Students Write the Blues

Singing the Roaring 20’s Blues

Blues Format:
One Line

Repeated

3rd line ends in a rhyme



Speakeasy Blues

I’m drinking at the speakeasy

And the cops found out

(repeat)

I should have followed the law, that’s what it’s all about!



Bootlegger Blues

I am a bootlegger

And I got locked up

I said that I am a bootlegger

And I got locked up

I needed some money

That is what’s up!



Radio Blues

My radio won’t turn on

I missed my favorite show

REPEAT

I guess I’ll take a nap

Because this really blows



Bootlegging Blues

Oh! I got caught bootlegging

Last night on the street

Oh! I got caught bootlegging

Last night on the street

My Mama found out- I might just get beat!



Movie Blues

The movie won’t play

So I’m here today

The movie won’t play

So I’m here today

My mom won’t let me go back

So, I’m running away!



No Money Blues

We ain’t got no money

to buy a radio

We ain’t got no money

to buy a radio

If I just had some money,

I would have somewhere to go!



Bootlegging Criminal Blues

I’m a bootlegging criminal,

I wanna make some cash

I’m a bootlegging criminal,

I wanna make some cash

The cops came a running,

and I made a mad dash!



Hairdryer Blues

I was drying my hair

and the power went out.

I was drying my hair

and the power went out.

I am just sitting here

and my date is waiting about!

Model T Blues

My Model T is messed up

and I want to go to the movies

My Model T is messed up

and I want to go to the movies

I wish I could go

because It was so groovy!





Nickelodeon Blues

We went to a Nickelodeon And had no money

We went to a Nickelodeon

And had no money

Wanted to see that movie

We heard it was funny



Prohibition Blues

The 18th Amendment says I can’t drink alcohol

REPEAT

But I’m drinkin right now, so I guess I broke the law

Gotta hide my alcohol, in my big black boot

REPEAT

Selling it to bars, now I got a hunk a loot!



Car Blues

My Model T won’t start

I can’t go to the movies

REPEAT

I wish I could go

cause they just came out with Talkies!





Prison Blues

I’m sitting here in prison

‘Cause I sold alcohol

I’m sitting here in prison

‘Cause I sold alcohol

Get me out of prison

‘Cause I won’t break the law



Model T Blues

I woke up this morning, and my Model T won’t crank.

I woke up this morning, and my Model T won’t crank.

I guess I’ll fix it

when I get to the bank!



Bootlegger Blues

I shouldn’t be a bootlegger

and I don’t need to drink

I shouldn’t be a bootlegger

and I don’t need to drink

The cops are going to come

and jail is going to stink



Model T Blues

My Model T won’t crank

I got to go to the store

My Model T won’t crank

I got to go to the store

I guess I got to fix it

Or it won’t work anymor

Roaring Twenties Day

Writing the BLUES!!!

Another SUCCESSFUL Roaring 20's Day! The students dressed up and looked like they were a part of the 20's! What a fabulous day they had writing the BLUES, learning to dance the CHARLESTON and experiencing all kinds of entertainment from the 20's. But what we have already learned is that the Roaring 20's did not last long- the Great Depression was right around the corner. We will have Great Depression Day on Wednesday, February 15th, so go ahead and plan on wearing clothes that make you look like a hobo! (The students love this every year we have done it!) They will get to stand in a breadline, participate in a stock market simulation game, hear some Fireside Chats with FDR, and MORE!

Here is a short little ROUGH clip of some of the students showing off their dance moves from Roaring 20s day!

What theStudents Say about Roaring 20s and Great Depression Days

Roaring 20's day was all around fun. The best part was the dressing up.Other than that, was in Mr.P's and Mr.Cole's room where we learned about the new inventions time of 1920.Great Depression day was awesome, too. This time I went out of my way to dress up.The best class was Mrs.Bracken's because we watched clips of old time movies. I learned a great deal of knowledge on each day.-Roman

Roaring 20's day was fun. The best thing about it was the part when we had to dress up. So than that it was melancholy because everything was destroyed. All of the farmers were having to reform their lives. I learned that only $1 dollar was alot to all of the unemployed people.-Dabrejha

Roaring 20's day was fun. Everybody dressed up in flapper dresses and suits. In Mr.Cole and Mr.P's class we learned about inventions in the 1920's.That was fun. We also had Great Depression day. The whole fifth grade dressed as hobos, also we were poor, so it wasn't very great because in Mrs.Bracken's class we had to wait in bread line. Some of us didn't get but a little and some didn't get anything. So I felt sorry for people who didn't get anything. Those 2 days were fun days.-Destini

I learned a lot about the great depression and how the stock market crashed and we went to alot of classes and learned about FDR and about how he fixed the problems during the great depression.
-Hunter

I learned alot of things about roaring 20's and the great depression. Let's start with the roaring 20's.There is something really neat that you probably don't know that the cake walk was invented by the African Americans. They were making fun of their owner's . And then the owner's loved it so much they started to do it. And they did not know they were making fun of themselves. A fun thing that we did was we made poem's and we learned the Charleston, and for the great depression we dressed up as hobos. And we learned that we have it a lot easier now then they did back then and we should be thankful.
-by :Kristian

I love dress up days because we get to see what it is like in ALL the class rooms. I learn so many things in exotic ways. I really enjoyed Roaring 20's day because it was so cool to be able to learn the Charleston and learn how to write the blues at school! I also really enjoyed dressing up! I loved Great Depression day because it was good to see how the people of that time actually got by. My favorite part of Great Depression day was Mr.Cole and Mr.Pearson's station. We played a game with stocks where we had to buy and sell off stocks. I now understand how depressing this time was. ---- Parker

The Great Depression day is the best in my opinion because we got to do a lot more things as well the classes were longer, for example Mr.Pearson and Mr.Cole's class. My favorite class was Mrs.Bracken's because at the end we had to wait in a line for food and did not know who was and wasn't going to get food. Now I fully know what they went through.----Umbrion

Roaring 20s and the Great Depression

Last Wednesday and today, we had ROARING TWENTIES DAY and GREAT DEPRESSION DAY! All the fifth grade students dressed up each day like they would have if they lived during that time period. For the Roaring 20s Day, they experienced DANCING the Charleston, writing and singing the blues and learning about Jazz music and musicians. For Great Depression Day, the students learned about the Dust Bowl, entertainment during the Depression, played a stock market simulation game, and heard some of Roosevelt's Fireside chats. WOW!!! History sure did come to life for our fifth graders!

Please Don't Stop the Music

Please Don’t Stop the Music- Roaring 20’s, Great Depression, and the New Deal
Written by: Mrs. Bracken’s Social Studies Classes ’08-‘09
Calhoun Academy of the Arts
Anderson, SC
Sing to: Rhianna’s Don’t Stop the Music

It’s Roaring 20’s
Life is changing due to new technology
Americans are buying Ford’s Model T
It’s perfect for one person or a whole family- it’s affordable- yeah

Assembly line
It’s mass production now they’re working all the time
Economy is boomin’
We’re not in a bind
Hairdryers, Mixers, fridges--- oh just let it be
Electricity

Airplanes, radios, and movies
We call them new technologies
It’s 1920 and the party here has just brought many
We’re going to the movies, silent 1st then Talkies
Entertainment
Sports and Shows
Listen to the radio

I’m in the Roaring 20’s
Lots of things are changing
Some good and some bad
Prohibition happened
Alcohol’s illegal
to make, sell or drink it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the

I’m in the Roaring 20’s
Lots of things are changing
Some good and some bad
Prohibition happened
Alcohol’s illegal
to make, sell or drink it
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music.

Man, we weren’t ready for what happened next.
Black Tuesday is a day I wish I could forget
Stock Market Crash and now the banks are closedEconomy- no money

How could this have happened?
We’re in a Great Depression
And now we’re living in a shantytown
with no progression.
We’re waiting in a line
It really hurts my pride.
We are annoyed and I’m tired of being unemployed.


I’m in the Great Depression
Lots of things are changing.
How did it get so bad?
I just can’t get through it
I’m about to lose it
Can I keep on going?
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the

I’m in the Great Depression
Lots of things are changing
How did it get so bad?
I just can’t get through it
I’m about to lose it
Can I keep on going?
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music.

Now it is FDR’s turn
Let’s stop all the problems
With the New Deal laws
The 3 R’s should do it
We will make it through it
Now we have more money

Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the
Please don’t stop the music.