Listening for Age: Analyzing Song Lyrics’ Messages about Age and Aging

Abstract

Ideas about age pervade popular culture, including songs. They convey “age messages” – in other words, ideas about particular ages or life stages or about the experience of growing older. The ideas are often consistent with those that are dominant in society, like the assumption that “youth” is a positive life stage while “old age” is the...

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Details

Subject Area(s):

Aging/Social Gerontology

Resource Type(s):

Class Activity

Class Level(s):

Any Level

Class Size(s):

Any

Usage Notes

This assignment was developed for an undergraduate ageism course integrating life course sociology, age studies, and gerontology. It examines how age inequality manifests and operates – and compares it with other inequalities (e.g., gender, race) receiving more attention from sociologists. Ageism is more socially accepted, which introduces challenges...

Learning Goals and Assessments

Learning Goal(s):

1. 1. Identify and summarize song lyrics that convey an age message
2. 2. Describe the song's age message
3. 3. Explain how the message relates to dominant views of age or aging
4. 4. Explain how the message reinforces (or challenges) ageism

Goal Assessment(s):

1. 1. Students identify an age message and summarize relevant lyrics
2. 2. Students accurately describe the age message
3. 3. Students accurately explain the message's (in)consistency with dominant views of age or aging
4. 4. Student accurately explain how the message reinforces (or challenges) ageism