Jack Johnson

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

• drift
• music scene
• gradually
• gained a following

• live show
• mellow
• smooth
• brighter

• sweet
• laid-back
• laid-back
• folk music

• acoustic guitar
• nurture
• twinge
• outlook

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

Jack Johnson is a surfer from Hawaii who slowly drifted into the music scene a few years ago. His first album, Brushfire Fairytales, gradually gained a following after Jack played several live shows with popular singer-songwriter Ben Harper. Harper’s fans loved Johnson’s mellow style and smooth singing voice.
After the success of his first album, many people expected Jack’s second album to have a bigger, brighter, more exciting sound, but Jack didn’t change. His second album, On and On, is much like his first. It’s filled with sweet, easy-going songs that feel good to listen to. Unlike many other musicians, Jack actually seems to be happy, and his positive emotions are contained in his songs.
Read on to learn more about Jack Johnson.

Dialog

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

Jack Johnson is a unique member of the music community. Much like Norah Jones, his music doesn’t fit into one of the popular styles. It’s not pop, rock, R&B or hip-hop. Rather, it’s laid-back folk music, played with an acoustic guitar, a beautiful voice, and not much else.
On and On is easy to listen to, but it’s not boring. Most of the songs feature lyrics that provoke thought and emotion. A good example is “Times Like These.” Jack wrote the song about what it’s like to live in the U.S. after the events of 9/11 and during times of war.
Check out some of the lyrics:
There’s always been laughin’, cryin’, birth and dyin’
Boys and girls with hearts that take and give and break
Heal and grow and recreate and raise and nurture
Then hurt, from time to times like these and times like those
What will be will be and so it goes
There’s always been stop and go and fast and slow
And action reaction and sticks and stones and broken bones
Those for peace and those for war
And God bless these ones not those ones but these ones
In this song, Jack is basically saying that bad things will always happen, but we as human beings just have to continue to live our lives. We have to accept the good and the bad and do the best we can.

 

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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