Song Review: "Washy Ad Jeffy"

Link to the song

Downloadable legally AND free on Jonathan Coulton's website

Lyrics:

Washy Ad Jeffy
Maddy Monroe
Ad Jackson Van Hair
Ty Po Tay Phil Pear
Bu Lincoln John Grant2
Hayes Gar Thur and Cleve
Hair Cleve and McKin
Roosevelt Taft
Wilson Hard Coolidge
Hoov Franklin Roosevelt Truman Ikey
Ken Johnson Nixon Ford Cart Reagan Bush
Clinton Dubya

And maybe you someday
And if you do they’ll say
What a fine president you made

Washy Ad Jeffy
Maddy Monroe
Ad Jackson Van Hair
Ty Po Tay Phil Pear
Bu Lincoln John Grant2
Hayes Gar Thur and Cleve
Hair Cleve and McKin
Roosevelt Taft
Wilson Hard Coolidge
Hoov Franklin Roosevelt Truman Ikey
Ken Johnson Nixon Ford Cart Reagan Bush
Clinton Dubya


First, let me acknowledge that this song lacks Obama. It's old, okay? Deal with it.

This song is meant to be a mnemonic device for remembering not only the presidents, but how many terms they served. (The number of syllables in their name is the number of terms they served. Ex: Dub-ya = 2 terms)

As a mnemonic, it fails.

It's easier to just go in and learn the information straight up. Honestly, I knew it ahead of time and had more trouble recalling the lyrics to the song even though I listened to it time and time again, back to back some of these times.

Musically, though, the light guitar and vocals are appealing.

If examined solely as a song, it's decent. If examined as a learning tool, don't bother with it.