PAUL KELLY - STORIES OF ME - An Australian Voice?

Through exploration of the documentary Paul Kelly – Stories of Me students discover the ways that music reflects Australian society and culture. This lesson includes three sections that focus on a range of Paul Kelly’s songs. Students begin by exploring Paul Kelly’s songs about place through a Socratic-circle style discussion. Students then focus on Paul Kelly’s songs about social change, which are explored through commentary on the Aboriginal Land Rights claim and evaluating the effectiveness of two different protest songs. Students then explore Paul Kelly’s songs about relationships. Language devices and their meaning are explored in a matching activity and applied to Paul Kelly’s song “Careless”.

Key points to explore:

• Songs can reflect the culture and societal values of a country.
• Paul Kelly’s songs are a commentary of what he sees and experiences.
• Music and songs can transform an audience’s viewpoint.