Thursday, May 21, 2009

Playing for Change

I loved this video the first time I saw it. I love it even more now.

Some guys went to different cities and recorded street musicians who play for change. They put a box or a guitar case on the sidewalk and play music and people throw change in their box. Well, the guys who made this CD recorded them and put the music together in a studio. Most of these musicians never met each other. They wanted to show how we can unite the world through music. Music is a language that everyone understands. We can listen to music from another country, and even if we don't understand the language, we can still understand the music. We can feel the power of the music.

The money that they make from selling CDs and t-shirts and things goes to the Playing For Change Foundation. They hope to change the world by building music schools in poor countries.

I think it's great.

Here is the song Stand By Me



If you want to hear the original version of this song and read the words, you can click here.

War - No More Trouble

Here is another song from Playing for Change called "WAR" - it was originally sung by Bob Marley, a Jamaican reggae singer.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Beyoncé - If I Were a Boy



















Beyoncé Knowles (September 4, 1981) is an American R&B singer-songwriter, actress and owner of her own clothing line. Here is her song, "If I Were a Boy".



If I Were A Boy lyrics

If I were a boy even just for a day
I'd roll out of bed in the morning
And throw on what I wanted
And 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 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 taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a boy
I would turn off my phone
Tell everyone it's 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 taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

It's a little too late for you to come back
Say it's 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
And you don't understand, oh
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're taking her for granted
And everything you had got destroyed
But you're just a boy

Friday, February 27, 2009

Seal

Seal Henry Olusegun Kwassi Olumide Adelo Samuel (born 19 February 1963 in Paddington, London) is a British soul singer and songwriter. His name Olusegun means "God is victorious". Known professionally by his first name, Seal is known for his numerous international hits.

Here is Seal singing a song called "A Change is Gonna Come", which was originally written and sung by Sam Cooke. The song became popular during the Civil Rights movement, when people began to see the possibility for change. Seal release his version of the song in 2008, when another change was about to happen - the election of Barack Obama.




I was born by the river in a little tent
Oh and just like the river I've been running ever since
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change gonna come, oh yes it will

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die
Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky
It's been a long, a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will

Then I go to my brother
And I say brother help me please
But he winds up knocking me
Back down on my knees

Oh, there were times I thought I wouldn't last for long
Now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long time coming
and I know a change is gonna come, yes it will I know
A change is gonna come
I said I know change is gonna come
A change is gonna come, right now
A change is gonna come, I see it now
Believe me, I said a change is gonna come

Sade





Helen Folasade Adu, OBE, (born 16 January 1959), better known as Sade (pronounced ʃɑːˈdeɪ, shah-DAY), is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the popular Grammy Award winning English group Sade.

Sade was born in Nigeria. Her father was Nigerian and her mother was British. When she was four years old, her mother took her to England, where she grew up.



Here she is singing "Your Love is King".



Your love is king, crown me with your heart
Your love is king, never need to part
Your kisses ring, round and round and round my head
Touching the very part of me
It's making my soul sing
Tearing the very heart of me
I'm crying out for more

Your love is king, crown me with my heart
Your love is king, never need to part
Your kisses ring, round and round and round my head
Touching the very part of me
It's making my soul sing
I'm crying out for more
Your love is king

I'm coming out, I'm coming
You're making me dance inside

Your love is king, crown me with my heart
Your love is king, never need to part
Your kisses ring, round and round and round my head
Touching the very part of me
It's making my soul sing
Tearing the very heart of me
I'm crying out for more

Touching the very heart of me
It's making my soul sing
I'm crying out for more
Your love is king

This is no blind faith
This is no sad and sorry dream
This is no blind faith
Your love
I'm coming
It's making me dance inside
Your love
Your love is king

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Roberta Flack


Roberta Flack (born February 10, 1937) is a Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter and musician who is notable in the areas of jazz, soul, R&B and folk. Flack is best known for singles such as "Killing Me Softly with His Song", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Where Is the Love" and "The Closer I Get to You" (two of her many duets with Donny Hathaway), and "Feel Like Makin' Love". "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" won the 1973 Grammy Record of the Year and "Killing Me Softly with His Song" won the same award at the Grammy Awards of 1974. She and U2 are the only artists to win the award in back-to-back years.

Here is a video of her singing the John Lennon classic, "Imagine" - she adds a soulful touch to the song and a little bit of reggae beat as well.


Lisa Fischer

If you watched the video of Roberta Flack singing "Imagine" you saw one of her back-up singers with an amazing voice. That singer's name is Lisa Fischer.

Lisa Fischer (born December 1, 1958) is an American Grammy Award winning R&B singer. She is known for her beautiful image, impressive vocal range and talents that reach high up to the whistle register, and her 1991 smash hit single "How Can I Ease the Pain". She is considered one of the most powerful melodic voices in the music world. Here she is singing the song that won her the Grammy Award in 1991, at a live concert in Japan. You will see the range of her voice and "whistle" register (the very high notes she can reach).



All alone, on my knees I pray
for the strength, to stay away

In and out
out and in you go
I feel your fire
then I lose my self control

How can I, ease the pain?
when I know you're coming back again
How can I, ease the pain in my heart?
How can I, ease the pain?
when I know you're coming back again
how can I, ease the pain in my heart?
How can I ease the pain?

if its not my love
that you've come here for,
its heaven while youre here
knock, knock, knocking at my door
I cant take it, no no no no more baby
give me it all, or nothing at all!

How can I, ease the pain?
when I know you're comin back again
how can I, ease the pain in my heart?
How can I, ease the pain?
when I know I know I know
in my heart?
I need to know how....
How can I .....?
How can I ease the pain?
I need to know how to ease it.
How can I ease the pain baby?
How can I ease the pain?

Friday, February 20, 2009

Whitney Houston


Whitney Elizabeth Houston (born August 9, 1963) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, record producer, film producer, and former fashion model. Houston rose to international fame in the mid-1980s and her success opened doors for many other African American women to find success in pop music and movies.

Her debut album became the biggest selling debut album of all time for a solo artist, her follow up album was the first album by a female artist to debut at #1 on the Billboard 200, and she holds a record seven consecutive #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Houston continued her success into Hollywood in the 1990s, starting with the box office hit "The Bodyguard". The soundtrack to the movie is the best-selling soundtrack of all time, and the single "I Will Always Love You" the best-selling single by a female artist and 3rd best-selling song in the history of music. She continued the decade with other successful and culturally significant projects before returning to the studio. Houston is the fourth best-selling female recording artist in the U.S , and is the "The Most Awarded Female Artist of All Time" according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

After Houston married former R&B singer Bobby Brown at the height of her career, rumors of drug abuse started to affect her popularity. This led to a decline in her public image and her album sales dropped during from 2000 to 2008, with stories regularly appearing in the tabloid press. After successful trips to rehab, Houston divorced Brown and gained custody of their only daughter in 2006. Her seventh studio album is scheduled for release in 2009.



All the Man I Need
I used to cry myself to sleep at night
But that was all before he came
I thought love had to hurt to turn out right
But now he's here
It's not the same, it's not the same

Chorus:
He fills me up
He gives me love
More love than I've ever seen
He's all I've got,
He's all I've got in this world
But he's all the man that I need

And in the morning when I kiss his eyes
He takes me down and rocks me slow
And in the evening when the moon is high
He holds me close and wont let go
He wont let go

Jennifer Holliday

Jennifer-Yvette Holliday (born October 19, 1960, Riverside, Texas) is a two-time Grammy Award-winning American singer and actress. She started her career on Broadway in musicals such as Dreamgirls, and later became a successful recording artist. She is best known for her debut single, the Dreamgirls showstopper and Grammy Award-winning R&B/Pop hit, "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going."

Here she is singing the song that made her famous. In the play, she just finds out that she is getting fired from the musical group, "The Dreamgirls" that she has been a part of. She also discovers that the man she loves doesn't love her anymore. Many people have tried to sing this song, including Jennifer Hudson in the movie, "Dreamgirls", but in my opinion, no one can sing it like Jennifer Holliday.



And I am telling you
I'm not going.
You're the best man I'll ever know.
There's no way I can ever go,
No, no, no, no way,
No, no, no, no way I'm livin' without you.
I'm not livin' without you.
I don't want to be free.
I'm stayin',
I'm stayin',
And you, and you, you're gonna love me.
Ooh, you're gonna love me.

And I am telling you
I'm not going,
Even though the rough times are showing.
There's just no way,
There's no way.
We're part of the same place.
We're part of the same time.
We both share the same blood.
We both have the same mind.
And time and time we have so much to share,


No, no, no,
No, no, no,
I'm not wakin' up tomorrow mornin'
And findin' that there's nobody there.
Darling, there's no way,
No, no, no, no way I'm livin' without you.
I'm not livin' without you.
You see, there's just no way,
There's no way.

Please don't go away from me
Stay with me, stay with me
Stay stay and hold me
Stay stay and hold me
Please say and hold me Mr. man

Tear down the mountains,
Yell, scream and shout.
You can say what you want,
I'm not walkin' out.
Stop all the rivers,
Push, strike, and kill.
I'm not gonna leave you,
There's no way I will.

And I am telling you
I'm not going.
You're the best man I'll ever know.
There's no way I can ever, ever go,
No, no, no, no way,
No, no, no, no way I'm livin' without you.
Oh, I'm not livin' without you,
I'm not livin' without you.
I don't wanna be free.
I'm stayin',
I'm stayin',
And you, and you,
You're gonna love me.
Oh, hey, you're gonna love me,
Yes, ah, ooh, ooh, love me,
Ooh, ooh, ooh, love me,
Love me,
Love me,
Love me,
Love me.
You're gonna love me.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Learning Discrimination


What is discrimination? Where does it come from?

Children are not born with prejudices. They are taught them, first by their parents, then by their schools, religious leaders, movies and TV shows, etc. Think about some of the negative things you have heard in your life about people from different cultures, people with different skin colors, gay and lesbian people, etc., where did you first learn those things? Are they really true about all people in that group?

Did you ever hear that brown eyed people are smarter than people with blue eyes? It sounds ridiculous, doesn't it?

In 1968, after Martin Luther King was assassinated, a third grade teacher tried an experiment. She told her students that people with blue eyes were smarter than people with brown eyes. The next day she told them she had lied - that actually people with brown eyes were smarter.

You can watch a video about this experiment that shows how easy it is to teach children to discriminate. The video is called "A Class Divided" - you can watch it here. Later, they get together and talk about what they learned that day.

After you watch the video, you can read the transcript here.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Oprah Winfrey


Oprah Winfrey is a talk show host on her own television show, The Oprah Winfrey Show. She is described as the "queen of talk shows", but she is much more than that. She owns her own television production company, has produced movies, is an actress and was nominated for an Academy Award, has produced a play on Broadway, is a book critic and can immediately make any book she recommends a best-seller, and she is a philanthropist, helping to raise money and support projects that help make the lives of children around the world better.

Oprah was born in Mississippi and later moved to inner-city Milwaukee where she lived in a very poor neighborhood with her single mother. She was raped at the age of 9 and has shared her story with millions on her show, fighting to expose and stop child abuse.

You can read more about Oprah on biography.com.

Here is a clip from You Tube of Oprah being interviewed by a young man at the Inauguration of President Obama.

Malcolm X


Malcolm X was a controversial Black leader during the Civil Rights movement. His father was killed by the Klu Klux Klan (a white racist group) and his mother was not able to find work after his father's death. Because his mother was not able to take care of her children, she was put in a mental institution and the children were sent off to reform schools and group homes. Malcolm started spending time with people who were selling drugs and stealing, and eventually, he was arrested.

While he was in jail he began to read and discovered the readings of Elijah Muhammad, a Black Muslim leader based in Chicago. He became a Muslim and when he got out of jail began to work with Elijah Muhammad.

People said that Malcolm X encouraged violence, but really, he encouraged self-defence, self-respect, and for Black people to know their history.

Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965.

You can read a short biography of Malcolm X here.

Billie Holiday


Billie Holiday (1915-1959) was a great American jazz and blues singer. She is an American legend. Her story inspired the 1972 film "Lady Sings the Blues" starring Diana Ross. Billie Holiday had a special way of interpreting each song she sang that still influences American pop music today. Unfortunately, she lived a sad and difficult life and died at the age of 44. You can read a short biography about Billie Holiday here.

Below is a video of her singing one of her famous songs. It is called "My Man"

Here are the lyrics. Read the lyrics first and then watch the video.

It cost me a lot
But theres one thing that I've got
It's my man
It's my man

Cold or wet
Tired, you bet
All of this I'll soon forget
With my man

He's not much on looks
He's no hero out of books
But I love him
Yes, I love him

Two or three girls
Has he
That he likes as well as me
But I love him

I don't know why I should
He isn't true
He beats me, too
What can I do?

Oh, my man, I love him so
He'll never know
All my life is just a spare
But I don't care
When he takes me in his arms
The world is bright
All right

What's the difference if I say
I'll go away
When I know I'll come back
On my knees someday

For whatever my man is
I'm his forevermore

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson (1898-1973) was an African American actor, singer, athlete, lawyer and activist. Robeson was the first major concert star to make the performance of "negro spirituals" popular. Because Robeson was active in trade unions and fought against racism and fascism, he was a target during the anti-Communist scare in the United States in the 1940's and 1950's. His name was put on a "black list" and he was unable to find work. Here is a clip from a musical called "Showboat". You can read the lyrics of the song below. The song is called Old Man River. It is a song about how hard black people had to work and struggle.



Ol man river,
that ol' man river
He must know something
But don't say nothing,
He just keeps rolling
He keeps on rolling along.

He don't plant taters (potatoes),
He don't plant cotton,
And them that plants them
is soon forgotten,
But ol'man river,
He just keeps rollin'along.

You and me, we sweat and strain,
Body all aching and racked with pain,
Tote that barge!
Lift that bale!
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail.

I get weary
And sick of trying
I'm tired of living
And scared of dying,
But ol' man river,
He just keeps rolling along.

[Colored folks work on the Mississippi,
Colored folks work while the white folks play,
Pulling those boats from the dawn to sunset,
Gitting no rest till the judgement day.]

Don't look up
And don't look down,
You don't dast make
the white boss frown.
Bend your knees
And bow your head,
And pull that rope
Until you' dead.)

Let me go away from the Mississippi,
Let me go away from the white man boss;
Show me that stream called the river Jordan,
That's the ol' stream that I long to cross.

O' man river,
That ol' man river,
He must know something
But don't say nothing
He just keeps rolling
He keeps on rollin' along.

Long ol' river forever keeps rollin' on...

He don't plant tater,
He don't plant cotton,
And them that plants 'em
Is soon forgotten,
but ol' man river,
He just keeps rollin' along.

Long ol' river keeps hearing that song.
You and me, we sweat and strain,
Body all aching ang racked with pain.
Tote that barge!
Lift that bale!
Get a little drunk
And you land in jail.

Ah, get weary
And sick of trying
I'm tired of living
And scared of dying,
But ol' man river,
He just keeps rolling along!

Black History Month


February is an important month because it is when we celebrate the birthdays of two important American presidents - the first president, George Washington, and the president who kept the United States united during its Civil War, Abraham Lincoln. But February is also important because it is when we celebrate Black History Month. Black History is American history, but sometimes it is not included enough in history books, sometimes it isn't included at all.

During Black History month, we remember all of the important events and people who help to make America a strong and proud country that represents freedom for so many people in the world. There are historical figures and great leaders like Harriet Tubman and Martin Luther King, there are musicians and writers, and this year we are especially proud to have our first Black president.

You can learn more about Black History at the History Channel website. You'll find videos, photos, timelines, and short readings about the many people who played an important role in the history of the United States.

Barack Obama


Barack Obama made history by becoming the first African-American president of the United States. You can watch a documentary about where he came from and how he became president here.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Loving vs Virginia



Richard Loving and his wife Mildred were arrested in 1958 because they got married. In Virginia, the state where they lived, it was illegal for people of different races to marry. They had to leave Virginia and moved to Washington D.C.

A few years later they contacted a lawyer. He fought their case and won. The U.S. Supreme Court decided it was illegal to tell people of different races that they could not get married. The case was called "Loving vs Virginia".

You can read about this story and listen to a podcast here.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Proposition 8

Proposition 8 was passed by Californians in November, 2008. Prop 8 makes it illegal for same-sex couples to marry in California. 18,000 couples were married between May and November, 2008. Now it is possible that the state of California will divorce these couples. Here is a video with pictures of some of the families that will be affected.


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

Here are the lyrics to the song in the video. It is called "Fidelity" and is by Regina Spektor.

Fidelity

(Shake it up)

I never loved nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost in the sounds
I hear in my mind
All of these voices
I hear in my mind all of these words
I hear in my mind all of this music

And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
And it breaks my heart
It breaks my heart


Suppose I never ever met you
Suppose we never fell in love
Suppose I never ever let you kiss me so sweet and so soft
Suppose I never ever saw you
Suppose we never ever called
Suppose I kept on singing love songs just to break my own fall
Just to break my fall
Just to break my fall
Just to break my fall
Break my fall
Break my fall

All my friends say that of course its gonna get better
Gonna get better
Better better better better
Better better better better better better

I never love nobody fully
Always one foot on the ground
And by protecting my heart truly
I got lost
In the sounds
I hear in my mind
All these voices
I hear in my mind all of these words
I hear in my mind
All of this music
And it breaks my heart
It breaks my heart

I hear in my mind
All these voices
I hear in my mind all of these words
I hear in my mind
All of this music
And it breaks my heart
It breaks my heart

Breaks my
Heart
Breaks my heart

Lyon and Martin




Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon met in 1950. They became lovers in 1952 and moved in together on Valentine's Day in 1953 in an apartment on Castro Street in San Francisco. They were feminists and gay-rights activists and co-founded an organization called the Daughters of Bilitis. It was the first social and political organization for lesbians in the United States.

On February 12, 2004, Del and Phyllis went to City Hall and asked to be married. Mayor Gavin Newsom allowed them to be married, even though it was against the law. Later, the California Supreme Court said their marriage was illegal.

A few years later, on May 17, 2008, the California Supreme Court decided it was unconstitutional to deny marriage rights to same-sex couples. On June 16, 2008, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon returned to City Hall and were married by Mayor Newsom after 55 years together. This time it was legal.

On November 4, 2008, Californians passed Proposition 8. Prop 8 changed the California Constitution and made it illegal for same-sex couples to marry.

Del Martin died on August 27, 2008.

You can watch a video of their marriage here:

Friday, February 6, 2009

The Twins


San Francisco is famous for many things - the Golden Gate Bridge, the Transamerica Pyramid, The Castro, but probably the most famous person in San Francisco is two people - the twins, Marian and Vivian Brown.

Marian and Vivian moved to San Francisco in the 1970's. They dress the same. They have the same hairdo. They wear the same perfume. They eat the same things. They are always together. They only spent 3 weeks apart in their life.

They live on Nob Hill in San Francisco. When they walk the streets of San Francisco, they wave and smile to people who take pictures of them. They make people happy.

You can listen to a podcast about the twins here.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Story Corps

Join StoryCorps in the National Day of Listening

There are many ways to practice listening on the internet. One good way is a site called Story Corps.

Story Corps is an "oral history project".

In many cultures, oral histories are an important part of the culture. People sit around and listen to stories, often from the older people in the culture. These stories are passed from one generation to the next.

Story Corps is a project in the United States, to collect stories from a variety of people. But really Story Corps tries to teach people that it is important to listen to one another. They declared the day after Thanksgiving, a "National Day of Listening".

Before You Listen
Discuss the following questions with a partner.
1. In your culture do people hug, or kiss? If so when and where?
2. In your culture, who is responsible for the housework? Who cooks, cleans, washes the dishes, etc.? Do men and women share these chores equally?


Vocabulary
Here is some vocabulary you might need to understand this story. Do you know what these words mean? You can check below to find out their meaning.

first-generation

show affection

missionary

couple

Bible class

serve

typical

appreciation

Listen
Now you are ready to listen. This story is a story of a Korean immigrant. Her name is Hee-Sook Lee. Her Korean-American daughter Joyce is interviewing her. Joyce wants to know why her parents' relationship looks different from the parents of her other Korean-American friends.



Here is Joyce's question:
I know that having other friends who have parents who are Korean immigrants, they've never actually seen their parents hug or kiss or show affection and emotion towards each other so I think that's pretty unusual for a first-generation Korean couple, can you tell me where you learned this from?

You can click here to listen to the story. When you are finished, hit your "back" button to return to this page. Listen as many times as you want.

Listen to Hee-Sook and answer these questions.

1. Where did Hee-Sook meet Bob and Pinkston?

2. What did she observe when she saw them together?

3. What did she see her own parents doing?

4. When Hee-Sook got married, what kind of man did she marry?

5. What did her husband do when Hee-Sook said, "I love you"?

6. How did he change? Why?

7. How does Joyce feel about her parents' relationship?

You can click on the "comments" link below and let me know what you thought about this story.

Vocabulary

first-generation - the first generation in a family to immigrate (in this case, to the U.S.). For example if the parents come to the U.S., they are the first-generation. When their children are born, they are the second-generation, their children are third-generation, etc.

show affection - a visible display of affection. To show someone by your actions that you love them. This might be hugging, kissing, or some other type of non-verbal behavior.

missionary - people who go to other places to teach people about their religion.

couple - two of something. In this case, a couple means a man and a woman who love each other. Of course, a couple can also be two men or two women.

Bible class - a class where people go to study the Bible - a book that Christians believe is the word of God.

serve - to bring something to someone. In a restaurant, a waiter or waitress serves food.

typical - usual, ordinary, common. What do you do in a typical day?

appreciation - a feeling of thanks. When you "show appreciation" you do something to say thank you.