A song whose purpose is to educate.
It need not be strictly educational (for instance, in the context of a work of fiction, it may also serve to further the plot).
Educational songs are expected to crop up a lot in
science shows or
edutainment shows.
Often takes the form of a
List Song.
Examples
- The various children's songs about the alphabet, colours and numbers.
- Pinky and the Brain featured songs about the U.S. states, and about areas of the human brain.
- The Galaxy Song in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life is surprisingly educational for a Big Lipped Alligator Moment in a Monty Python film.
- Tom Glazer and Dottie Evans' Space Songs album had a variety of children's songs about science, with a focus on astronomy. You can read the CD booklet here
.
- The songs in Schoolhouse Rock.
- They Might Be Giants made a few of these.
- Animaniacs had lots of these, including songs for all the U.S. presidents
up to Bill Clinton, the 50 states and their capitals
, and of course, the famous Nations of the World
song.
- Some of Rockapella's full-length songs on Where In The World Is Carmen Sandiego? used when the show ran short. There was one about the five largest islands in the world.
- Songs on Sesame Street, The Electric Company and Square One TV, obviously.
- The various songs at the end of every episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy.
- Parodied by Avenue Q and the infamous The Internet Is For Porn.
- In Horrible Histories (the live-action show), there is plenty of these.
- Tom Lehrer also created some of these including The Elements Song, New Math, and Silent E.