Sunday 14 December 2008

The Twelve Days of Christmas (Rita)

As you know, next Thursday there is a party at the school (from 6 pm). The so-called Christmas party is an excuse to meet and say goodbye before the longest holidays within the school year. People bring cakes, sweets and other munchies. We also "sing" carols and there is one particular xmas carol which has become a tradition in the school, "The Twelve Days of Xmas". Of course, we also sing "Jingle Bells", "Silent Night", "Oh, Christmas Tree", "The Little Drummer Boy" and many others, but this one is the only one we manage to sing all together at the same time, if you know what I mean. Here is a version "a capella" (the way we sing it) for you to practise. If the version is too easy for you, try "YouTube" to find one that may suit your needs in a better way:

On the first day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
A partridge in a pear tree.

On the second day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the third day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas,
my true love gave to me
Twelve drummers drumming,
Eleven pipers piping,
Ten lords a-leaping,
Nine ladies dancing,
Eight maids a-milking,
Seven swans a-swimming,
Six geese a-laying,
Five golden rings,
Four calling birds,
Three French hens,
Two turtle doves,
And a partridge in a pear tree!


If you can't make it on Thursday, "I wish you a Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year" from here:

Wednesday 3 December 2008

I Have A Dream, by ABBA (Mª José P.M.)

I have chosen "I Have A Dream" by the goup ABBA. I like this song because I think it is always good to have dreams to help you cope with anything; if you always see something positive in everything, you will be able to have an easier and happier life.
I had forgotten this song but when I watched the film "Mamma Mia" three weeks ago, I remembered it.




- ABBA Lyrics

Tuesday 2 December 2008

Why Worry, by Dire Straits (Mª José T.J.)

My favourite song is "Why Worry" by Dire Straits. It's included in the CD "Brothers in Arms". I like the rhythm and the lyrics. This song has a positive meaning . It shows the positive attitude that we should have in our life. (María José T.J.)




- Dire Straits Lyrics

Don't Wait Too Long, by Madeleine Peyroux (Javier)

One of my favourite songs nowadays is “Don't Wait Too Long”, a song by Madeleine Peyroux. In fact, I like all the songs in her album “Careless Love”.

When I heard this singer for the first time, I thought she was a black singer of clasic jazz and I like the voices of old singers of jazz a lot, but then, I searched on the internet to find more information about her, and I found out she´s a young white girl, which shocked me. You can visit her web site

http://www.madeleinepeyroux.com/flash_content/main.html



- Madeleine Peyroux Lyrics

Unchained Melody, by The Righteous Brothers (Mª José F.C.)

I like listening to music, I enjoy different kinds of music, for example, opera and dance. I often buy CDS, look for song lyrics on the Internet and go to concerts.
I have chosen this song because when I was younger I met a handsome man and we always danced this song in a modern dance pub called Petrarca.
Nowadays this handsome man is my husband, we have two children and I hope we will have several grandchildren soon. (María José F.C.)

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen), by Baz Luhrmann (Juanjo)

As I told you in class, this is a very interesting (and rather famous) text. In its origin, it was an essay actually called "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" written by Mary Schmich and published in the Chicago Tribune as a column in 1997. It was released as a song called "Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)" by Baz Luhrmann. I hope you enjoy it. (Juanjo)




- Baz Luhrmann Lyrics

Sunday 23 November 2008

Seven Bridges Road, by The Eagles (Montse)

I´m sending you this song because I recently discovered it, although it is an old song...
I like the melody and the voices of the men singing together. I think that the lyrics are easy to understand too. I hope that you enjoy it. (Montse)




- The Eagles Lyrics

Thursday 20 November 2008

To Know Him is To Love Him, by Amy Winehouse (Elisa)

Amy Winehouse has received the attention of the media not only for her songs, but also for her problems with drugs as well as her self-destructive behaviour.
However, I think she is a great singer an a talented and sensitive songwriter. Her lyrics are very detailed and she explains perfectly her feelings. Moreover, her attractive voice is full of nuances. Her voice makes you love a song that you don't like when another singers are singing it. It can be really amazing.
I love her versions of songs such us the one I've chosen above.
Sometimes we like listening to music and remembering some moments of our own life.

So, Amy sings for us:

"To know him is to love him, and I really do....."
I close my eyes and I hear the sound of a lover's heart beating next to me, while I think: Now "He" can see what he means to me, we've been walking together for a few years and the light of love is shining in his eyes.
I believe I'll always love him....Will he still love me tomorrow?.. I don't know..Who can know it?....
But,...this is another of Amy's songs. It is called : "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?"

The lyrics of both songs are very easy to understand, and they are easy to sing, too (except some ohhhhh), if you would like to do it. (Elisa)



Tuesday 18 November 2008

Yesterday, by The Beatles (Mª José L.V.)

Normally, when I listen to songs I don’t pay attention to the lyrics, but to the music. That means I mainly love this song, ´Yesterday´, because I like listening to its music. And perhaps, too because it reminds me of very good moments that I had in the past.

Nowadays, I start to pay attention to lyrics specially if songs are written in English, because I want to learn this language. (María José L.V.)


You'll Be Comin' Down, by Bruce Springsteen (Maricruz)

The last CD I bought is "Magic", by Bruce Springsteen. I like listening to Bruce because his songs encourage me and his voice is good. One of the songs on this CD I like best is "You'll Be Comin' Down". (Maricruz)

Shape Of My Heart, by Sting (Charo)

Charo sent her choices. This is the first one and the version ends with a little treat for Spanish speakers:




- Sting Lyrics

Like A Virgin, by Madonna (Carolina)

This is Carolina's song. We just know she likes it but she doesn't say why. Here it is:



Tuesday 4 November 2008

What if, by Coldplay (José Antonio)

I love this song. It's a very sad and slow song, but really beautiful and romantic . I actually love all the songs by Coldplay.
I think that the lyrics speak about second opportunities, it connects with my life. I believe that the song is part of the soundtrack for the film "The secret life of words", Isabel Coixet's movie, which I love! (José Antonio)







Monday 3 November 2008

Space Oddity, by David Bowie (Manuel)

I like this song but,... do I know the reasons?. I think that I can underline a pair of things:
At the beginning I have the feeling of control but there is another very different feeling at the end: freedom. The first sentences speak about God's love, "take your protein pills and put your helment on", etc. But before that Bowie writes about things that make you feel absolutely free: "am I floating in my tin can"; he decided to move "from Earth to space". I must add another simple reason for choosing this song: I like Bowie and that song is easy to understand. (Manuel)




I hope you enjoy it. You may find the lyrics here:




David Bowie Lyrics
Space Oddity Lyrics

Sunday 2 November 2008

You don't know me, by Ray Charles (Juanjo)

I'll break the ice with the first song. It is a love song: I love you, you don't love me, you love another person and on top of that you don't even know it and treat me as a good friend and just that.
I chose it for two reasons, one is that the singer manages to transmit sadness while singing a beautiful song and the other is that the lyrics are simple and easy to understand. (Juanjo)





Lyrics | Ray Charles - You Don’t Know Me lyrics

Another version: Michael Buble's "You don't know me"