Music: Pink Floyd's Lighter Side

Members of Pink Floyd.  Image from Pedro Netto.

Pink Floyd's music can be dark, psychedelic, moody.  But San Tropez is different.  This song on is on the album Meddle.  And it's clear when you listen that Pink Floyd is experimenting with new sounds.  The song is written about Saint Tropez in Southern France.  The mood of the song reflects the easy atmosphere of a sun-drenched beach.

The lyrics are full of rhyme and alliteration.  
Rhyme
A rhyme is when words share similar ending sounds (vowel and consonant sounds).  For example:

• reach / peach  (both words have the "e" vowel sound, and the ending "ch" consonant sound)
• rind / behind (even though these songs have a different number of syllables, they both share the "i" sound, and the ending "nd" sound.)

Alliteration
An alliteration is when two words with the same beginning sounds are used close together. This is another common technique in poetry writing.  

• wave / wake (both words share the beginning "w" sound.  Note: these words have the same "a" vowel sound, but they do not rhyme, because the ending consonant sounds are different.  This is called a half-rhyme or a slant-rhyme, where the sounds are close, but not the same.)

Video: Meddle, by Pink Floyd



Below, I highlighted the first few examples of rhyme and alliteration.  Can you find more?
Lyrics: "San Tropez"

Words and Music by Roger Waters

As I reach for a peach
Slide a rind down behind
The sofa in San Tropez

Breaking a stick with a brick on the sand
Riding a wave in the wake of an old Sedan

Sleeping alone in the drone of the darkness
Scratched by the sand that fell from our love
Deep in my dreams and I still hear her calling
If you're alone I'll come home

Backwards and home bound
The pidgeon the dove
Gone with the wind and the rain on an airplane

Owning a home with no silver spoon
I'm drinking champaigne like a big tycoon

Sooner than wait for a break in the weather
I'll gather my far flung thoughts together
Speeding away on a wind to a new day
If you're alone I'll come home

And I pause for a while
By a country style
And listen to things they say

Digging for gold in the hoe in my hand
Hoping they'll take a look at the way things stand

And you're leading me down to the place by the sea
I hear your soft voice calling to me
Making a date for later by phone
If you're alone I'll come home

Pink Floyd album, photograph by badgreeb RECORDS.

Do you want to hear more about Pink Floyd?
Below you will find interviews with the members of the band, as well as clips from their music.  

Respond
Why do writers and musicians use rhyme and alliteration in songs?  
How might this song be different if Roger Waters (from Pink Floyd) didn't use rhyme and alliteration?

Arts in New York City by KARINA & MADJID

THE ARTS IN NEW YORK CITY

Hakima's Arts Memory!

Hi Students,
I wanna share one of my drawing memory, this picture has four years ago, I draw it while I had been here in New York City for two months, it's an imaginary because I was looking for a mosque in the surrounding area. So, for me and my imaginary its looked like this.

LEVEL4

           HELLO  EVERYBODY
To day my pleasure to talk about my teacher ERIC:
Evening classes with him is one of the most wonderful experience in my opinion he come to this world just to teach not only English many other activities.
Rich concepts we learn with him for example, how introduce our
selfs,learn English with music, write memories,post   music and stories and pictures and many other things.
I recognize, his passion to teach a graduate university people and people illiterate,we know some about him because he introduce his self and post in our blog.
Comprehension is one of his virtues,am so glad for him,we ned much people like you ERIC. Thanks for you as you are.

My trip is I Went to Washinton D C

                                                                                                                   Astoria : 4 11 2013
     Yesterday
I went to Washington D C.   i woke 5:00 AM , i took a shower then i finish at 5:30 AM. i went to    41 avenue. i got there at 6:00 AM. i got at the bus at 6:30. then i got there with my wife at 1:00 AM at Washington  DC. then  i went to a museum ART and creation next i went to a rally then is finish at two (2) hours. then me and my wife came to new york at 6:00 PM and had bad traffic. we came at 1.00.am.

last we got home happily.  me and  my wife sleep. the trip  was fantastic. its was like  a dream.  the was lot food its was beautiful.


                                         

THE NEW YORK CITY. (by Olga)

Hello my name is Olga.

I like NY city because is totally different to my country. I  was very happy when I came to NY city at night there were many lights many buildings. I happy to be in the US and thus  have a chance to study English.
My teacher is very smart. His program is very very good. Your lessons are easy to understand. The students are heartily satisfied with you...
     
Thanks for everything Eric!!! 

IMAGINE JOHN LENNON

IMAGINE   JOHN LENNON
I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE SONG FOR ME MEANS JUST THE PERFECT WORLD,LOOKS LIKE A BIG PICTURE I  HOPE ALL YOU LIKE.

Lyrics: Imagine, by John Lennon
Imagine there's no heaven 
It's easy if you try 
No hell below us 
Above us only sky 

Imagine all the people 
Living for today... 

Imagine there's no countries 
It isn't hard to do 
Nothing to kill or die for 
And no religion too 

Imagine all the people 
Living life in peace... 

You may say I'm a dreamer 
But I'm not the only one 
I hope someday you'll join us 
And the world will be as one 

Imagine no possessions 
I wonder if you can 
No need for greed or hunger 
A brotherhood of man 

Imagine all the people 
Sharing all the world... 

You may say I'm a dreamer 
But I'm not the only one 
I hope someday you'll join us 
And the world will live as one

Music: Don't Go Breaking My Heart (from Edwin)

"DON'T GO BREAKING MY HEART" is a special song to me, becouse that melody remind me my childhood in the coast of Ecuador when we listened with my close friends Wilson, Jorge, and I , wolked on the beach in Ancon a antique miner town in Santa Elena peninsula .Then  enjoyed this song, the landscapes, the sea , the birds. After I moved to Quito City an didn't see them a olds friends, pero never forgotten in special a Wilson whom die in transit accident and Jorge now live in Madrid in Spain. This is the reason the meaning of that song, and the feeling for me. This song is now a classic melody worldwide, of course actually I enjoying others songs and genres but this song always will be special for me.

-Edwin

Level 4 NYC: Performing You Are My Sunshine

Video: Level 4 NYC Performs You Are My Sunshine



Reflecting on the Performance

From Madjid (by email to Eric): "I was seeing the You Are My Sunshine video too many times and I do like it so much because simply was a great moment in a beautiful song and I saw when we were signing in the beginning some student were shy and I try to help them to be natural and feel as you are signing alone to your self."

From Eric (email response to Madjid): I think there is something great about this performance.  Every student is singing, and even the most shy students look like they are having fun.  For me, that is the greatest accomplishment of this performance.  Every student became comfortable enough to sing a song in English.  And everyone (including me) was comfortable enough to make mistakes, and smile about the mistakes.  Being comfortable to make mistakes is SO important for learning. When I see everyone reading and singing, I am filled to the top with happiness!"

Thanks to Madjid: I could not have recorded this song without your help.

And thank you to the students in Level 4, who trusted me to try another crazy experiment. 


About the Recording
Madjid recorded this video with a digital camera.  We also recorded separate audio tracks using a cell phone and laptop.  I mixed the audio tracks in Audacity, to improve the sound.  I used iMovie (Mac) to edit the video, add titles, and include my combined audio track. I don't think the video editing needed to be as complicated as this, but I wanted to practice using iMovie, and I wanted to see if I could combine Audacity and iMovie.

-Eric, NYC

Karina's Introduction

Hi everyone, this is my introduction.... I hope that you will like it. Enjoy! :D

HIBA'S SONGS

                                                                                                                           astoria : 04 10 2013
Hi,the music is not my hobby, i like sports, cooking and many other things but i know one singer, his name is Sami Yusuf he is from British , he sings in English and some word in Arabic ( he studied arabic language ).
I want to tell you who is Sami Yusuf .
Sami Yusuf is a British singer-songwriter, composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist musician .
In 2003 Yusuf released his first album "Al-Mu`allim" at the age of 23, selling over two million copies. Following the release of his second album "My Ummah" ( MY MOTHER) in 2005, Yusuf was heralded as "Islam's Biggest Rock Star" by Time magazine for his success in attracting a relatively young fan base from diverse regions across the world, many of whom were of Muslim backgrounds. Yusuf has sold over 9 million albums. In October 2010, following a five-year hiatus, Yusuf’s third official album "Wherever You Are" was launched, manifesting his self-coined genre "Spiritique". Yusuf is involved in humanitarian initiatives, supporting, among others, Islamic Relief and Save the Children. (from Wikipedia.com)

His songs are educative and have a positive goal. he sings about life and about islam, and he has a very beautiful song about the most precious person in our life who is the mother.I want to share with you 2 songs the first is MY MOTHER and the second is Mualem "PROPHET TEACHER".
I hope you will like them and I wish you a good listening. ENJOY....

FOR MY CLASSMATES THIS IS A TRANSLATION IN SPANISH.
                    (from wikipedia.com)
INTRODUCCIÓN A LA CANTANTE:
Sami Yusuf (سامي يوسف) es un autor, compositor e intérprete británico nacido en en 1980. La música de Yusuf está relacionada con el Islam y el hecho de ser musulmán en el mundo actual. Yusuf se ha convertido en una figura muy popular del mundo islámico, habiendo realizado videos de varias de sus producciones. De acuerdo a The Guardian, es el musulmán británico más conocido del mundo. En 2006, la revista Time lo llamó "la mayor estrella islámica del rock".
Biografía
Sami Yusuf nació en 1980 , y se mudó al Reino Unido cuando tenía tres años, creciendo en la zona oeste de Londres. Yusuf es de origen azerí. Desde temprana edad comenzó a tocar varios instrumentos musicales y a mostrar interés en cantar y componer canciones. Fue aceptado como estudiante de composición en la Royal Academy of Music en Londres. En adición a su educación en armonía y composición occidental, Sami usa los modos iraníes y de Medio Oriente y está relacionado tanto con la tradición músical oriental como occidental.



                                                                               HIBA

                                              MY MOTHER ( UMMAHU أمي )
                                                             MI MADRE
Blessed is your face
Blessed is your name
My beloved
Blessed is your smile
Which makes my soul want to fly
My beloved
All the nights
And all the times
That you cared for me
But I never realised it
And now it’s too late
Forgive me
Now I’m alone filled with so much shame
For all the years I caused you pain
If only I could sleep in your arms again
Mother I’m lost without you
You were the sun that brightened my day
Now who’s going to wipe my tears away
If only I knew what I know today
Mother I’m lost without you
 Ummahu, ummahu, ya ummi..........................Mother... Mother... O my mother
wa shawqahu ila luqyaki ya ummi .....................How I long to see O mother
 Ummuka, ummuka, ummuka ummuka ............“Your mother, Your mother, Your mother”
Qawlu rasulika ....................................................Is the saying of your Prophet
Fi qalbi, fi hulumi................................................ In my heart, in my dreams
Anti ma’i ya ummi .............................................You are always with me mother
Ruhti wa taraktini............................................. You went and left me
Ya nura ‘aynayya................................................ O light of my eyes
Ya unsa layli........................................................ O comfort of my nights
Ruhti wa taraktini.............................................. You went and left me
Man siwaki yahdhununi..................................... Who, other than you, will embrace me?
Man siwaki yasturuni ........................................Who, other than you, will cover me?
Man siwaki yahrusuni .......................................Who, other than you, will guard over me?
‘Afwaki ummi ..................................................Your pardon mother
Samihini... ,....................................................... forgive me

Here is the video of the song MY MOTHER :





                                   Mu'allim...( teacher )
Chorus
He was Muhammad salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
Muhammad, mercy upon Mankind,
He was Muhammad salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
Muhammad, mercy upon Mankind,
Teacher of all Mankind.
Abal Qasim [one of the names of the Prophet]
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Khayru khalqillahi Muhammad
(The best of Allah’s creation is Muhammad)
Ya Mustafa ya Imamal Mursalina
(O Chosen One, O Imam of the Messengers)
Ya Mustafa ya Shafi'al 'Alamina
(O Chosen One, O intercessor of the worlds)
He prayed while others slept
While others ate he’d fast,
While they would laugh he wept
Until he breathed his last,
His only wish was for us to be
Among the ones who prosper,
Ya Mu'allim peace be upon you,
Truly you are our Teacher,
O Mu'allim..
Chorus
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Ya Rasuli ya Muhammad
(O My Messenger O Muhammad)
Ya Bashiri ya Muhammad
(O bearer of good news O Muhammad)
Ya Nadhiri ya Muhammad
(O warner O Muhammad)
'Ishqu Qalbi ya Muhammad
(The love of my heart O Muhammad)
Nuru 'Ayni ya Muhammad
(Light of my eye O Muhammad)
He taught us to be just and kind
And to feed the poor and hungry,
Help the wayfarer and the orphan child
And to not be cruel and miserly,
His speech was soft and gentle,
Like a mother stroking her child,
His mercy and compassion,
Were most radiant when he smiled
Chorus
Abal Qasim [one of the names of the Prophet]
Ya Habibi ya Muhammad
(My beloved O Muhammad)
Ya Shafi'i ya Muhammad
(My intercessor O Muhammad)
Khayru khalqillahi Muhammad
(The best of Allah’s creation is Muhammad)
Ya Mustafa Ya Imamal Mursalina
(O Chosen One O Imam of the Messengers)
Ya Mustafa ya Shafi'al 'Alamina
(O Chosen One O intercessor of the woamrlds)

Music: Hotel California

        HOTEL CALIFORNIA
I like hotel california because it is beautiful melody and I Love the words I remember when I  was a student listening to this song with my friends. 

From Julia.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
"This could be Heaven or this could be Hell"
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here

Her mind is Tiffany-twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget

So I called up the Captain,
"Please bring me my wine"
He said, "We haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine"
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say...

Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin' it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
And in the master's chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can't kill the beast

Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
"Relax, " said the night man,
"We are programmed to receive.
You can check-out any time you like,
But you can never leave! "

Idiom of the Day: keep in touch with

From the Wikimedia Commons description: U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrea L. McCellan reads to her son as it is videotaped for the United Through Reading program aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) as the ship operates in the Atlantic Ocean on June 13, 2006. Iwo Jima uses this deployment program to keep parents in touch with their children. (Image is Public Domain.)

Idiom of the Day
to keep in touch with: to maintain contact, to remain current with information about a person

Context
In the image above, a Navy officer records a video for her son.  She is far from her family, but she keeps in touch with her child with videos.

"Touch" usually has a different meaning.

Ripple Effect, by Agustín Ruiz. (Creative Commons image)

Touch in this idiom has a figurative meaning.  But, when you send emails and photos to your friends and family, you can "touch" them virtually!

Example Sentences
1) "My friends and family live in different cities, but I keep in touch with them on Facebook and Skype."

• In this situation, this person keeps in touch with the people important to her (maintains contact with, stays close with), her friends and family, using the Internet.

2) "I'm so excited for you for your trip.  Send me lots of pictures.  And keep in touch!"

• Here, this person uses the idiom as a command, so "with" is dropped from the sentence.

Grammar and Usage

"Keep in touch with" is usually used as a command.  At the end of an email, you may write: Keep in touch!  But this is a friendly command, a reminder to update the ones you love about your life.

There are two other verbs you can use with this idiom: stay and be.  "Stay in touch" is similar to "keep in touch" and is usually a polite command.

"Be in touch" is usually used in the future tense.  For example, you go to an interview.  The interview goes well.  At the end of the interview, the manager may say: "Thanks for coming in today.  We'll be in touch."  This means the manager will update you about the job.

Job Interview Cartoon from Mr. Daniel Ted Feliciano.

Now...Practice in the Comments

How do you keep in touch?  Do you write letters or emails?  Do you send videos or photos?  Do you use online applications like Facebook, Twitter, or Skype?  Is it difficult for you to keep in touch through the Internet?

The one that you love. By Air Supply.

Davila.
              Romantics ballads are easy to understand and for learning English. I want to understand everything the song says. The rhythm is slow so is easy to learning the lyrics.

 

Lyrics: The One That You Love, by Air Supply

Songwriters: RUSSELL, GRAHAM
(Graham Russell)

Now the night has gone
Now the night has gone away...
Doesn't seem that long
We hardly had two words to say...
Hold me in your arms
For just another day
I promise this one will go slow
Oh...
We have the right to know
We have the right to know

Don't say the mornings come
Don't say the mornings come so soon...
Must we end this way
When so much here is hard to lose...
Love is everywhere
I know it is
Such moments as this
Are too few
Oh...
It's all up to you
It's all up to you...
Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand the one that you love
Loves you in so many ways


Ah...
Tell me we can stay
Tell me we can stay oh please...
They are the words to say
The only words I can believe...
Hold me in your arms
For just another day
I promise this one will go slow
Oh...
We have the right you know
We have the right you know


Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand the one that you love
Loves you in so many ways
Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand the one that you love
Loves you in so many ways
The night has gone
A part of yesterday


I don't know what to say...
I don't know what to say...
Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand
The one that you love
Loves you in so many ways...
Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand the one that you love
Loves you in so many ways
Here I am
The one that you love
Askin' for another day
Understand the one that you love
Loves you in so many ways.........

Music: madona la isla bonita

madonna la isla bonita

I like this song because she speaks some words in Spanish. And my son, he dances to this song. I rimember my son  in second grade . When he dance he dress apropiated . he wore  jeans, a wite shirt, and a nicles with flowers , and a hat . I like this song too because some words are in spanish it is beautiful song . I sow the video I see people dancing and  having fan. The song is cheerful.I like this song 

Rosa 

I like Madonna's music.



Songwriters: Leonard, Patrick / Gaitsch, Bruce / Ciccone, Madonna Louise

(spoken:)
Como puede ser verdad
How could it be true?

Last night I dreamt of San Pedro
Just like I'd never gone, I knew the song
A young girl with eyes like the desert
It all seems like yesterday, not far away

Chorus:
Tropical the island breeze
All of nature wild and free
This is where I long to be
La isla bonita
And when the samba played
The sun would set so high
Ring through my ears and sting my eyes
Your Spanish lullaby

The beautiful island

I fell in love with San Pedro
Warm wind carried on the sea, he called to me
Te dijo te amo
I prayed that the days would last
They went so fast

He told you, I love you

(chorus)

I want to be where the sun warms the sky
When it's time for siesta you can watch them go by
Beautiful faces, no cares in this world
Where a girl loves a boy, and a boy loves a girl

Last night I dreamt of San Pedro
It all seems like yesterday, not far away

(chorus twice)

La la la la la la la
Te dijo te amo
La la la la la la la
El dijo que te ama

He told you, I love you
He said he loves you

Idiom of the Day: the big picture

Hanging The Great Picture, the world's largest print photograph, by Ron Johnson and The Legacy Project (2006). This image was found in Wikimedia Commons.  Here we see a literal meaning for "the big picture," where two men stand in front of the largest photograph in the world.

What is the Idiom of the Day? Click HERE.

Today's Idiom

the big picture: the whole story of something, a complete view of something

Bitola Panorama, by Petar Milošević, in Bitola, Macedonia (2008).

Context

In the image above, photographer Petar Milošević gives us the big picture of the town of Bitola.  We see the geography of the land, and we see the houses.  This is a more complete view, than a photo of one street in Bitola.

Example sentences

This idiom is usually used with these verbs: get, give, see, and show.

1) "You want to memorize a dictionary? You're not getting the big picture.  To learn English you must communicate with people." 

• (In this example, dictionary vocabulary is one small part of learning a language.  The big picture includes listening, reading, speaking, writing, pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary.) 

2) "I went to the doctor's office this morning, and I think I see the big picture.  Eating vegetables is not enough.  I must exercise too."  

• (In this example, eating vegetables is one small part of being healthy.  The big picture includes exercise also.)

Grammar and Usage

Seeing the big picture means to understand all of a situation.  A situation, usually, is developing, or is changing.  It's not over.  The big picture is often used in the present progressive (or present continuous). 

Are you interested in digital photography?
Here are the largest digital images ever created.  These links take you to interactive sites, where you can explore the images.

• Electron Micrograph of a Zebrafish Embryo 281 Gigapixels (2012)
• Shanghai 272 Gigapixels (Dec, 2010)
• Sevilla 111 Gigapixels (Dec, 2010)

News Stories in Photographs

"The Big Picture" is also the name of an online news series by The Boston Globe.  The Big Picture tells news stories from around the world in captivating pictures.  Each picture also has a short text description.  It's a great way to learn about the world in English. 

Now...Practice in the Comments!

Write your own sentences using "the big picture," with one of the four verbs (get, give, see, or show).  You will help students when they can see more examples, and you will learn too!
Have you seen this idiom somewhere.  Share the quote and the source (who said it and where). 

Music: This Land is Your Land

Woody Gurthrie, from the United State's Library of Congress, found on Wikipedia Commons.

Finding a New Meaning in an Old Song

This song, like You Are My Sunshine, is the kind of song I heard so many times throughout my childhood, that the words lost meaning.  It wasn't until I began teaching that I listened to some of the original recordings performed by Woody Guthrie, and read some of the alternate lyrics.  

This song is often sung by school children, and is performed at national US events.  But this song is unlike other patriotic songs, like the United States National Anthem, or America, The Beautiful.  It's not about winning wars.  It's not about the American flag.  To me, this song is about the people that can make America great, and the natural beauty of the land.

I started using this song in ESOL classes, because I thought I could use it to teach students something about American geography, or history, or... something.  But, I don't think I truly appreciated this song, until I heard my students, all of them immigrants, singing these words and truly believing in the messages there.

They reminded me that it is important to believe in your country.  There are many things I want to change about America, and I am grateful I live in a country where I can make positive changes.

-Eric, NYC

Below you will find:

• a video with an early performance of the song, by Woody Guthrie
• the lyrics in text, with images
• and a video of Neil Young & Crazy Horse performing a rock & roll version.

A note about the lyrics
I have listened to many recording by Woody Guthrie and many other artists.  The verses seem to change every time.  The song is simple though, and you can sing all of the verses and the chorus with the same melody.

Video: This Land Is Your Land, by Woody Guthrie 
This version was recorded in 1944, but was not released until it was found again in1997.

Lyrics: This Land is Your Land, by Woody Guthrie
Words and music by Woody Guthrie 

Chorus: 

This land is your land, and this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me

Redwood Trees, Santa Cruz Mountains, California., by  John Ross Key (1832-1920).   This is a US Public Domain image from Wikipedia Commons.

Verse 1:

As I went walking a ribbon of highway 

I saw above me that endless skyway 

I saw below me that golden valley 

This land was made for you and me 

Aerial view of complex of Long Island highways that provide access to New York City, ca. 1946, NARA.  Found on Wikipedia Commons.

Chorus: 

This land is your land, and this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me

Verse 2:
I've roamed and rambled and I've followed my footsteps 

To the sparkling sands of her diamond deserts 

And all around me a voice was sounding 

This land was made for you and me 

Colorado Plateau, by Wolfgang Staudt. 

Verse 3:
There was a big high wall there, that tried to stop me

The sign was painted, it said "Private Property"

But on the back side, it didn't say nothin'! 

This land was made for you and me

No Trespassing Sign at Empty Lot in February, by Rutabega.

Verse 4:

When the sun comes shining as I was strolling 

The wheat fields waving and the dust clouds rolling 

A voice was chanting, as the fog was lifting

This land was made for you and me 

Boise Vally Wheat Field, photographer unknown. Source: waterarchives.

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me 

Woody Guthrie, from United State's Library of Congress, found on Wikipedia Commons.

Video; This Land Is Your Land, Performed by Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Note: If you look for other performances of this song (and there are many) you will notice that the lyrics change.  Woody Guthrie's original lyrics included 5 verses, although he never recorded them all together.  Every musician who performs this song "remixes" the lyrics, to express their feelings about America: from frustration to hope, to praise or protest.

The lyrics for Neil Young's performance are below.  

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the Gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me


Verse 1:
As I went walkin', I saw a sign there

And on the sign, it said "No Trespassin'"

But on the other side, it didn't say nothin'! 

That side was made for you and me

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me

Verse 2:

In the shadow of the steeple, I saw my people

By the relief office -  I seen my people

As they stood there hungry, I stood there askin' 

Is this land made for you and me? 

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me

Verse 3:
Nobody livin' can ever stop me
As I go walkin' that freedom highway
Nobody livin' can ever make me turn back
This land was made for you and me

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me


Verse 1:
As I went walkin', I saw a sign there

And on the sign, it said "No Trespassin'"

But on the other side, it didn't say nothin'! 

That side was made for you and me

Chorus: 

This land is your land, this land is my land 

From California, to the New York Island 

From the redwood forest, to the gulf stream waters 

This land was made for you and me

My little LIMERICKS!

Hello students,
today I wanna share with you a LIMERICKS technique that I do like it so fare. So, I wish you a great listening. Enjoy!  
 

 

                                                     WRITING LIMERICKS

Today, I fell so glad

Because I went to chad

I saw all people are sad

They like post a lot of ad

That make them sad

Please, I advice you, don't be bad.

This activity is so funny

To do it, it doesn't need money

Do you know who is jimmy?

The one who is ninny

He is old, but still shiny

Because every day he take honey

If you wanna be like Nizar Kabbany

So, Just do it and be brainy!

Eric, how did you make the slide show?

I made the narrated slide show as an example for my students, in the spring of 2011.  In this post, you can read about 

• the goals for this project
• the writing process
• the free Internet application we used

Students' Projects
You can see many projects from the students at my old blog: ESOL at Riis Settlement.  Many of these students were using computers for the first time.

Goals for the Project

• Students will be able to write and speak about their lives.
• Students will be able to choose photographs that enhance their writing, and will be able to write about the photos.
• Students will be able to use an automated phone service to record their writing.
• Students will be able to use the Internet to assemble their recordings and photos.
• Students will be able to use the Internet to share their projects on the class blog.

I liked this project because it allowed students to work at their ability level.  Low-Intermediate students could write short sentences ("I am a painter.").  High-Intermediate/Advanced students could write descriptions and provide more detail. 

Eric's Introduction: Who Am I?

So many students (and Hakim too!) have shared with us on the blog.  You have shared

• your goals with English
• your stories
• your photos
• your challenges and difficult experiences
• your singing and dancing
• your cultures and history
• and your encouragement and support to other students.

This is very brave.  I post a lot here, and I make a lot of comments.  But you probably don't know much about me.  I think it is time I shared a little.

In this post, I am going to share

• a slide show project
• the text for the narration

In my next post, I will share information about how I made this video. 

My Narrated Slide Show.

The Text for the Narration
I am writer and a reader.  I observe details and small moments, and write poems and short stories.  My greatest fear is that I will never complete a book of my writing.  Here I am sitting on my roof at sunrise.  My view of downtown Brooklyn is inspiring.