Music in English Teaching

Songs from the Movies Session 2 B

November 2014

Halina

Songs are the art of speaking

I have been using songs to teach English and Polish for a long time. Personally I firmly believe in the power of good music as well as in the power of well-written lyrics. Songs may help with teaching pronunciation and can be the inspiration for extraordinarily interesting, challenging discussions. Different topics often inspire students to talk about various issues and problems, often sharing extremely different perspectives. That is why songs are also materials for practicing conversational skills.

English learners have problems in terms of pronunciation, word stress, and

sentence stress. A short movie and a song , using visual and auditory aids

in teaching spoken English can improve communication skills.

Using English from TV shows, movies, and songs has a positive impact on

the pronunciation as well as speaking skills.

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When using songs we can create a learning setting to build all language skills: speaking, reading, listening and writing skills. There are numerous beneficial classroom music activities that focus on lyrics.

Possibilities of countless different interpretations create the chance to practice spoken language. Most of the songs tell a story, and these stories can be rephrased or retold again to practice sequencing, the story line, drawing conclusions.

However, the songs often use idioms that have to be explained. It is important to remember that we can also use songs in discussions of culture and cultural differences. Songs may be a substantial source of information about human associations, ethics, customs, history, humour, etc.

I've been using songs and lyrics for a long time. I always try to fit choices into my students’ needs - all depending on the level of the class.

My lessons with songs are mostly based on pop, rock and blues. We do different exercises to improve several language skills.

Casablanca: A Classic Hollywood Film with an Un-Classic Ending

Casablanca is a film about politics and war. When "As Time Goes By" plays, the film becomes the love story of Ilsa and Rick.

Description: It's 1941 and the German military machine has defeated France and most of Europe. Victor Laszlo, the leader of the Czech resistance, has escaped from a German concentration camp. With Ilsa, his beautiful young wife, he flees to Casablanca, the capital of Morocco. From there he intends to travel to Lisbon and then to America where he will continue working to defeat fascism. Laszlo's prospects for leaving Casablanca depend upon Rick, a deeply disillusioned American expatriate who operates a popular nightclub. It turns out that before the fall of Paris, Rick and Ilsa had an intense love affair that ended suddenly when Ilsa disappeared. Rick is still in love with Ilsa, and she is in love with him. Rick and Ilsa must make choices that will either serve themselves or a greater good.

Casablanca, one of the most popular movies ever made, is considered by many to be an artistically flawless film.

• Rick's decision to let Ilsa leave with Laszlo would privilege long-term concerns over short-term ones. In exchange for love today, victory and freedom will prevail in the future.

• For Rick and Ilsa, the conclusion is neither as happy nor as simple. • Not only do the lovers have to split up a second time, but neither truly

knows what the other is thinking. Laszlo undoubtedly loves Ilsa, but Rick's and Ilsa's feelings aren't so clear.

• The film demonstrates the moral value of sacrifice and the triumph of the political over personal desire.

Famous Pictures

"As Time Goes By."

The actual words of "As Time Goes By" argue that the one timeless truth is love, but in Casablanca, the politics ultimately triumphs.

This was written by Herman Hupfeld for the 1931 Broadway musical Everybody's Welcome. The song was made memorable when sung by Dooley Wilson in the 1942 film Casablanca. The song connected the characters Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman).Casablanca was nominated for 8 Academy Awards and won 3: Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. Some of the memorable lines from the film include:"Here's looking at you, kid.""Sing it, Sam." (Nobody in the film said, "Play it again, Sam.")"Let's go fishing until she goes home.""Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world she has to walk into mine.""Who are you really? Where were you before? What did you do? What did you think?""We'll always have Paris." (thanks, Garry - Anchorage, AK)

World's Greatest Songs—As Time Goes ByNo list of "World's Greatest Songs" would be complete without the ever-endearing "As Time Goes By" from one of the greatest movies of all time, the 1943 Academy Award winning (Best Picture) Casablanca.

Who can forget the sadness in the eyes of Ilsa Lund, played by the beautiful Ingrid Bergman, as she implores Sam, played by Dooley Wilson, to play and then sing, "As Time Goes By"?

Ilsa: Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake.

As Time Goes By by Arthur "Dooley" Wilson

Ilsa: Play it once, Sam, for old times' sake.Sam: I don't know what you mean, Miss Ilsa.Ilsa: (whispered) Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'Sam: Why, I can't remember it, Miss Ilsa. I'm a little rusty on it.Ilsa: I'll hum it for you. (Ilsa hums two bars. Sam starts to play - without singing the lyrics. She presses him to sing.) Sing it, Sam.After remaining deferential, Sam is finally disarmed by her alluring charm and gives into her persistent requests. He sings the chorus, as the breath-taking Ilsa listens - and remembers a past love affair - with tears welling up in her eyes...

Casablanca won the Oscar for Best Picture (and two others as well) and while Max Steiner was nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score, it was "As Time Goes By," the only song in the film not composed by Steiner, that is synonymous with the movie (although the music throughout is excellent and memorable).

This wasn't the first time "As Time Goes By" stole the show.

You must remember thisA kiss is just a kiss,a sigh is just a sigh.The fundamental things applyAs time goes by.

And when two lovers wooThey still say, "I love you."On that you can relyNo matter what the future bringsAs time goes by.

Moonlight and love songsNever out of date.Hearts full of passionJealousy and hate.Woman needs manAnd man must have his mateThat no one can deny.

It's still the same old storyA fight for love and gloryA case of do or die.The world will always welcome loversAs time goes by.

Oh yes, the world will always welcome loversAs time goes by.

As Time Goes By

(Words and Music by Herman Hupfeld)

Time Goes By Quotes

Time and history, in the form of the war, dominate the present and steer the future. If the love between Rick and Ilsa does survive, it will do so only as a memory. The significance of the words of "As Time Goes By," therefore, is that they are ultimately false. The future can and does bring situations that interrupt love, and the fundamental things don't always apply.

Time Goes By Quotes

❖ 5th "Here's looking at you, kid." (During production breaks, Ingrid Bergman would

play poker with other cast members. Since she was still learning English, Bogart

would occasionally watch the game, and he added "Here's looking at you" to her

poker repertoire.)

❖ 20th "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

❖ 28th "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By.'"

❖ 32th "Round up the usual suspects."

❖ 43th "We'll always have Paris."

❖ 67th "Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into

mine."

❖ Ilsa Lund: Play it once, Sam. For old times' sake

Some Questions

1. Does Rick love Ilsa? Why?2. Why did Rick give up on Ilsa?3. Has he gotten over her?4. What is Ilsa and Rick’s relationship based on?5. Is a personal, romantic love more important than politics

or public trump card?6. What do you think of Ilsa?7. What must we remember?

The song was re-introduced in 1942 in the film Casablanca, sung by Dooley Wilson accompanied by pianist Elliot Carpenter and heard throughout the film as a leitmotif.

Questions and Discussion Time…

Thank you for your collaboration,Halina