Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
Beren recently went on tour to Europe with her band. While she was there, she noticed some differences between the European and American music scenes. She was surprised to discover that some American bands that don’t have a big following in the States are much more popular overseas.
One of those bands is Kings of Leon, a southern rock group from Nashville, Tennessee. Nashville is famous for being the home of country music, and Kings of Leon’s sound blends country with rock, blues, and alternative. But country music is as American as apple pie—so why is Kings of Leon more popular abroad than at home? Listen to Marni and Beren talk about the latest American export.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Beren: So, I always think it’s interesting when bands are huge in Europe, and, like, in the States they’re not very well known. Like, you know Kings of Leon?
Marni: Are huge in Europe?
Beren: They’re huge! They’re selling arena shows, you know, like they’re super famous, and they make tons and tons of money over there.
Marni: Wow! I saw them once open up for Bob Dylan, and they just kind of struck me as this really generic sort of southern rock band, nothing really dynamic about their sound. They were clearly the opening act.
Beren: It’s so strange, yeah. Even the cover of European music magazines, it’s always like “Kings of Leon! Kings of Leon!” And I think over here, they just got their first Rolling Stone cover.
Marni: Now, are they European themselves, or are they an American band?
Beren: I think they’re from like Tennessee.
Marni: That’s what I thought, too. OK. So that’s interesting.
Beren: Well, I think Europeans kind of have an American band fetish anyway, and especially I could see them responding to like, “We’re southern, preacher’s sons!”
Marni: Yeah.
Beren: It’s just interesting that they’re like rock stars in Europe and over here they’re relatively unknown/hated.
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Beren is surprised by Kings of Leon’s popularity in Europe. During her European tour, she saw many music magazines with Kings of Leon on the cover. She also learned that the band plays big, sold-out shows there.
In the US, Kings of Leon is fairly popular, but it isn’t as adored as it is in the UK and Europe. Marni saw the band open for Bob Dylan once, but she wasn’t impressed. She thought its sound was generic.
Europeans might like Kings of Leon partly because of its interesting and unusual history. Three of the band members are brothers and the fourth is their cousin. As young boys, the brothers traveled all over the south with their preacher father. Their life story and their sound are both deeply connected to their southern roots.
Entertainment, such as music and movies, is one of America’s biggest exports. Why do you think American bands and movies have such a big audience abroad? What is your country’s most popular export?
Comments
United Arab Emirates |
China |
Brazil |
Brazil |
China |
Saudi Arabia |
Taiwan |
Colombia |
Pakistan |
Cocos (Keeling) Islands |
Mexico |
Brazil |
Turkey |
Brazil |
Iran, Islamic Republic Of |
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China |
Russian Federation |
Taiwan |
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