Stories for teachers

HI! My name’s Elena Sofia and I’m 12 years old, almost 13. Music is part of my life even from before when I was born. My mother, in fact, used to put headphones on her baby bump and so she made me listen to her idols. They were the Genesis, Paolo Nutini, Pino Daniele, the U2... Music, for me, was not only that of my mother, but also some cartoon themes such “LA PIMPA” or “SAM FIREFIGHTER”, “THE SMALL TRAIN CALLED THOMAS”, and most of all the “TELETUBBIES”, “HOLLY AND BENJI” and “UFO ROBOT” …. These songs were driving me mad! I used to listen to them with my brother Pier, because Stefano, my other brother, wasn’t born yet, but now he likes them too. After having watched an episode from the Holly and Benji TV series, Pier and I were trying to imitate the two football players and were singing the theme louder and louder.

I also like a Prince’s song called “KISS”, which is kind of an erotic song …. I know that many people could judge me for the lyrics of this song, but I don’t really care about it. Let’s say it was the first real song I’ve ever listened to. When I first listened to it I was four years old, and the song was written long time before, in 1986.

My favourite songs are 2:

  1. THE MAN WHO CAN’T BE MOVED by The Script
  2. THRIFT SHOP by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis and Wanz.

I didn’t imagine that the first song would have become my favourite song, and I don’t know why I like it so much, since its lyrics don’t represent me that much.This song is about a great love story . The singer goes to the place where he first met his ex-girlfriend and he waits there until she comes back. The words are: ‘People talk about the guy that's waiting on a girl. There are no holes in his shoes but a big hole in his world’. The second song is very different.

The message Macklemore (the author) wants to communicate is that you can be ‘cool’ even without wearing expensive clothes and gadgets. ‘Thrift Shop’ is the american name for the shop where you can buy things with very few money, just 99 cents.

I like this song because it gives me strength and will to smile in difficult moments. The authors with whom I grew up and which I love are: Eminem, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, J Balvin, Bee Gees, U2, Duran Duran, Wham!, Sam Smith, …. And many others! My favourite band is U2 and the song I prefer is:”Song for someone”, because it talks about diversity, and I like it. My favourite singer is Charlie Puth. It’s a young man, born in 1991, but his songs are really amazing. The ones I like most are “One call away”, “See you again” e “Dangerously”. I feel really represented by the title of the last song: ‘Dangerously’. I don’t know why, but I feel it belongs to me. As you may have understood, I’m not fond of Italian music. I like just two Italian singers: Jovanotti and Ermal Meta. My brothers and me used to listen to Jovanotti before going to school when we were attending the primary school, and we used to feel happy and cheerful while listening to Jovanotti’s songs. I like Ermal Meta too: he has an amazing voice and the lyrics of his songs are beautiful. I think the Ermal Meta’s song which most represents me is “Non mi avete fatto niente” (You didn’t anything to me). It is about a terrorist attack and the fear of it: the author says to the terrorists that they didn’t change anything in his everyday life.

Music has two roles for me: it consoles me and makes me dream, and it pleases me too. It is and it will always be a big part of me.

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