From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics
From ABBA to Led Zeppelin: using music to teach economics

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Aint No Rest For the Wicked - Cage the Elephant

JEL: a d r   

Oh, there ain't no rest for the wicked,
money don't grow on trees,
I got bills to pay,
I got mouths to feed,
there ain't nothing in this world for free.

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Assignment:

This song outlines three different scenarios in which people use illegal means in order to get money. The chorus of the song explains these actions by mentioning a couple popular cliches such as: "Money don't grow on trees," and " There ain't nothing in this world for free." What do you think the economic advantage is to engaging in illegal activity? Do you think that it is their economic state that drives people to commit crimes? Is partaking in illegal activity a never- ending cycle? In other words, is there really "no rest for the wicked" as long as their is scarcity?

[Provided by Jerrica Zaric - Beloit College]

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