for protest songs.
Some topics that protest songs have been written about are the labour movement, human rights movements, anti-war movements, the feminist movement, animal rights movement, and environmentalism. Protest songs can be found from many places around the world and have existed for centuries.
Here are a few examples of protest songs over the centuries:
- In the late 1700s, people advocated for women’s rights using feminist protest songs such as “Rights of Woman,” which was a reworking of “God Save the Queen.”
- Completed in 1824, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” supported peace and freedom.
- Folk and blues artists in the 20th century raised awareness of social injustices.
Press ‘Definition’ to learn more about folk music.
Folk music is popular music based on traditional music of and about the people in a country or region. Some forms of folk music are played around the world. It is typically played on traditional instruments and is passed down from generation to generation.
Press ‘Definition’ to learn more about the blues.
Originating in the Southern United States, the blues is a musical genre that was developed by African Americans who used the music of their African roots.
During the 1960s, there was an increase in the creation and production of music promoting activism. In the 1970s, soul music started to overtake folk music as the voice for social consciousness. Another voice of protest music is the punk movement, which was popular in the UK in the 1970s and continued into the 1990s. In the 1980s and 1990s, socially conscious rap music started to emerge.
Press ‘Definition’ to learn more about soul music.
Soul music is a genre of music that combines rhythm, blues, and gospel music. It originated in African American communities throughout the United States.
Press ‘Definition’ to learn more about punk rock.
Punk rock is a music genre that appeared in the 1970s. Its purpose was self-expression and individual freedom in music, which set this genre apart from popular rock music.
How is “Escarpment Blues” protest music?
Two teachers talking. The first teacher says:
Do you know Sarah Harmer?
The second teacher responds:
Yes. She is a Canadian singer-songwriter who grew up in Burlington, Ontario. She is also known as an environmental activist.
Let’s explore the musical excerpt from Minds On and identify how this song uses elements of protest music.
The title of the piece is significant to understanding the messaging in this song, as well as understanding what was happening in the area when this song was written. The title of this piece is “Escarpment Blues” and it’s from Sarah Harmer’s album, I’m a Mountain.
The escarpment area that this piece is referring to is the Niagara Escarpment.
Sarah Harmer and other residents around the Mount Nemo Conservation Area, which is north of Burlington, Ontario, advocated to stop a limestone quarry from expanding another 80 hectares and digging into the forested area near their farms.
The residents formed PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Land) and worked to protect significant woodlands, species’ habitats, and the local watershed that runs down the escarpment to Lake Ontario.
Exploring the lyrics
Now that we understand the context of what was happening when this song was written, let’s explore the lyrics and how they connect to the situation.
The excerpt that we explored had the following lyrics:
“Escarpment Blues”
If they blow a hole in my backyard,
Everyone is gonna run away,
The creeks won’t flow to the Great Lakes below,
Will the water in the wells still be okay?
Pause and Reflect
Reflecting on lyrics
How might these lyrics connect to the Niagara Escarpment and the expansion of the quarry?
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to reveal some ways that the lyrics relate to the Niagara Escarpment and the expansion of the quarry.
The lyrics refer to “my backyard,” which is a reference to Harmer growing up in the area where the expansion of a limestone quarry is being threatened. The “everyone” that she refers to who are running away would be all of the species of animals that use that forested area as their habitat. The idea that the creeks won’t flow to the Great Lakes below is examining how disrupting this land can affect the local watershed, which currently feeds into the Great Lakes, particularly Lake Ontario. Harmer leaves us with the question, “Will the water in the wells still be okay?”
Most landowners around this area rely on well water as their main source of water. When the watershed is disrupted, it is possible that they will dry up. If this watershed is disrupted from the planned quarry expansion, the residents in the area would be left to question if their personal wells would dry up or not.
“Escarpment Blues” is a protest song that raises awareness about the issues surrounding the expansion of the limestone quarry along the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario.
The importance of lyrics to activism
When an artist is attempting to raise awareness through their music, lyrics are an important part of their message.
The lyrics in a song help to share specific information and ideas with the audience. In protest music, it is also helpful for the audience to understand the context of the song to connect with the social justice issue that the lyrics are addressing.
Go!
Explore another verse
Take a moment and access the following video to explore the lyrics from a different excerpt of “Escarpment Blues.”
Pause and Reflect
Pause and reflect
Understanding lyrics
Now that you understand the social justice issue that Sarah Harmer is sharing, explain what these lyrics might mean.
Record your ideas in a method of your choice.
Press ‘Answer’ to reveal a few possible meanings to the lyrics.
Sarah is stating that the quarry has already begun their work. She states this by pointing out that she knows they are now going to have to fix the roads. If they keep building and developing this quarry, as mentioned when she says, “another hole in the escarpment,” then the animals and plants that belong there will lose their homes. I know this because Sarah refers to “the wild ones” and states that “they won’t have anywhere to go,” meaning they will lose their homes.
Consolidation
Putting it all together
There are many musicians like Sarah Harmer who have used their voice and music to spread awareness about environmental issues.
It’s your turn to select a protest song of your choice and conduct independent research to understand how the song was developed.
Safety reminder
Be sure to only read information on sites such as the artist’s own website, if possible, or verified websites such as encyclopedias or trustworthy music websites.
Use the following steps to guide you through the activity:
Step 1: Learn about the musician that wrote your chosen piece to help you understand why they wrote and performed this song.
Step 2: Analyze the lyrics of your chosen song, working with at least one verse of the song.
Step 3: After you have analyzed your chosen lyrics, consider what factors may have influenced this artist to compose this piece of music.
Press ‘Hints’ to access some helpful tips for this activity.
Use clues in the lyrics to help support your analysis and refer to the Action section for examples using “Escarpment Blues.”
When considering the influences behind the lyrics, recall from the Action section that Sarah Harmer composed “Escarpment Blues” to bring awareness to the environmental issues that were taking place because of the quarry development. In this case, it would be helpful to explore the entire song and link it to what the artist is passionate about.
As you complete this activity in a method of your choice, use this checklist to guide you through the analysis.
Protest song analysis checklist
Reflection
As you read the following descriptions, select the one that best describes your current understanding of the learning in this activity. Press the corresponding button once you have made your choice.
I feel…
Now, expand on your ideas by recording your thoughts using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.
When you review your notes on this learning activity later, reflect on whether you would select a different description based on your further review of the material in this learning activity.