The favorable effect of music on the emotions has been recognized since ancient times, and, more recently, many have made use of music to make students in the classroom more receptive to learning. Songs in the English as a second language (ESL) classroom can be helpful in several ways: (1) by introducing basic vocabulary, (2) by imparting knowledge of idioms and common phrases, (3) by introducing a new type of listening activity, (4) as an aid in teaching pronunciation (which inevitably shows astounding improvement after students have sung in the language), (5) by helping students to edge themselves into a new culture, and (6) as reinforcement for grammar drills. Songs may be introduced in a variety of ways, depending on the teacher's own background and inclinations and on the availability of, for instance, instrumental resources. Paramount in the use of songs is an awareness of student needs and of the specific elements of each song. Several folk songs are presented and analyzed for classroom use. A bibliography of resource materials is appended. (JB)