Song 3: Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)

Song 3: Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie)
(Level: C1 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced / ***)

David Bowie
Photo credit: francemusique.fr

You are going to watch a music video of David Bowie's Ashes to Ashes. 

Before watching:

The following notes and words could be useful:

A few notes about David Bowie and the song:

David Robert Jones, known as David Bowie was born on 8 January 1947 in Brixton, South London. 

He began his career in 1963 and "Space Oddity" became his first top-five entry on the UK Singles Chart after its release in July 1969.

He had had a fight in 1962 with a schoolmate which resulted in his peculiar left eye condition: a permanently dilated pupil, the colour of which is different from his right eye.  

He became famous in 1969 with Space Oddity*, the initial part of his Glam rock period.

He released in 1980 his very successful album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps) including the very famous Ashes to Ashes.

He released in 1981 the hit Under Pressure co-written by and performed with Queen.

He released a truly commercial hit, Let’s Dance, in 1983 which went to number one in the USA and the UK.

He sang in duet with Mick Jagger on Dancing in the Street** in 1985.

He released albums in the 1990s highly influenced by soul, jazz, hip-hop, alternative rock and drum and bass music.

He also appeared in films.  In The Man who Fell to Earth  (1976), Bowie played the role of an alien, in Merry Christmas, Mr Lawrence (1983), he was a major, a prisoner of war in a Japanese internment camp, in The Hunger (1984 -  along with Catherine Deneuve and Susan Sarandon), he was a vampire... 

In the noughties and a bit after, Bowie had been absent for at least 10 years before returning with his 2013 album The Next Day. 

He died of liver cancer on 10 January 2016 at his home in New York City, two days after his 69th birthday and the release of his final album, Blackstar (2016).

Picture credit: en.wikipedia.org

Ashes to Ashes

-One of Bowie’s number one hits.

-Musically the song was notable for its delicate synthetic string sound (with a guitar synth, i.e. the combination of a guitar and a synthesizer) and its complex  vocal exercise.

-Regarded as Bowie's most sophisticated sonic work.

-The video clip was also iconic because it was full of scenes based on solarisation with images recorded on a negative or on a photographic print wholly or partially reversed in tone. Dark areas appear light and vice versa.

-The song and its video also denoted the singer’s plaintive mood of the time

Vocabulary
the shrieking: les cris
I ain't got = I haven't got 
a junkie: un camé / drogué
funky: froussard   (funk: frousse / peur)
strung out in heaven's high: perché en haut dans le ciel 



While watching:

Watch the song and then find the missing part in it. 

You can find the video by clicking HERE

Watch, listen and find the missing parts

........................................ a guy that’s been
In such an early song
I’ve heard a rumour from ground control
Oh no, don’t say it’s true

They got a message from the action man
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
I’ve loved all I’ve ............................................
Sordid details following

The shrieking of nothing is .....................................

Just pictures of jap girls in synthesis and I
Ain’t got no money and I ain’t ......................................
But I’m hoping to kick but the planet it’s glowing

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know major tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

Time and again ..................................
I’ll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels ........................................
Oh no, not again
I’m stuck with a valuable friend
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
One flash of light but no smoking pistol

I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything ......................................, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know major tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom

When you are finished, you can check your answers.

Do you remember a guy that’s been
In such an early song
I’ve heard a rumour from ground control
Oh no, don’t say it’s true

They got a message from the action man
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
I’ve loved all I’ve needed love
Sordid details following

The shrieking of nothing is killing
Just pictures of jap girls in synthesis and i
Ain’t got no money and I ain’t got no hair
But I’m hoping to kick but the planet it’s glowing

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know major tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

Time and again I tell myself
I’ll stay clean tonight
But the little green wheels are following me
Oh no, not again
I’m stuck with a valuable friend
I’m happy, hope you’re happy too
One flash of light but no smoking pistol

I never done good things
I never done bad things
I never did anything out of the blue, woh-o-oh
Want an axe to break the ice
Wanna come down right now

Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know major tom’s a junkie
Strung out in heaven’s high
Hitting an all-time low

My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom
My mother said to get things done
You’d better not mess with major Tom

Boris Johnson tested positive for coronavirus

Boris Johnson tested positive for coronavirus
(Level: C1 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced / ***)



You are gong to listen to a video message by PM Boris Johnson.

Photo credit : bbc.co.uk 

Before listening

The following words could be useful: 

to bring someone up to speed (something): to give someone the latest information about...      apporter une précision à quelqu'un pour qu'il comprenne

the wizardry of...  : the magic of... / magical influence  

The NHS (National Health Service): the healthcare system in the UK which is funded primarily by taxation and which provides free or low-cost healthcare to all legal residents in the UK.

The DWP: the Department for Work and Pensions

to comply with...: to act according to an order or a set of rules                                     se conformer à... 

to bounce back: to return quickly to a normal situation  rebondir / se remettre / se relever  

While listening 

Complete Boris Johnson's Tweet message (from BBC News)! 

You can also watch the Twitter video by clicking HERE

I want to  (1) .......   something that’s happening today. I’ve developed (2) ............... of the coronavirus, that’s to say a (3) ........

I’ve taken a test that has come out positive, so I’m working from home.

I’m (4) ....... and that’s entirely the right thing to do.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead (5) ....... against the coronavirus.

And I want to thank everybody that’s involved, I want to thank of course above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in the national clap for the NHS. 

But it’s not just the NHS ; it’s our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, the DWP staff. 

An amazing national effort by the public services, but also by every member of the British public (6) ........

An incredible response : (7) ....... people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of the coronavirus.

I want to thank you. I want to thank everybody who’s working to keep our country going through this epidemic, and we will get through it and the way we’re going to get through it is of course by  (8) ....... so much about and the more effectively we all comply with these measures, (9) ...... and the faster we will bounce back. 

So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing : working from home to stop the (10) ........

That’s the way we’re going to win ; we’re going to beat it and we’re going to beat it together. (11) ........

(1) .....................................................................

(2) .....................................................................

(3) .....................................................................

(4) .....................................................................

(5) .....................................................................

(6) .....................................................................

(7) .....................................................................

(8) .....................................................................

(9) .....................................................................

(10) ...................................................................

(11) ...................................................................

When you are finished, you can check your answers!

I want to (1)  bring you up to speed something that’s happening today.

I’ve developed  (2) mild symptoms of the coronavirus, that’s to say a (3) temperature and a persistent cough.

I’ve taken a test that has come out positive, so I’m working from home.

I’m (4) self-isolating and that’s entirely the right thing to do.

But be in no doubt that I can continue, thanks to the wizardry of modern technology, to communicate with all my top team, to lead  (5) the national fightback against the coronavirus.

And I want to thank everybody that’s involved, I want to thank of course above all our amazing NHS staff. It was very moving last night to join in the national clap for the NHS. But it’s not just the NHS ; it’s our police, our social care workers, teachers, everybody who works in schools, the DWP staff. An amazing national effort by the public services, but also by every member of the British public (6) who’s volunteering.

An incredible response : (7) 600,000 people have volunteered to take part in a great national effort to protect people from the consequences of the coronavirus.

I want to thank you. I want to thank everybody who’s working to keep our country going through this epidemic, and we will get through it and the way we’re going to get through it is of course (8)  by applying the measures that you’ll have heard so much about and the more effectively we all comply with these measures,  (9) the faster our country will come through this epidemic and the faster we will bounce back.

So thank you to everybody who’s doing what I’m doing : working from home to stop the (10)  spread of the virus from household to household. That’s the way we’re going to win ; we’re going to beat it and we’re going to beat it together.  (11) Stay at home and protect the NHS and save lives. 

Song 2: Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits)

Song 2: Sultans of Swing (Dire Straits)
(Level: C1 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced / ***) 

Photo credit: rtbf.be   

You are going to watch a music video of Dire Straits' Sultans of Swing.

Dire Straits? 

to be in dire straits means to be in extreme, awful poverty. 

Dire Straits: a British band formed in 1977 by band leader Mark Knopfler (guitar and vocals), his brother David Knopfler (guitar), John Illsley (bass) and Pick Withers (drums). 

Although the band was formed in a period when punk rock reigned, Dire Straits worked within the conventions of "classic" rock with a sound that appealed to audiences.   

The band's most famous songs include: "Sultans of Swing", "Romeo and Juliet", "Money for Nothing", "Tunnel of Love", "Private Investigation", "Walk of Life" and “Brothers in arms”.

The commercial success of "Brothers in Arms" (song and album) in 1985 was mainly due to the fact it was the first fully digitally recorded album available in the (then) new Compact Disc format. Besides, it was considered a "must have" album in a limited range of available music in CD format.

A long period of inactivity followed this success during and six years later, Dire Straits' final studio album On Every Street was released in 1991. The singer would then decide to concentrate on solo projects and the band finally decided to call it quits in 1995.

Sultans of Swing" was Dire Straits' first single. It was first recorded as a demo in London and quickly acquired a real popularity after it was put in the rotation at Radio London. 

The song's story is that of the members of a working-class jazz group who only want to play their distinctive sound in a small London club, and don't care how popular they are.

Before watching

The following words could be useful:

to get a shiver: frissonner

the horns: les trompettes

the chords: les accords

to do alright: bien s'en sortir

a honky tonk is an American word for a bar where music, usually country music, is played. 

In the song: He can play the honky tonk like anything means he can play a honky tonk piano (in French: piano bastringue) that has been modified to alter the sound so as to make it more percussive. 

And when he plays it like anything means he does it really well.

to fool around: faire les imbéciles
They don't give a damn = they don't care   (Lit. Ils n'en ont rien à foutre!)

It ain't = It isn't

While watching

Watch, listen and read the lyrics. 

No question this time!  Enjoy the song!  

Watch the video by clicking HERE

Coronavirus: the month everything changed

Coronavirus: the month everything changed
(Level: C1 / Upper-Intermediate to Advanced / **** )


You are going to read a BBC news article by Jon Kelly (BBC Stories).


Before reading

Look at the heading of the article: "Coronavirus: the month everything changed" and at the pictures below.

1. What do you think the article will be about? 

2. Do you think the situation in the UK is similar to that of Belgium or France?

3. What is it like in the UK now, according to what you know or heard of?

4. How do you feel when you look at the two pictures?   

Piccadilly Circus      Picture credit: Getty Images/Alamy - bbc.co.uk

Churchill's statue      Picture credit: Brendan Moran / bbc.co.uk 

NOTE: the second picture is an adaptation of Churchill's statue in Parliament Square, London.

photo credit: en.wikipedia.org 

While reading

The following words and notes will be useful:

to take stock : to examine a situation carefully          faire le point  

grim : harsh / sinister / morbid                       sinistre / sombre 

a milestone : an important point in the development of… / a very important event     événement marquant / tournant / étape importante

to cram : to pack or squeeze together          se presser / s’entasser / se rassembler en masse

swathes (of land): large areas         de grandes étendues / des zones… 

smoothly : easily / without difficulty

steady :  regular

barely : hardly        à peine  / presque pas

a ratchet : a machine part consisting of a wheel or bar with teeth on it, to allow movement in one direction only           cliquet  

to yank : to pull quickly and with force          tirer violemment..          

to take notice of : to pay attention to              tenir compte de …

the outbreak : a violent or sudden increase of         émergence / éclosion

 to splash on…      to print in a noticeable way…        étaler  (dans la presse..)

to be off sick : to be on sick leave         être en congé de maladie

A hand sanitiser   
Photo credit: Amazon UK

the death toll : number of people who die because of a war, an epidemic…      nombre de victimes / morts

shattering : shocking and upsetting            épouvantable   

mitigation : making less harsh or severe                allègement / atténuation  

bluntness : frankness / openness  / truthfulness           franc parler

the counterpart :  equal / fellow / compeer                homologue 

to go to all this bother : to go to all this trouble       se prendre la tête avec ça

to go into lockdown : to go into confinement

a white-collar worker : a person performing professional, managerial or administrative work (as opposed to a blue-collar worker or a working-class person performing manual work.

to get a glimpse of…   to get a brief look at         un rapide coup d’œil  

the Chancellor (of the Exchequer) : a senior official within the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for all economic and financial matters                    Ministre des Finances

loan guarantees :aide financière (aux entreprises en difficulté) sous la forme de garanties de crédit.

Bn = billion

£300bn = ± 334,300,000,000 euros

key workers: people who have jobs in sectors that are considered essential.  SEE LIST FURTHER ON

until further notice : until an official body (e.g. a government) announces that the situation has changed             jusqu’à nouvel ordre

a prom : a formal dance held by a high school or university college at the end of a school (academic) year                      le bal (de fin d'année académique)

a  columnist : a journalist writing articles (columns) in a newspaper

steadfast(ly) : firmly     résolu(ment)

to pour outside : to move / flow (massively) outside

state-sanctioned : approved by the state

for the long haul : for a long period                   sur le long terme 

Key workers: LIST 

(Source : https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/28/essential-work-who-key-workers-list-coronavirus-uk/)

Who are the key workers in the UK? 

They are people whose jobs are vital to public health and safety during the Coronavirus lockdown. Because their work is so vital, the Government is keen to ensure that they are able to carry out their jobs with as little restriction as possible. This includes being able to put their children in school and use necessary transport links.

The list includes:

Health and social care

All NHS (National Health Service) staff, including administrative and cleaning workers. Frontline health and social care staff such as doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, plus support and specialist staff in the health and social care sector.

In addition it includes those working in supply chains including producers and distributors of medicines and personal protective equipment.

Education and childcare

Nursery, teachers – including teaching assistants – and social workers.

Food and other necessary goods

Food chain workers, including those involved in production, processing, distribution, sale and delivery of goods.

Key public services

Postal workers, those required to run the justice system, religious staff, as well as those responsible for managing the deceased, and journalists providing public service broadcasting.

Local and national government

Local and national government workers in admin roles “essential to the effective delivery” of the Covid-19 response or delivering essential public services, including payment of benefits.

Utility workers

Staff needed to keep oil, gas, electricity, water and sewerage operations running. Staff in the civil nuclear, chemical and telecommunications sectors. Those in postal services and those working to provide essential financial services.

Public safety and national security

Police and support staff, Ministry of Defence civilian staff and armed forces personnel, fire and rescue staff, and workers responsible for border security,prisons and probation.

Transport

Those keeping air, water, road, and rail passenger and freight transport modes operating. 

…

Now read the article and find out about the timeline of the epidemic in the UK or some of the main events in the UK since the outbreak of the virus there.

To read the article, click HERE

Now answer the questions! 

1. Complete the notes in the charts below!

28 février 2020

1er mars 2020

3 mars 2020 51 Britanniques révélés positifs au Coronavirus. Plan d’Action du gouvernement enclenché.

4 mars 2020

Du 5 mars au 8 mars  2020. Augmentation du nombre de personnes testées positives 115 le 5 mars ; 206 le 7 et 273 le 8.

11 mars 2020 Déclaration de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé : le Covid-19 est une pandémie.  ......

12 mars 2020 Le nombre de personnes infectées est alarmant : si les mesures d’atténuation des risques ne sont pas revues (consistant simplement à mettre les personnes les plus vulnérables à l’abri), le virus pourrait entraîner 500.000 décès. Annonce officielle du Premier Ministre lors d’une conférence de presse :    ...

13 mars 2020 Report du Marathon de Londres, des matches de première division,  de l’English Football League, des élections municipales de mai. Premier décès dû au Covid-19 en Ecosse.

14 et 15 mars 2020 Dernier weekend relativement « normal ». Plus aucun match de football mais fréquentation des pubs toujours possible.  ...

16 mars 2020 C’est justement la désinvolture de certains qui inquiète les conseillers du gouvernement. Le Premier Ministre déconseille les déplacements non essentiels, la fréquentation des pubs et des clubs et incite les gens à télétravailler.

17 mars 2020 Début des conférences de presse quotidiennes du gouvernement. Le ministre des Finances annonce débloquer 300 milliards de livres sterling (d’aide financière aux entreprises en difficulté) sous la forme de garanties de crédit.

18 mars 2020

20 mars 2020

21 et 22 mars 2020  (weekend)

23 mars 2020

2. How different may Britain be (from what it used to be) when the crisis is over? ?  What is meant by BC and AC? 

When you are finished, check your answers!

1.

28 février 2020 Un simple mot à la craie sur un tableau posé devant un pub de village du Surrey signalant qu’un client avait été testé positif au Coronavirus.   C’était la 20e personne testée positive et la 1re à l’être sans s’être rendue au préalable à l’étranger. Le premier décès d’un Britannique infecté au Covid-19. Aucun changement dans les habitudes sociales. Aucune mesure restrictive. La vie suivait son cours (les enfants toujours à l’école ; les adultes toujours au travail ; les embrassades ; les poignées de main ; la fréquentation insouciante des pubs et restaurants ; les rendez-vous ; les visites aux plus âgés ; les réunions de famille et entre voisins ; la fréquentation en masse des stades de football ; les croyants dans les églises, temples, mosquées ou synagogues ; les sorties…) mais prise de conscience progressive de l’éclosion du virus dans le pays, sans plus.

1er mars 2020 Pas de panique encore mais peur grandissante. Le virus est partout en Grande-Bretagne : cas détectés en Angleterre, en Irlande du Nord, au Pays de Galles et en Ecosse.

3 mars 2020 51 Britanniques révélés positifs au Coronavirus. Plan d’Action du gouvernement enclenché.

4 mars 2020 Décès d’une Britannique âgée de 70 ans avec une pathologie connue. Vente exponentielle des gels antibactériens jusqu’à épuisement des stocks

Du 5 mars au 8 mars  2020. Augmentation du nombre de personnes testées positives 115 le 5 mars ; 206 le 7 et 273 le 8.

11 mars 2020 Déclaration de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé : le Covid-19 est une pandémie. Liverpool FC a accueilli Atletico Madrid et ses 3.000 supporters espagnols !

12 mars 2020 Le nombre de personnes infectées est alarmant : si les mesures d’atténuation des risques ne sont pas revues (consistant simplement à mettre les personnes les plus vulnérables à l’abri), le virus pourrait entraîner 500.000 décès. Annonce officielle du Premier Ministre lors d’une conférence de presse :   quiconque a de la fièvre et une toux persistante doit s’isoler !

13 mars 2020 Report du Marathon de Londres, des matches de première division,  de l’English Football League, des élections municipales de mai. Premier décès dû au Covid-19 en Ecosse.

14 et 15 mars 2020 Dernier weekend relativement « normal ». Plus aucun match de football mais fréquentation des pubs toujours possible. Impossible de trouver du gel désinfectant dans les supermarchés. On commence à parler de distanciation sociale. On se demande si le confinement généralisé sera de rigueur à l’instar de ce qui se passe en Italie, en France et en Espagne. Des groupes bénévoles se forment déjà pour fournir des vivres et des médicaments aux personnes contraintes à l’isolement. Confusion dans la population : les plus anxieux se demandent pourquoi on ne prend pas des mesures plus radicales comme dans d’autres pays ; les plus désinvoltes, pensant que ce n’est qu’une simple grippe, se plaignent d’aise des efforts déjà mis en place.

16 mars 2020 C’est justement la désinvolture de certains qui inquiète les conseillers du gouvernement. Le Premier Ministre déconseille les déplacements non essentiels, la fréquentation des pubs et des clubs et incite les gens à télétravailler.

17 mars 2020 Début des conférences de presse quotidiennes du gouvernement. Le ministre des Finances annonce débloquer 300 milliards de livres sterling (d’aide financière aux entreprises en difficulté) sous la forme de garanties de crédit.

18 mars 2020 Suspension des cours dans les écoles jusqu’à nouvel ordre; accueil réservé aux enfants des travailleurs des secteurs essentiels. Restaurants, pubs, cafés toujours ouverts même s’il était déconseillé de s’y rendre.

20 mars 2020 Ordre du Premier Ministre de fermer les restaurants, cafés et pubs : une mesure radicale qui aurait été tout à fait impensable même durant les heures les plus sombres de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale.

21 et 22 mars 2020  (weekend) Beau temps, plein soleil : les gens sont sortis massivement pour profiter des derniers loisirs encore tolérés...   Pas vraiment ce qu’on pouvait appeler la distanciation sociale – pourtant désormais considérée comme un geste citoyen !

23 mars 2020 20h30 : Le Premier Ministre annonce à la télévision les mesures les plus draconiennes jamais prises à l’encontre de la liberté individuelle : le confinement chez soi. Possibilité de faire des exercices physiques une fois par jour hors de chez soi  / Se rendre au travail seulement si nécessaire / Faire des achats de première nécessité seulement / Se  tenir à deux mètres de distance les uns des autres  / Pas de rassemblements en public de plus de deux personnes / Eviter tout contact humain.

2.

Avant le 28 février (dont avant le Coronavirus   = BC / Before Covid-19), le Royaume-Uni était encore représenté comme une nation divisée par le Brexit ou entre les jeunes Britanniques des grandes métropoles et leurs homologues plus âgés issus des petites villes de province ou des zones rurales.

Maintenant, on voit que les plus âgés, les plus vulnérables, ont besoin des plus jeunes, actifs dans les soins de santé et d’autres professions-clés. 

Le combat est désormais le même pour tous.

La Grande-Bretagne a besoin d’experts pour mener le combat et ceux-ci ont besoin du peuple pour arrêter le Covid-19.