Music Choices to Help College Students Cope After Trump Victory (Satire…)
As I watch the news about the tragic emotional horrors on college campuses after the Trump Presidential Victory last week, I cannot help but feel sympathy and empathy for these students. I mean, c’mon. They have to get up each morning knowing that for the next 4 (or 8) years the fascist/bigoted/homophobic/sexist Donald “Hitler” Trump will be in the White House plotting to destroy the country. Then they face unimaginable distress on their walk to class having to potentially see such things like “Trump 2016” written in chalk or buildings named for founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson or Patrick Henry (or if in the south, Robert E. Lee). And if that wasn’t enough, they often have to use gender specific restrooms. How can anyone survive such indecency as these? It’s enough to drive anyone to the point of no return.
So as a concerned citizen, I would like to do my part in helping these children overcome these nightmarish traumas in pre-school – er, on college campus – and get to a happy place. I think this can be achieved through music therapy using the following songs as a starting point.
“A few of my Favorite things” – Julie Andrews. This would be good to use in groups as you let the students share their favorite things in the whole wide world.
“Happy Together” by The Turtles.
“Candy Man” by Sammy Davis Jr. This song would be especially pleasing since it is environmental friendly: “You can even eat the dishes” avoids having to discard them as trash and potentially harm the environment.
“What a wonderful world” by Louis Armstrong.
“Good ol’ Boys” by Waylon Jennings. Oops. Can’t use this one. It was the theme for “The Dukes of Hazzard” and as we all know that is a racist show.
Theme from “Sesame Street”. Who wouldn’t like this one?
“Come and play
Everything’s A-OK
Friendly neighbors there
That’s where we meet
Can you tell me how to get
How to get to Sesame Street?“
“Sunshine, Lollipop and Rainbows” by Leslie Gore (they may think she’s related to Al Gore which would make it really popular).
“C’mon Get Happy” by The Partridge Family.
“I feel good” – James Brown
“What the world needs now is love sweet love” by Jackie DeShannon (well, except when you riot and shout obscenities at those who have a viewpoint other than your own…)
The Barney theme song– ‘I love you, you love me, we’re a happy family…”. Let the healing begin…
“Joy to the world” by Three Dog Night (the one about the frog, not the Christmas song).
“Lazy Day” – Spanky and our Gang:
“What a day for pickin’ daisies, and lots of red balloons.
And what a day for holdin’ hands and bein’ with you.”. Awwww….
“Fun, Fun, Fun” by The Beach Boys. This one could be problematic since it is a car song and cars contribute to global warming.
“Spoonful of Sugar” & “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” by Mary Poppins (yes I know it’s actually Julie Andrews but they probably won’t know the difference). And you could have the students make up their own lyrics, something like: “A spoonful of sugar helps the election results go down…”
OR
“Supercalifragilisticexpi- TRUMP- adocious
Yes the thought of him
Is really quite atrocious”.
The possibilities are endless!
“I love” by Tom T. Hall. This is a forgotten oldie but one that is sure to put a smile on even the saddest face:
“I love little baby ducks, old pickup trucks
Slow-movin’ trains and rain
I love little country streams, sleep without dreams
Sunday school in May and hay
And I love you, too”
“Hooked on a feeling” by Blue Swede
and finally:
“Up Up and Away” by The Fifth Dimension. Maybe those celebrities who promised to leave if Trump got elected could take a hot air balloon ride to their new destination.
As an added bonus, provide each child (aka adult college student and/or faculty member), with Play-Doh, construction paper, crayons and a slinky. The combination of the music and toys should have them back on-keel emotionally in no time.
Or–just discard this entire process and tell them to GROW UP!
