I am always on the lookout for creative teaching strategies that will encourage students to shorten their pieces of writing without losing the substance. Recently, I have explored examining song lyrics as a way to focus student attention on messaging that is concise, yet effective. I introduce my students to a book written by my former professor at the University of Kentucky Rosenberg College of Law, Richard H. Underwood, titled, “CrimeSong: True Crime Stories from Southern Murder Ballads.”1 In CrimeSong, Professor Underwood examines the history of American crime ballads, looking at events that inspired the music. Using song lyrics is a good way to illustrate concise writing that tells a story, as well as to
introduce the concept of narrative storytelling.