10 Songs for Spanish Class for 2018
Music is the magic bullet for all language learning. Whether it’s my daughter’s endless loop of counting and color and Christmas songs from her bilingual kindergarten classes or Sr. Wooly songs that end up in student presentations about the music that best represents them (“Puedo ir al baño”–not even kidding), the earworm always wins. I mean, Maná was better than my professors in college.
But for me and my classes, it has got to be the pop songs. I don’t feel right recycling them year after year, though. I mean, I will still play on their musical memory with a non-icebreaker version of “Hasta el amanecer,” but I feel like I owe it to my students to find something fresh to tantalize them, to start the year off right, and to give them something to look forward to.
~Top 10 for 2018~
Porque soy libre y hago lo que quiera.
Vivo la vida a mi manera.
Porque soy libre y hago lo que quiera.
Vivo la vida a mi manera.
Porque soy libre, porque soy libre.
Can I just say, this one checks SO many boxes. We’ve got a woman singer, a little cumbia, a super simple and catchy chorus, perfect non-love-song Friday feelings, AND it’s from URUGUAY! Who knew, right? It’s super comprehensible overall, but my plan is to get the chorus stuck in their heads and maybe discuss why a summer video like this came out in December.
Toc Toc, abre la puerta.
Toc Toc, saca tu loco a pasear .
Abrelala Abrelalala.
Toc Toc, abre la puerta.
Toc Toc, saca tu loco a pasear.
Abrelala Abrelalala.
I really want to see the movie this is from (though some reviewers think it mocks the disorders it depicts), but it looks like it just came out a couple months ago in Spain. Still, it might help with some of the blank looks I get when I want to stay in the TL and need someone to handle the classroom door situation…
First of all, I’m a little geeked out that there is some Portuguese in this song–and I understood it! Also, it’s nice to find a Maluma song and video that won’t get me fired. Who doesn’t love a little clean Colombian reggaeton? Also, this could potentially lead to some interesting gender role/relationship discussions with the right comprehensible questions.
Yo soy un colombiano, yo soy americano
Yo soy un ciudadano del mundo
Yo soy un mexicano, yo soy dominicano
De la misma raza, el mismo color
¡Baila, baila! Qué para bailar no necesitas lengua
¡Baila, baila! Vamos a bailar en la misma fiesta
I mean, how can you deny the group behind “Soy yo,” right? Also, again, what a fun message and video! Plus the repetitive, high-frequency vocabulary and nationalities with an infectious beat? I could see maybe imitating the green screen skater with a project if it takes off with this group. It went over reasonably well with this year’s group, though not obsession level, I’ll admit.
“Tenemos historia” by Raquel Sofía
Y ahora me dices tú
Y yo te pregunto que cómo vas
Así nos fuimos de amigos a amantes
A seres distantes y nada más.
Y ahora me dices tú
Yo ya no puedo mirarte igual.
Así nos fuimos de amigos de amantes
A seres distantes y nada y nada y nada más.
Something a little slower, with a little plural past tense–but still plenty of cognates. I think object pronouns are going to be key in moving kiddos up the intermediate scale in the semester to come, and I think there are some constructions here that could help. Also, since “Agridulce,” I have been absolutely unable to resist Raquel Sofía!
“Tu foto” by Ozuna
Tengo tu foto para volverme loco
Pensando en ti, solamente en ti,
Mi corazón roto.
CAUTION!!! This is the third song on the list that I’ve actually test driven in class and I LITERALLY had to let half the class go to the bathroom to clean themselves up each time. I did a story talk with the video–very successful from a CI standpoint–but OH MY GOD THE TEARS. I seriously only watch this when I’m ready for a good cry. It doesn’t help that the little boy looks a LOT like my son. BUT, if you prep the class enough with some meaningful conversation and follow up with some serious emotional processing. These are not sexual situations, but they are VERY adult.
Contigo la vida es mejor .
“Casi humanos” by DVICIO
Y no hay remedio para esta enfermedad
Pero yo sé que tú te sientes igual.
Decir <<te amo>> no es nada original
Pero a tu lado, es mejor.
I feel like my list is a little Spain-heavy this year, but honestly, how can you deny Andrés? Also my kiddos this fall kept asking if this was the Spanish version of “Man in the Mirror” (WHAT??) Anyway, they enjoyed it musically, and how the video was made is super cool, could make a good movie talk too, right? I plan to stick to just the second half of the chorus for this one, though.
So those are my picks to play on repeat going into 2018. Did I miss anything (without Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee trying to get me fired)?
8 Comments
SpanishPlans · January 1, 2018 at 5:17 pm
Some great recommendations! Thanks! I'm a big fan of Raquel Sofia too.
SpanishPlans · January 1, 2018 at 1:17 pm
Some great recommendations! Thanks! I'm a big fan of Raquel Sofia too.
Megan · January 4, 2018 at 4:51 am
I'm surprised that La Santa Cecilia didn't make the list. My kids loved la calaverita for día de los muertos. https://youtu.be/yBSIyN1XuRo
Megan · January 4, 2018 at 12:51 am
I'm surprised that La Santa Cecilia didn't make the list. My kids loved la calaverita for día de los muertos. https://youtu.be/yBSIyN1XuRo
Rose · January 8, 2018 at 7:56 pm
Thank you SO much!! Many of these are perfect for grades 3-5. I can't wait for my kiddos to listen & watch!!
Rose · January 8, 2018 at 5:56 pm
Thank you SO much!! Many of these are perfect for grades 3-5. I can't wait for my kiddos to listen & watch!!
Unknown · January 22, 2018 at 5:20 pm
Tu foto de Ozuna!!! My gosh! You warned us about, but I cried… Love the song. Thanks for sharing.
Unknown · January 29, 2018 at 1:31 am
Tu foto de Ozuna!!! My gosh! You warned us about, but I cried… Love the song. Thanks for sharing.
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