DAY 1: MUSIC-"Working Class Hero", John Lennon

The following song is from the album John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band, which was released on December 11, 1970. The song takes the listener through the typical life of someone raised in the working class. Analyze the tone of the song. Think about what is being said in this song. Do you believe that anything in the song is still applicable in today's society? If so, please explain.



After listening to the song and answering the above questions, write a Journal Entry that discusses one or more of the main ideas that are brought up in the song.

Please excuse the vulgar language:

Working Class Hero, John Lennon

As soon as your born they make you feel small,
By giving you no time instead of it all,
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school,
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool,
Till you're so f***ing crazy you can't follow their rules,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years,
Then they expect you to pick a career,
When you can't really function you're so full of fear,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV,
And you think you're so clever and classless and free,
But you're still f***ing peasants as far as I can see,
A working class hero is something to be,
A working class hero is something to be.

There's room at the top they are telling you still,
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill,
If you want to be like the folks on the hill,
A working class hero is something to be.
A working class hero is something to be.

If you want to be a hero well just follow me,
If you want to be a hero well just follow me.