6 Songs 6 Shrew Souls Should Sing

    by | Apr 7, 2015 | Education Resources, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids

    | by Hamlet, Princess of Denmark |

    6 Songs 6 Shrew Souls Should Sing. Can you say that five times in a row? Whenever I’m listening to the 60s station on Pandora, I always hear a particular group of songs. And, they seem like they would totally sync with what certain Shakespeare characters are feeling in the heat of the moment. Romeo, for example, I could see him pull Juliet along, singing “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tommy James and the Shondells.

    Someday, I’m going to write a Shakespeare musical adaptation, set in the 60s. In the meantime, I was inspired by our production of “Taming of the Shrew.” Check out these tunes for some of the characters. They’re epic!

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    6 Songs 6 Shrew Souls Should Sing

    1. Katharina, Act III, Scene 2.
      Petruchio has just said:

      “But for my bonny Kate, she must with me!”

      Then, Kate would belt out “You Don’t Own Me” by Lesley Gore.

    2. Petruchio, Act I, Scene 2.
      Hortensio speaks:

      Petruchio, shall I then come roundly to thee
      And wish thee to a shrewd ill-favour’d wife?
      Thou’ldst thank me but a little for my counsel:
      And yet I’ll promise thee she shall be rich

      After, Petruchio responds: “If You Wanna be Happy” by Jimmy Soul. And then goes immediately into “Money” by Barrett Strong.

    3. What about the moment Lucentio first sets eyes on Bianca in Act I, Scene 1?
      Like the choirs in the heavens, he’d worship her with “Earth Angel” by The Temptations.
    4. In rebuttal, Hortensio might snap out “Pretty Little Angel Eyes” by Curtis Lee.
    5. Like Bianca’s other suitors, after Gremio loses the wager for her hand in Act III, Scene 2.
      Then, he would console himself with “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.
    6. And what would Bianca say to all these crazy suitors?
      Well, when she finally picks the schoolmaster Cambio (Lucentio in disguise) in Act IV, Scene 2, she would break out in “Tell Him” by The Exciters, of course!

    Hmm… maybe I actually can write my Shakespeare 60’s musical now.

    What about you? Do you think any specific 60s songs would go well with certain Shakespeare characters? Let us know in the comments below!

    Hamlet, Princess of Denmark, is almost twelve years old. When she is not dramatically dying on stage, she is dressing up her dog, playing roller derby or writing her own plays.

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