Music Is A Common Topic of Conversation
Music, just like film and TV, is a common topic in life, in school and of course in your exams. It will come up in your language school, in language tests, and most likely in every conversation you have in an English corner or over a coffee with a new friend. But, is this a good thing?
Absolutely!! Music is something that wakes us up in the morning, lifts our spirits when we are miserable and even blocks out the noisy child next door who only practices his trumpet when you need to study. More importantly, it can also provide a relaxed dose of English language with a few new words, unusual expressions and a reminder that learning English does have its good points.
Good for Staying Motivated
Just like in any language, however, song lyrics often need to rhyme (sound similar). This means that from time to time grammar is forgotten, words are missing and pronunciation is terrible. One of my students recently thought this famous song lyric “Making love to his tonic and gin” was “Making love to his tiny skin jeans”. Should we worry about this? No, not at all!
Music is for our enjoyment and great for staying motivated. So enjoy music without worrying about how much you have understood, or even what they are singing about. But if you do want to look at the song lyrics, remember not to use them in your unless you’re standing in front of a microphone!
Billy Joel’s Tiny Skin Jeans
So, turn on your music, listen to your favorite English speaking song and remember why you really do enjoy the English language. Or, have a listen to one of my favorites “Piano Man” by Billy Joel and see if you can hear him talking about “tiny skin jeans.”
It’s nine o’clock on a Saturday
The regular crowd shuffles in
There’s an old man sitting next to me
Making love to his tonic and gin
He says, “Son can you play me a memory
I’m not really sure how it goes
But it’s sad and it’s sweet
And I knew it complete
When I wore a younger man’s clothes.”
Sing us a song you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling alright
Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there’s someplace that he’d rather be
He says, “Bill, I believe this is killing me.”
As a smile ran away from his face
“Well, I’m sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place.”
Now Paul is a real estate novelist
Who never had time for a wife
And he’s talking with Davy, who’s still in the Navy
And probably will be for life
And the waitress is practicing politics
As the businessmen slowly get stoned
Yes they’re sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it’s better than drinking alone
Sing us a song you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling alright
It’s a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
‘Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve been coming to see
To forget about life for a while
And the piano it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, “Man what are you doing here?”
Sing us a song you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feeling alright
