"Primary research counts, but we don't teach it." This was the sentiment, if these were not the actual words, of Lynee Lewis Gaillet in her critique of the traditional composition curriculum at the spring 2011 annual meeting of the College English Association in St. Petersburg. Gaillet proposes an alternative to furthering students' sometimes unnecessary reliance on secondary research. In her own course, she sends students not into library stacks or electronic databases to begin their writing projects, but rather to special collections and archives. Her approach teaches students sincerity, originality, and independence in their writing. By situating her course within primary source investigation, Gaillet aspires to train "scholars who have something original, interesting, and pointed to add to academic conversations." This article briefly outlines a music-based writing curriculum and presents the first assignment of the course. The author also demonstrates how he teaches the skill of "active listening" early in the semester. He analyzes two performances of a single song to show how different musical settings can influence the interpretation of a song's lyrics and meaning. Although the curriculum presented is non-traditional, it satisfies the objectives of a traditional college introductory writing course, namely to apply critical thinking and sound logic in arguing a position, and does so using a topic that most students find interesting and enjoyable. (Contains 7 notes.)