About This Lesson
(Note: this lesson contains words and imagery that may be disturbing or offensive. Teacher discretion advised.)
In this lesson, students examine the lyrics and context surrounding three country songs related to the 9/11 attacks: Alan Jackson’s “Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning?”, Brooks and Dunn’s “Only in America,” and Toby Keith’s “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).” Through the lens of these songs, they consider ways Americans reacted to the tragedy of September 11th, and discuss whether some reactions might be more appropriate than others.
