This chapter drew attention to the features of songs, to deeper contemplation
about them and their use. Accordingly, it is obvious that songs have a lot of qualities
supporting their significance in language teaching. Songs naturally motivate
students, they can evoke positive atmosphere and they have considerable cultural
significance, as well as they present an inexhaustible source of materials practising
pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary plus all of the four skills.
However, there are three facts I regard as the greatest advantages of songs,
which – together - make this formula: Griffee’s conveying meaning plus personal
quality of songs plus enjoyable drill equals the ability of songs to repeatedly evoke
particular feelings, ideas and experiences, which are more easily memorable and
retroactively visualizable. “The music ties words and motion together and increases
memorability” (T. Murphey, pp. 121, 122).
Malvina Reynolds’s quotation will concisely close this chapter about songs:
“Words make you think a thought. Music makes you feel a feeling. A song makes
you feel a thought.”20