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"Happy" - Pharrell Williams
"Happy" - Pharrell Williams

Learn English with this happy English lesson

Date: May 12 2021

Themes: Celebrity, Music, Pop Culture

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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What makes you happy?

American singer Pharrell Williams produced a catchy song in 2013 that took the world by storm. Williams’ song “Happy” has topped the charts in over 20 countries, proving that people all around the globe are looking for ways to genuinely celebrate and enjoy the good things in life.

“Happy” was featured in the movie Despicable Me 2, and the song also has a 24-hour music video that allows the song to loop while people all over the world dance to the tune. It’s undeniably a song that millions of people love. However, like most popular music, “Happy” has also been overplayed. While many people still love it, others are tired of hearing it.

Learn Brian and Marni’s opinions about “Happy” in this English lesson about popular music.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Brian

Brian

Marni:  I’m happy…

Brian:  Are you doing that “Happy” song?

Marni:  I am. It’s so catchy, I just love it.

Brian:  It is undeniably catchy, but I am tired of that song.

Marni:  Oh, how can you be tired of it? It puts such a spring in my step. It makes me happy.

Brian:  When I first heard it, I would genuinely smile, but now I just think it’s overplayed all the time.

Marni:  But it’s so cheerful, and it’s just so joyful, and I just love it.

Brian:  I can appreciate how happy it makes other people, but it’s the same five notes over and over again. Even the song doesn’t have much change. I don’t know why they would need a 24-hour website to loop that song.

Marni:  Oh, please. People all over the world have made their own videos for this song, and it brings joy to people’s lives. And people are dancing all over the world to this one song. And it’s from a movie. Got to love that.

Brian:  I guess.

Marni:  Oh, you need to get happy.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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When Brian hears Marni humming a popular song, he knows what it is right away. She’s singing “Happy” by Pharrell Williams. Marni loves “Happy.” The music makes her cheerful. It’s a simple song that genuinely makes her happy.

Brian agrees that “Happy” is catchy, but he also thinks it’s overplayed. He says that the music just has five notes, and they’re played over and over and over. He’s not sure why the song needs to loop for 24 hours in a music video, either. In fact, Brian doesn’t want to hear the song even one more time.

Marni doesn’t agree with Brian’s opinion, and she doesn’t change her mind. She starts humming the song again as she walks away.

Do you like “Happy”? Would you describe the song as catchy or overplayed?

 

Comments

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mohamma

mohamma

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Exactly 

11:06 AM May 12 2021 |

princessanika

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I love it:)


beacause i’m happy clap along if u feel like a room without a roof =)

01:11 PM Jun 15 2014 |

Ivy1314

Ivy1314

China

I didn’t listen to the music yet,maybe I will like it when I have watched the movie Despicable me 2. Who has the movie? Send me,please.My e-mail: 1194384271@qq.com

03:29 AM May 13 2014 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Alex, Polish people know how to dance! I’m gonna learn some movements ;)

10:47 PM May 12 2014 |

1 person likes this

yeahlivia

yeahlivia

Brazil

yeah it’s a catchy song

10:35 PM May 12 2014 |

sunny_ling88

China

I and my son like the song, it is gay music made us happy.

08:12 AM May 12 2014 |

AlexKR

AlexKR

Poland

I don’t listen to the radio a lot so for me this song isn’t overplayed definitely … rather it’s catchy. I also like the videos that differnt people put on the youtube with the ‘Happy’ soundtrack. This is one of the examples: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdhwkkyM66Y


(Kaszebi tez sa HAPPY) :).


By the way Kaszebi is an ethnic group living in the northern Poland in the vicinity of my city i.e Gdansk :)

03:11 PM May 11 2014 |

zy_

zy_

China

i konw this movie ‘despicable me’ but  i havent seen it,and the little yellow toy in the  movie is so popular in my coutry,my cousin recently gave her GF a box of dolls,and right now the yellow dolls’picture is on my cousin’computer desktop

12:55 PM May 10 2014 |

neginrezaei2013

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i really like them it’s prefect ♥ ;)

12:45 PM May 10 2014 |

Sandara_Dada

Thailand

Well , 3 weeks ago I went to the island in Thailand and there was a big beach party ! and Happy is the most famous song that they keep playing it all night long. Yeah , I agree that this is catch and joyful song ever :) but sometime It just too much lol maybe I’m one of the pepple who is tired of hearing this song all the time in everywhere. 



but I love this song by the way :D

08:53 AM May 10 2014 |

cmoriwaki

United States

I often hear this song on the car radio.

The Over-played song is sometimes boring. But we people all over the world can share the same song and same topics. On this point, it’s happy.

07:49 AM May 10 2014 |

meubles

meubles

United States

http://nettoyageimperial.com/fr/montreal/nettoyage-de-meubles/

05:37 AM May 10 2014 |

tmmuzym

China

I have never listened to this song before. Am I so out of time? Haha

11:21 PM May 09 2014 |

sanadamaru

sanadamaru

Japan

It is true that I get tired of overplayed music.


But catchy music is not to blame for that.


When I begin to feel tired about one music, I get away from that music , and appreciate for the long time pleasure that gave to us.

11:15 PM May 09 2014 |

1 person likes this

ola33

ola33

Japan

Jason, happiness is in the air!!!!

10:33 PM May 09 2014 |

2 people like this

gaccioman

Italy

The first time I heard this song, i liked it! Now I don’t like anymore, maybe because “Happy” is overplayed.


It is catchy and this is stressful :D

03:54 PM May 09 2014 |

1 person likes this

whereru66

whereru66

China

“Clap along if you feel like happiness is to you.Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof.“


It is ture that song makes people happy and wanna dance.

12:31 PM May 09 2014 |

1 person likes this

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I’m so happy !!!!

12:01 PM May 09 2014 |

1 person likes this

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

I really love this song, it’s kinda putting such a spring in my step !!!


I love Pharrell Williams a lot !!!!



11:49 AM May 09 2014 |

S&W

S&W

China

I like this song with fast-paced rhythm.Exciting your nerve and making u wanna dance with the tune.

10:34 AM May 09 2014 |

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