![](https://joy.org.au/avatar/blog-157-256.png)
Literacy And Literature
Hi Listeners,
After last week’s frivolous offering we take a more erudite approach this week. Our theme is ‘Literacy and Literature’. The basis for all reading, writing, speaking and books is words. So we have two songs with that title. Pat Boone sang ‘Words’ in the late fifties and the Bee Gee’s produced one of the most favoured karaoke songs ‘Words’ later. There are also songs about reading (If You Could Read My Mind by Gordon Lightfoot), an unusual talking song from Clint Eastwood (I Talk To The Trees) and writing (I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter) by Billy Williams.
Other connected literacy songs are ‘Please Mr Postman’ from the Carpenters, a wonderful version of ‘Love Letters’from Ketty Lester and an early Neil Sedaka hit, ‘The Diary’. Songs about books can be found throughout too. Perhaps the definitive song about a book is Kate Bush’s ghostly lament from Cathy, the heroine of Emily Bronte’s ‘Wuthering Heights’. A more disturbing performance from The Cure is ‘Killing An Arab’ based on Camus’ existentialist novel ‘The Outsider’. Finally, there is Oliver’s tribute to Muriel Spark’s book ‘The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie’ in his song ‘Jean’ which was later turned into a film starring Maggie Smith.
Playlist
- The Legend Of Xanadu – Dave,Dee,Dozy,Beaky,Mick and Tich
- Words – Pat Boone
- IF You Could Read My Mind – Gordon Lightfoot
- Killing An Arab – The Cure
- Words – Bee Gees
- Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush
- I Talk To The Trees – Clint Eastwood
- Jean – Oliver
- Please Mr Postman – Carpenters
- The Diary – Neil Sedaka
- Love Letters – Ketty Lester
- I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter – Billy WIlliams
RECENT PODCAST
![Alone and Lonely](https://joy.org.au/avatar/blog-157-256.png)
Alone and Lonely
This episode features songs about loneliness and being alone. Songwriters like to write about emotions. One popular theme is to write ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 55:00 — 50.4MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
![Pop Songs In Advertisements](https://joy.org.au/avatar/blog-157-256.png)
Pop Songs In Advertisements
Companies often use music, be it a jingle or a soundtrack, to advertise their brand, product or service. POP SONGS IN ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:30 — 49.9MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS
![Not A Love Song](https://joy.org.au/avatar/blog-157-256.png)
Not A Love Song
In this program we’ve avoided any songs concerned with love or loving relationships. The program starts with the rather outrageous Arthur ...
LISTEN TO PODCAST NOW
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:35 — 49.1MB)
Subscribe or Follow Us: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | RSS