Top 10 Songs for Spanish Class, 2019
My students have not personally approved every song on this list. But these are the songs I have found since last year that hit the two main requirements:
- Language they can use
- Lyrics they can’t forget
High-frequency ear worms, tat’s the name of the game.
Now routine has become sort of a lifeline for me, and the most reliable procedure I have discovered in my new, larger environment is this song sequence over the course of a week or so (darned A day/B day):
- Lyrics listening exercise (adapted from Dr. Conti’s activities)
- Coro snaps/doodles (what can I say, my kids are kind of arty)
- Kahoot/Quizlet lyrics review
I’ve gone ahead and prepared the Lyrics Listening exercise for all of these, and I figure they should last me until the end of 2018-19. They look like this, but you can get the full set with all of these songs in my TPT store.
1. Lele Pons “Celoso”
Te pones celoso / Si me ves con otro / Yo hago lo que quiero / Yo solo me la gozo
Te pones celoso / Si bailo con otro / Yo no soy de ellos / Ni tuya tampoco
This one has become the most popular, right behind the hit from last year, Maluma’s “Corazón.” There are apparently both positive and negative feelings affecting students’ reactions relating to Vine videos? (I had NO idea this age group would still know about those), but the beat and the message are undeniable. The non-chorus lyrics might be considered risqué in more…vigilant..settings, but, as always, my attention is 100% on the chorus getting irretrievably stuck in their heads.
2. ChocQuibTown “Invencible”
Agarrame fuerte / Nuestro amor es invencible
No importa lo que diga la gente / Tú y yo juntos para siempre
This was one of my students’ top choices this year according to the first-week song survey. The video gives me CHILLS whenever I watch it all the way through. I cry. There is a kiss that could get phone calls in certain schools, so I haven’t movie talked it yet. It would be really cool to, though. I like to tie in the week’s password with the week’s song, and no (me) importa was a handy one.
3. Agus Padilla “Ni tu amiga ni tu amante”
Lo siento / Pues ya nada es como antes
Ya se acabó esta relación / No soy tu amiga ni tu amante
This is my first song coming back from break, and I have to say I was a little ecstatic when my poking around Pinterest and YouTube on the last workday of 2018 led me to this Uruguayan artist. Something about an empowered teenage girl, you know? That’s what I want for my kids. I don’t know how you feel about teaching yours the word amante, but I think it’ll be fine where I am. Lo siento is gonna make a great password though, right??
4. Ozuna y Manuel Turizo “Vaina Loca”
Es que me gustas tú nada más / No me importan las demás
Una vaina loca que me das / Que por más que intento no se va
How about a happy song now? I was a little concerned about having them get “gustas” stuck in their heads, but I think the context could potentially offset the confusion and maybe even help avoid such errors. Also, cannot go wrong with Ozuna. But seriously, what is up with this dude and wrecks? At least this one is not fatal (STILL crying over “Tu Foto,” y’all).
PS Ozuna always makes for good discussion of regionalisms, between his dropped S and the word vaina.
PPS – You should NOT get calls about the couple at the end in the year of our Lord 2019, but, you know, be aware of it.
5. Aitana and Ana Guerra “Malo”
En un chico malo, no, no, no / Para fuera lo malo, no, no, no
Ya no quiero nada malo, no, no, no / En mi vida malo, no, no, no
I really like the empowerment in this song beyond the chorus, too. I almost started the new year with this, but I figured it would be a good step back song, since there is so little new vocabulary.
6. PlaynSkillz “Cuidao”
Tu mamá me dice que para ti yo no soy el tipo
Tu mamá me lo, Tu mamá me lo, Tu mamá me lo dijo “Cuida’o”
7. Abraham Mateo “Mejor que él”
Yo soy mejor que él / Tu madre lo piensa también
Yo sé que tu corazón / Sigue queriéndome
The mom line KILLS me! I like reviewing sé and soy and also getting some emphasis on piensa and mejor for those ready for those ready to expand a bit.
8. Morat “Amor con hielo”
Porque no te debo, no te debo nada
Ya entendí que no te quiero, no te quiero nada
OK, so my students actually rejected this one on the first-week survey. My OWN progeny, however, often request it and go around singing it. Plus I like it. Also it doesn’t hurt to pander a little to the misfit rockers who did vote for it. And, you know, object pronouns.
9. Cali y El Dandee “Sirena”
Te encontraré / Aunque sé bien que si no hay otra
Voy a buscarte en otra boca / Y al final te encontraré
OK, I will probably not use this one with my level 1’s, what with all of the future tense and low-frequency vocabulary and questionable message (“it will be your fault if I die because I can’t touch you”??) The video, however is ADORABLE, and PERFECT movie talk fodder with. Carrie Toth has an awesome lesson for it!
10. Álvaro Soler “Ella”
Ella, si solo supiera, / Ella, y su piel morena,
Ella, ella, ella, / Solo vivo por ella, ella, ella
“Animal” was a pretty big hit with this group, but I’m not certain they would be as into the mellow side of Sr. Soler as I am. But I love him. and I love this song. And it’s simple. And it has description vocabulary and just a touch of fancy subjunctiveness. Plus they really, REALLY need to hear the word ella pronounced as much as possible, and this should do the trick.
PLAYLIST
You know, if you REALLY want to get ’em stuck in their heads!
