10/17/2010

Misunderstood - Bon Jovi

Another great song to practice third conditional and also the use of modal verbs.
Before I give them the lyrics, I usually ask the students about relationships, what they do when they make a mistake, how they apologize and if they ever had a discussion where they said everything and then regretted.
Then, I give them the lyrics to fill in the blanks.
After they do that, the follow up depends on what I want them to practice. If it's third conditional, then I ask them to write what would be the woman's answer to that song. If I want them to practice modals, then I ask them to imagine they are the man's friends and give him advice on what he should do to get the woman back.

Misunderstood
Bon Jovi

Should I? Could I?
Have said the wrong things right a thousand times
If I could just rewind, I see it in my mind
If I could turn back time, you'd still be mine

You cried, I died
I should have shut my mouth, things headed south
As the words slipped off my tongue, they sounded dumb
If this old heart could talk, it'd say you're the one
I'm wasting time when I think about it

I should have drove all night, I would have run all the lights
I was misunderstood
I stumbled like my words, Did the best I could
Damn, misunderstood
Could I? Should I?
Apologize for sleeping on the couch that night
Staying out too late with all my friends
You found me passed out in the yard again

You cried, I tried
To stretch the truth, but didn't lie
It's not so bad when you think about it

I should have drove all night, I would have run all the lights
I was misunderstood
I stumbled like my words, did the best I could
I 'm hanging outside your door
I've been here before
Misunderstood
I stumbled like my words, did the best I could
Damn, misunderstood
Intentions good

It's you and I, just think about it...

I should have drove all night
I would have run all the lights
I was misunderstood
I stumbled like my words, did the best I could
Misunderstood
I 'm hanging outside your door
I've been here before
Misunderstood

I stumbled like my words, did the best I could
Damn, misunderstood
Intentions good.

Should've Said No - Taylor Swift

Another song from Taylor Swift, but this time to practice third conditional. This isn't an easy structure for students and she uses that a lot in the song.
I use this song for a different activity, not a simple debate. After they fill in the blanks to practice the third conditional, I ask them to create the story behind the song - based on the lyrics, what had happened before, that made her say those things. Then, we vote on the most creative idea.

Should've Said
No Taylor Swift

It's strange to think the songs we used to sing
The smiles, the flowers, everything is gone
Yesterday I found out about you
Even now just looking at you: feels wrong
You say that you'd take it all back, given one chance
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes...

You should've said no, you should've gone home
You should've thought twice before you let it all go
You should've known that word, but what you did with her
Would get back to me...
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind
I shouldn't be asking myself why
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me

You can see that I've been crying
And baby you know all the right things to say
But do you honestly expect me to believe
We could ever be the same...
You say that the past is the past, you need one chance
It was a moment of weakness and you said yes...

You should've said no, you should've gone home
You should've thought twice before you let it all go
You should've known that word, but what you did with her
Would get back to me...
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind
I shouldn't be asking myself why
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me

I can't resist... before you go, tell me this
Was it worth it...
Was she worth this...

No... no no no...

You should've said no, you should've gone home
You should've thought twice before you let it all go
You should've known that word, but what you did with her
Would get back to me...
And I should've been there, in the back of your mind
I shouldn't be asking myself why
You shouldn't be begging for forgiveness at my feet...
You should've said no, baby and you might still have me

One of us - Joan Osborne

It's a very old song, but a nice one, and good to practice second conditional and "What if".
Even though the lyrics are somewhat related to religion, you can use and debate it without really entering on the sensitive subject of religion.
I also try to connect the song with the TV show "Joan of Arcadia". It's a show from 2003, in which the character of Joan sees and speaks with God and performs tasks she is given.
Here the debate should be more controlled, so that students don't start debating differences of religion. I would have them fill in the blanks to practice the second conditional, ask what they would do in the girl's position (Joan) and what they would ask God. Then, I have them create What If questions to ask their classmates.

"One of us"
Joan Osborne

If God had a name what would it be?
And would you call it to his face?
If you were faced with Him in all His glory
What would you ask if you had just one question?

Yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin' to make his way home?

If God had a face what would it look like?
And would you want to see, if seeing meant
That you would have to believe in things like heaven
And in Jesus and the saints, and all the prophets?

Yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin' to make his way home?

Tryin' to make his way home?

Back up to heaven all alone
Nobody calling on the phone
'Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

Yeah, yeah, God is great
Yeah, yeah, God is good
Yeah, yeah, yeah-yeah-yeah

What if God was one of us?
Just a slob like one of us
Just a stranger on the bus
Tryin' to make his way home?
Like a holly rolling stone

Back up to heaven all alone
No, just tryin' to make his way home
Nobody calling on the phone
Cept for the Pope maybe in Rome

Ironic - Alanis Morissette

When I had to give a class on negative questions, I thought it would be hard to find songs with this structure, but this one is really good. She actually doesn't use a lot of negative questions, but she uses two common types (Isn't it and Don't you think) and you can easily ask the students, after they listen, to change other sentences into negative questions (eg: Isn't it ironic when it rains on your wedding day?).
Also, after they heard the song and transformed the sentences into negative questions, they talked among them to decide what was the biggest irony from the examples she gave.
Simple activity, but a really nice song!
It can also be a nice song to remind the students of the use of "It's" when the subject is neutral, something that Brazilian students usually have a problem with, since we have our "hidden subject" in Portuguese and our sentences that start with "É".

"Ironic"
Alanis Morissette

An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day
It's a black fly in your Chardonnay
It's a death row pardon two minutes too late
Isn't it ironic... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Mr. Play it Safe was afraid to fly
He packed his suitcase and kissed his kids good-bye
He waited his whole damn life to take that flight
And as the plane crashed down he thought
"Well, isn't this nice."
And isn't it ironic ... don't you think

It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought... it figures

Well life has a funny way
of sneaking up on you when you think everything's okay and everything's going right
And life has a funny way
of helping you out when you think everything's gone wrong and everthing blows up in your face

A traffic jam when you're already late
A no-smoking sign on your cigarette break
It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife
It's meeting the man of my dreams
And then meeting his beautiful wife
And isn't it ironic... don't you think
A little too ironic.. and yeah I really do think...

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
And life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out

If I were a boy - Beyoncé

Nice song to practice the second conditional and the theme usually gets students excited.
Before they see the lyrics, I ask the girls what they would do if they were a boy for a day, and I ask the boys what they would do if they were a girl.
Then, I ask them to listen to the song, fill in the blanks to practice the second conditional, and pay attention to the lyrics.
After they complete, I ask the girls to tell me if they agree with the song, what they would do and wouldn't - based on the song, and I ask the boys to defend themselves, since the lyrics are a clear attack on men.
When I had this class, there were only boys in the class and they loved the activity, even though most of them don't like this style of music.

"If I Were A Boy"
Beyoncé

If I were a Boy
Even just for a day
I'd Roll outta bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted then go
Drink beer with the guys
And chase after girls
I'd kick it with who I wanted
And I'd never get confronted for it
Cause they'd stick up for me

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone its broken
So they'd think that I was sleeping alone
I'd put myself first
And make the rules as I go
Cause I know that she'd be faithful
Waiting for me to come home
To come home

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taken you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

It's a little too late for you to come back
Say its just a mistake
Think I'd forgive you like that
If you thought I would wait for you
You thought wrong

But you're just a boy
You don't understand
Yeah you don't understand
How it feels to love a girl someday
You wish you were a better man
You don't listen to her
You don't care how it hurts
Until you lose the one you wanted
Cause you've taken her for granted
And everything you have got destroyed
But you're just a boy

You belong with me - Taylor Swift

This is a nice song for teenagers, especially because some of them like the singer and the lyrics are simple and easy to relate. The way she sings is also easy to understand, even for beginners.
I usually use the song to practice present tenses: simple present and present continuous.
I give them the lyrics with some blanks on the verb tenses for them to complete. Then, I ask them to circle the simple present and underline the present continuous.
After that, I ask them to imagine they were in her situation and ask them to write a simple paragraph of what could be the guy's answer to her song.

You Belong With Me
Taylor Swift

You're on the phone with your girlfriend
She's upset, she's going off about
Something that you said
She doesn't get your humor
Like I do

I'm in my room
It's a typical Tuesday night
I'm listening to the kind of music
She doesn't like
She'll never know your story
Like I do

But she wears short skirts, I wear t-shirts
She's cheer captain, and I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day when you wake up and find
That what you're looking for has been here the whole
time

If you could see
That I'm the one
Who understands you
Been here all along
So why can't you see me
You belong with me
You belong with me.

Walking the streets
With you and your worn out jeans
I can't help thinking this is how it ought to be
Laughing on a park bench thinking to myself
Hey, isn't this easy?

And you've got a smile
That could light up this whole town
I haven't seen it in a while
Since she brought you down
You say you're fine
I know you better than that
Hey what are you doing with a girl like that

But she wears high heels
I wear sneakers
She's cheer captain
I'm on the bleachers
Dreaming about the day
When you wake up and find
That what you're looking for
Has been here the whole time

If you could see that I'm the one
Who understands you
Been here all along so why can't you
See, you belong with me
Standing by and waiting at your backdoor
All this time
How could you not know baby
You belong with me
You belong with me.

Oh, I remember you
Driving to my house
In the middle of the night
I'm the one who makes you laugh
When you know you're about to cry
And I know your favorite songs
And you tell me about your dreams
Think I know where you belong
Think I know it's with me

Can't you see
That I'm the one
Who understands you
Been here all along
So why can't you see?
You belong with me.

Standing by and waiting at your backdoor
All this time
How could you not know baby
You belong with me
You belong with me.

You belong with me
Have you ever thought
Just maybe
You belong with me
You belong with me

Photograph - Nickelback

Another song from Nickelback and this time to practice "Used to". It's a simple activity, but it's a nice subject to talk about: childhood.
I usually start the class by asking students about their childhood and what they used to do when they were kids. I also ask if they like to look at old pictures and take a trip down memory lane.
Then, I ask them to listen to Nickelback's song, explaining the idea that the singer is looking back on his childhood. After they listen, I ask them to tell me what the singer used to do in his childhood, based on the song. Since the song doesn't have the structure, the students really need to understand the lyrics and create sentences - better than just simply reproducing a prepared sentence.

Here's the song.

"Photograph"
Nickelback

Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me laugh
How did our eyes get so red
And what the hell is on Joey's head

And this is where I grew up
I think the present owner fixed it up
I never knew we'd ever went without
The second floor is hard for sneaking out

And this is where I went to school
Most of the time had better things to do
Criminal record says I broke in twice
I must have done it half a dozen times

I wonder if It's too late
Should I go back and try to graduate
Life's better now then it was back then
If I was them I wouldn't let me in

Oh oh oh
Oh God I

Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Remember the old arcade
Blew every dollar that we ever made
The cops hated us hangin' out
They say somebody went and burned it down

We used to listen to the radio
And sing along with every song we know
We said someday we'd find out how it feels
To sing to more than just the steering wheel

Kim's the first girl I kissed
I was so nervous that I nearly missed
She's had a couple of kids since then
I haven't seen her since God knows when

Oh oh oh
Oh God I

Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

I miss that town
I miss the faces
You can't erase
You can't replace it
I miss it now
I can't believe it
So hard to stay
Too hard to leave it

If I could relive those days
I know the one thing that would never change

Every memory of looking out the back door
I had the photo album spread out on my bedroom floor
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Every memory of walking out the front door
I found the photo of the friend that I was looking for
It's hard to say it, time to say it
Goodbye, goodbye

Look at this photograph
Everytime I do it makes me laugh
Everytime I do it makes me