Hotel California meets the Great Gatsby – Music as a teaching resource for literature

The most famous artistic product of the 1920 binge is the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby, a novel about a man who tries to recreate an ideal past in a drunken and materialistic present. It’s one of those books that almost everyone has a strong impression of whether or not they’ve read it, making it difficult for many to approach the story with fresh eyes.

If you are a teacher looking for interesting and relevant ways to delve into The Great Gatsby, why not try something like this for the size? The 1920s were to World War I what the 1970s were to the hippy movement. The unprecedented global carnage that followed the so-called “War to End All Wars” turned disillusioned Americans inward, setting their priorities on money, bootleg liquor and partying. Similarly, after the hippies failed to raise world consciousness with peace, love, and patchouli oil, 1970s America drowned its sorrows in disco music, drugs, and polyester pants.

For homework, have your students compare The Great Gatsby to a 1970 song of the same style. Take, for example, The Eagles’ Hotel Californiaone of the best-selling and most recognizable songs of this (or any) era of American history.

Hotel California features some of the most analyzed and memorized lyrics in rock and roll. If the mystery element means a lot to you, you’ll probably be disappointed to hear Don Henley’s two cents: “It’s basically a song about the darker part of the American dream.” Not that a lot of rock stars knew anything about it. In other words, the symbol of Californian prosperity (when it still existed) stands as a microcosm of American decadence in the 1970s.

The “hotel” (wink, wink) California is not a Motel 6. It has mirrored ceilings, patios, master bedrooms, pink champagne, and snooty guests. The narrator can’t help but notice the seductive woman with a Benz, a mind that is “Tiffany-twisted”, and lots of handsome guys following her. He orders wine, to which the captain replies, “We haven’t had that spirit here since 1969.” Since wine isn’t a spirit (and we bet The Eagles have a basic understanding of alcoholic beverages), let’s go ahead and assume that Henley is referring to some other spirit of 69

In a grisly turn of events, there is a beast-slaying ceremony involving “steel knives”, prompting the narrator to “return to the spot”. [he] it was before”. It is only when it is too late that he realizes that he can “review” but “never leave”. involved.

So let’s review: luxury, substance abuse, a beautiful temptress, materialism, violence, living in the past, and being trapped. Reminds you of someone?

As a general rule, music is one of the best resources for teachers because it can be deeply personal and relatable at the same time. Also, the fact that the lyrics are often very open to interpretation means that your students will be putting in a lot more work than they think.