Monthly Archives: June 2013

137. Discussing Movies (Part 1)

A cup of tea and a chat about movies with a student of film studies!

Right-click here to download this episode.
Henry Dean joins me for a cup of tea and a chat about movies. Part 2 will be available in the next few days.

In this episode, I talk to Henry about his background, his university course, his writing work and his interest in film and movies in general. We also explain and discuss various items of vocabulary related to film. We’ll teach you various words and phrases that you can use to talk about films with your friends. We also begin to answer questions which were sent in to us via Facebook. We continue to answer the questions in part 2, which will be available soon!

Click here to get Henry’s book “Stories from Paris” at Amazon.co.uk.

I know that a transcript of this episode would be useful. Unfortunately, a transcript of this episode is not available at the moment, but if you would like a challenge why not transcribe the episode yourself and send it to me? Then, eventually, I will be able to check/edit the transcript you have written and provide it for everyone. So, no transcript yet, but maybe in the future if I get help from a listener…

Thanks for listening. Your comments are welcome. I love talking about films, so there will be more film-related episodes in the future.

All the best, Luke

136. Cycling from London to Paris

3 Replies

A conversation with Ben Fisher about his long-distance cycling trip, with lots of vocabulary for cycling and bicycles.

Right-click here to download.
What is the longest bike trip you’ve ever done? Have you ever run a marathon or walked a very long distance? In this episode, I speak to Ben Fisher, who just this weekend cycled all the way from The River Thames in London to La Seine in Paris, covering a distance of over 460km.

Listen to the podcast as Ben and I discuss the trip, the challenges, the pain, the joy and the enjoyment of this journey by bicycle. In our discussion you will hear lots of vocabulary relating to cycling and transport in general.
Click here to read Ben’s blog, in which he describes the journey and shows some photos. Thanks for listening to the podcast.
Have you ever made a long journey by bike? Leave a comment to tell us about it.
All the best, Luke

Transcript
There is a google document with a transcript for this episode. Click here to read it.

135. Raining Animals – “It’s raining cats and dogs”

11 Replies

“It’s raining cats and dogs” – Do native speakers of English often use this idiom to describe heavy rain or do they use different expressions? Also, is it really possible that animals can fall down from the sky like rain?

Right-click here to download this episode.
Introduction
What do people really say when they’re talking about heavy rainstorms?
Is it really possible for animals to rain down from the sky? What are the explanations of this phenomenon?
What is the origin of the expression “it’s raining cats and dogs?”
What other idioms about heavy rain exist in other countries and languages?
What would happen to Luke if he was struck by lightning while recording an episode of the podcast? Would he just be electocuted to death, or would he become some kind of podcasting super-hero? (probably the former option)

In this episode, I discuss all of these questions, while a thunderstorm passes overhead and the rain beats down on the roof of my apartment. Listen, and please add your comments below.

How’s the weather where you are, while you listen to this?
What idiom do you use in your language to describe heavy rain?
Do you have any stories about animals falling from the sky?
We’d like to know about them!

Extracts from Wikipedia
I read a few extracts from the wikipedia page for ‘raining animals’ in this episode. Below you can read those extracts. Time codes are also given in square brackets [15.42] – these indicate the times at which I say these things in the episode.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rain_of_animals

[15:42]

Raining animals

Raining animals is a rare meteorological phenomenon in which flightless animals “rain” from the sky. Such occurrences have been reported in many countries throughout history. One hypothesis offered to explain this phenomenon is that strong winds traveling over water sometimes pick up creatures such as fish or frogs, and carry them for up to several miles.
[16:10]

[17:41]
However, this primary aspect of the phenomenon has never been witnessed or scientifically tested.
[17:48]

[17:55]

Explanations

Sometimes the animals survive the fall, suggesting the animals are dropped shortly after extraction. Several witnesses of raining frogs describe the animals as startled, though healthy, and exhibiting relatively normal behavior shortly after the event.
[18:13]

[22:00]
In some incidents, however, the animals are frozen to death or even completely encased in ice. There are examples where the product of the rain is not intact animals, but shredded body parts. Some cases occur just after storms having strong winds, especially during tornadoes.
[22:22]

[23:35]
However, there have been many unconfirmed cases in which rainfalls of animals have occurred in fair weather and in the absence of strong winds or waterspouts.
[23:46]

[24:00]
The English language idiom, “It is raining cats and dogs” (referring to a heavy downpour), is of uncertain etymology, and there is no evidence that it has any connection to the “raining animals” phenomenon.
[24:13]

[24:52]
This is a regular occurrence for birds, which can get killed in flight, or stunned and then fall (unlike flightless creatures, which first have to be lifted into the air by an outside force).
[25:05]

[25:56]
Sometimes this happens in large groups, for instance, the blackbirds falling from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas, United States on December 31, 2010. It is common for birds to become disoriented (for example, because of bad weather or fireworks) and collide with objects such as trees or buildings, killing them or stunning them into falling to their death.
[26:22]

[27:02]
The number of blackbirds killed in Beebe is not spectacular considering the size of their congregations, which can be in the millions.
[27:11]

[27:32]
The event in Beebe, however, captured the imagination and led to more reports in the media of birds falling from the sky across the globe, such as in Sweden and Italy, though many scientists claim such mass deaths are common occurrences but usually go unnoticed.
[27:50]

[28:36]
French physicist André-Marie Ampère was among the first scientists to take seriously accounts of raining animals. He tried to explain rains of frogs with a hypothesis that was eventually refined by other scientists.
[28:51]

[29:02]
Speaking in front of the Society of Natural Sciences, Ampère suggested that at times frogs and toads roam the countryside in large numbers, and that the action of violent winds can pick them up and carry them great distances.
[29:18]

[30:30]
More recently, a scientific explanation for the phenomenon has been developed that involves tornadic waterspouts.
[30:38]

[31:31]
Waterspouts are capable of capturing objects and animals and lifting them into the air. Under this theory, waterspouts or tornados transport animals to relatively high altitudes, carrying them over large distances. The winds were capable of lifting the animals over a relatively wide area and allow them to fall in a concentrated fashion in a localized area. More specifically, some tornadoes can completely suck up a pond, letting the water and animals fall some distance away in the form of a “rain of animals”.
[32:06]

[33:54]
This hypothesis appears supported by the type of animals in these rains: small and light, usually aquatic, it’s also supported by the fact that the rain of animals is often preceded by a storm. However, the theory does not account for how all the animals involved in each individual incident would be from only one species, and not a group of similarly-sized animals from a single area.
[34:20]

[34:45]
In the case of birds, storms may overcome a flock in flight, especially in times of migration.
[34:59]

[35:10]
The image to the right shows an example where a group of bats is overtaken by a thunderstorm. The image shows how the phenomenon could take place in some cases. In the image, the bats are in the red zone, which corresponds to winds moving away from the radar station, and enter into a mesocyclone associated with a tornado (in green).
[35:34]

[35:44]
These events may occur easily with birds in flight. In contrast, it is harder (here we have mistake in audio, should be harder not easier) to find a plausible explanation for rains of terrestrial animals. The enigma persists despite scientific studies.
[35:56]

[36:20]
Sometimes, scientists have been incredulous of extraordinary claims of rains of fish

For example, in the case of a rain of fish in Singapore in 1861, French naturalist Francis de Laporte de Castelnau explained that the supposed rain took place during a migration of walking catfish, which are capable of dragging themselves over the land from one puddle to another. Thus, he argued that the appearance of fish on the ground immediately after a rain was easily explained, as these animals usually move over soft ground or after a rain.
[37:18]

[38:11]

Occurrences

Fish

Singapore, February 22, 1861
Olneyville, Rhode Island, May 15, 1900
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, July 1, 1903
Marksville, Louisiana, October 23, 1947
Kerala, India, February 12, 2008
Bhanwad, Jamnagar, India, October 24, 2009
Lajamanu, Northern Territory, Australia, February 25 and 26, 2010,
Loreto, Agusan del Sur, Philippines, January 13, 2012

Frogs and toads

Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan, June 2009 (occurrences reported throughout the month)
Rákóczifalva, Hungary, 18–20 June 2010 (twice)

Others

Unidentified animal, which was thought to be a cow fell in California ripped to tiny pieces, August 1, 1869
Jellyfish fell from the sky in Bath, England, in 1894
Spiders fell from the sky in Salta Province, Argentina on April 6, 2007.
Worms dropped from the sky in Jennings, Louisiana, on July 11, 2007
According to a video, spiders fell from the sky in Santo Antônio da Platina, Brazil, on February 3, 2013. (However, it has been suggested as falling from a mass web between elevated poles.)

[40:17]

[42:22]

“Raining cats and dogs”

The English idiom “it is raining cats and dogs”, used to describe an especially heavy rain, is of unknown etymology, and is not necessarily related to the “raining animals” phenomenon. The phrase was used at least since the 17th century. A number of improbable folk etymologies have been put forward to explain the phrase
[42:47]

[43:08]

An “explanation” widely circulated by email claimed that in 16th-century Europe when peasant homes were commonly thatched, animals could crawl into the thatch to find shelter from the elements, and would fall out during heavy rain. However, there seems to be no evidence in support of either assertion.
[43:28]

[45:56]

Drainage systems on buildings in 17th-century Europe were poor, and may have disgorged their contents during heavy showers, including the corpses of any animals that had accumulated in them. This occurrence is documented in Jonathan Swift’s 1710 poem ‘Description of a City Shower’, in which he describes “Drowned puppies, stinking sprats, all drenched in mud,/Dead cats and turnip-tops come tumbling down the flood.”
[46:26]

[48:12]

“Cats and dogs” may be a corruption of the Greek word Katadoupoi, referring to the waterfalls on the Nile, possibly through the old French word catadupe (“waterfall”).

The Greek phrase “kata doksa”, which means “contrary to expectation” is often applied to heavy rain, but there is no evidence to support the theory that it was borrowed by English speakers.
[48:38]

[49:08]
There may not be a logical explanation; the phrase may have been used just for its nonsensical humor value, like other equivalent English expressions.
[49:18]

[49:50]
Other languages have equally bizarre expressions for heavy rain.
[49:53]

‘Heavy Rain’ Idioms From Around The World (care of Wikipedia)
Other languages have equally bizarre expressions for heavy rain:[37][38]
Afrikaans: ou vrouens met knopkieries reen (“old women with clubs”)
Bengali: মুষলধারে বৃষ্টি পড়ছে musholdhare brishṭi poṛchhe (“in a stream of mallets”)
Bosnian: padaju ćuskije (“crowbars”)
Bosnian: lije ko iz kabla (“it’s pouring like from a bucket”)
Cantonese: “落狗屎” (“dog poo”)
Chinese: “倾盆大雨” (“its pouring out of basins”)
Catalan: Ploure a bots i barrals (“boats and barrels”)
Croatian: padaju sjekire (“axes dropping”)
Czech: padají trakaře (“wheelbarrows”)
Czech: leje jako z konve (“like from a watering can”)
Danish: det regner skomagerdrenge (“shoemakers’ apprentices”)
Dutch: het regent pijpenstelen (“pipe stems or stair rods”)
Dutch (Flemish): het regent oude wijven (“old women”)
Dutch (Flemish): het regent kattenjongen (“kittens”)
Faroese : Tað regnar av grind (“Pilot whales”)
Finnish: Sataa kuin Esterin perseestä (“It’s raining like from Esteri’s ass”)
French: il pleut comme vache qui pisse (“it is raining like a peeing cow”)
French: il pleut à sceaux (“it’s raining like from buckets”)
French: il pleut des hallebardes (“it is raining halberds”), clous (“nails”), or cordes (“ropes”)
German: Es regnet junge Hunde (“young dogs”) or Es schüttet wie aus Eimern (“like poured from buckets”)
Greek: βρέχει καρεκλοπόδαρα (“chair legs”)
Hindi: musaldhār bārish (“a stream of mallets”)
Hungarian: mintha dézsából öntenék (“like poured from a vat”)
Icelandic: Það rignir eins og hellt sé úr fötu (“like poured from a bucket”)
Italian: piove a catinelle (“poured from a basin”)
Latvian: līst kā no spaiņiem (“it’s raining like from buckets”)
Nepali: मुसलधारे झरी (“a stream of mallets”)
Norwegian: det regner trollkjerringer (“she-trolls”)
Polish: pada żabami (“frogs”)
Portuguese: está a chover canivetes (“penknives”)
Portuguese: Chove a potes (“It is raining by the pot load”)
Portuguese: Chove a cântaros (“It is raining by the jug load”)
Romanian: plouă cu broaşte (“frogs”)
Russian: льет как из ведра (“from a bucket”)
Spanish: están lloviendo chuzos de punta (“shortpikes/icicles point first” – not only is it raining a lot, but it’s so cold and windy that being hit by the drops hurts)
Spanish: está lloviendo a cántaros (“by the clay pot-full”)
Spanish: llueven sapos y culebras (“toads and snakes”)
Spanish (Argentina): caen soretes de punta (“pieces of dung head-first”)
Spanish (Venezuela): esta cayendo un palo de agua (“a stick of water is falling”)
Spanish (Colombia): “Estan lloviendo maridos” “Van a llover maridos” (It’s raining husbands, It will rain husbands)
Serbian: padaju sekire (“axes”)
Swedish: Det regnar smådjävlar (“It is raining little devils”)
Swedish: regnet står som spön i backen (“the rain stands like poles out of the ground”)
Turkish: bardaktan boşanırcasına (“like poured from a cup”)
Urdu: musladhār bārish (“a stream of mallets”)
Welsh: mae hi’n bwrw hen wragedd a ffyn (“old ladies and sticks”)

Song – Why Does It Always Rain on Me by Travis

Note: Red T-Shirt designed by my bro ;)

Get the Song

Click here to visit the Amazon page for “Travis: The Singles” where you can buy their album, or buy the song “Why Does It Always Rain on Me?”

Read the Lyrics
Click here to read the lyrics to “Why Does It Always Rain On Me” by Travis, and to read some comments about the song’s meaning.

Thanks for listening to the podcast. Thanks also for messages which are sent to me all the time (even during the recording of episodes). I carefully consider everything which is written to me. All the best and enjoy this episode, Luke

134. The Story of Salvo

3 Replies

The story of a hardcore punk band from London, told by the band members themselves. A transcript for the introduction to this episode is available below.

Right-click here to download this episode.

This episode is all about the story of a hardcore punk rock band from London. Listen, and you’ll hear an interview with the band members as they talk about how the band started, their influences, and what caused the band to end.

The band is called Salvo. They started in London in 2002 and played gigs in London, Oxford and Manchester before breaking up 4 years later. This interview was done recently. For the first time in years, most of the members of the group were all in the same room at the same time, so I had to take the opportunity to interview them for Luke’s English Podcast.

The members of this band are all my friends. I know most of them from my days at Sixth Form College when I was a teenager. One of them is my brother James. I was also a member of the band for a year or two. The style of music is a little bit hard to categorise. It’s hard, fast guitar rock. It’s pretty hardcore, but quite catchy too. You can make up your own mind about the music as you’ll hear some of it during the interview. If you want to hear more of the music, you can check out the Soundcloud page for Salvo here. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO SONGS BY SALVO

This is an authentic recording. No-one is really grading their English. They’re speaking in the same way that they speak to their friends. The recording took place after a music session in a studio, and a short beer drinking session in the pub. What you’ll hear is natural British English as it really is spoken, in this case by a group of friends, who used to be in a band together, sharing some memories over a few beers.

Just before we start I’d like to just say a few things about learning English.

What’s the best way to learn English? Well, people always say that you learn most when you socialise with native speakers. It’s really hard to do it because you don’t understand everything and sometimes you get lost and feel confused and frustrated. But that confusing feeling is a normal part of the learning process. It means your brain is processing a lot of information. In this case, it’s struggling to deal with words, accents, phrases or pronunciation that you’re not familiar with. It’s a challenge to understand native speakers talking naturally in a social situation, especially if they are good friends who know each other well. But, challenges are an important part of learning English. What is challenging now becomes less challenging in time as you gradually learn more and work out what people are saying. Remember, it is in those challenging situations, like when you’re listening to native speakers, that you really learn the most. It feels difficult, but that is the feeling of your brain trying to work it out, and as a result, learning and improving. So, listen to native speakers talking naturally. It’s one of the best ways to improve.

You can do it with Luke’s English Podcast. I present things to you, like interviews or recordings because I personally believe in them, find them extraordinary or touching, and hope that you will too. Hopefully this personal connection makes the podcast more engaging and as a result, a more effective way to improve your English. Basically, I just want to keep you locked in to listening to natural English, even though it is difficult, because I know that ultimately, it’s beneficial for your English.

So what am I going to present to you this time? Well, how about the story of a real rock band from London? It’s also a genuine story of rock and roll and friendship, told by the people who actually experienced it. That’s what you can hear in this episode. The interview was recorded at a friend’s house on a Saturday evening in South London. Please be aware there are some rude swear words used, but that’s normal, after all, it is rock and roll isn’t it.

So just a few weeks ago when I realised that the members of Salvo were going to reunite in the studio for the first time in over 6 years well needless to say I jumped at the chance to record a podcast episode about it. In this documentary or, if you will, rockumentary that you’re about to hear, I wanted to capture the, the songs, the sounds, the smells, of a hard-working rock band sitting in a room together, talking crap. And I got that. But I got more, a lot more. But hey — enough of my yakkin’. Whaddaya say, let’s boogie!

I expect some of you won’t listen to all of it, but then again for some of you this is exactly what you want. Some of my listeners really like the opportunity to listen to real English like this. Maybe you’re one of those people. In fact recently I recently got an email from a listener called Rei Lung, saying how much he liked listening to recordings like this. This is what Rei said.

Hello Luke!I just wanted to thank you for all you’re doing. The podcast is absolutely brilliant. I particularly enjoy episodes in which you interview your friends or just people on the street (like in those videos on YouTube that you have) because I think that this is when you can hear ‘authentic’ English. Also, the noisier it is and the more people that take part in the discussion or whatever, the harder it is to understand and the more authentic the language used is. I’d love it if you could do more like these, perhaps in a pub or something where people don’t really bother speaking slowly and clearly. Also, I really enjoy it when you talk about British life and culture, very interesting and eye-opening so I’d like to see more of that as well.Cheers

Well Rei, that is exactly what you’re going to get in this episode.

Transcript – A transcript is open on the Transcripts Collaboration page, and I’m slowly checking and correcting it, before adding it to this webpage. Here are the first few minutes of the transcript, which I’ve checked. This script starts at about 4mins into the episode after my introduction.

Jim -You’re listening to Luke’s English podcast. Live on luke.podteacher.luke.podteacher.com
Chris – Have you got a jingle? If you haven’t you’ve got one now.
Matt – Just a way I walk. (?)
Luke – Okay. Sh! Sh!
Chris – Nice jingle.
Luke – That amazing piece of music which you’ve just heard was a demo of an incredible band called Salvo and I’m here with some of not all of the members but some of the principal members of that band. And I’m now going to interview them and find out the details and the history of this really earth shattering, epoch making moment in culture.
I’ve got the members of the band with me. I’m going basically to introduce you them at first.
We’re going to find out who they are. We’re going to find out about the history of this group and I’m sure you’re going to find it fascinating and rewarding to listen to.
So I’ve got four people in front of me. On my left I have Aaron. Then I’ve got…
Aaron – Hi.
Luke – Hello Aaron.
Aaron – Hi. Hello.
Luke – Chris.
Chris – Hi.
Luke – Matt.
Matt – Hello.
Luke – Jim.
Jim – Hello.
Luke – And me who you know already after…
Aaron – And who was also in the band.
Luke – I was in the band too, yeah. So, let’s start with Aaron on my left. Alright?
Aaron – Hello. Hi. My name is Aaron.
Luke – How are you?
Aaron – Very well, thank you. Doing very well.
Luke – Good.
Aaron – Good.
Luke – So … Let’s see. What did you do in the group?
Aaron – Uh… I played bass and sang, did vocals in the group.
Luke – Okay.
Aaron – Bass and sang.
Luke – Okay. And…
Aaron – I wouldn’t call it singing really. But, you know, the vocal bits, yeah.
Luke – Okay. Alright. So, were you one of the original members?
Aaron – Yes. Yeah. Back in, I believe, it was two thousand and…
Chris – Two.
Aaron – 2002… 2002 was when Salvo started, yeah.
Luke – Yeah. Okay. Right. So, you were the bass-player and one of the vocalists.
Aaron – That’s right, yeah.
Luke – That’s right, okay. So let’s… Shall we move on …
Aaron – You can call me a principal songwriter.
Luke – Yes.
Aaron – If you really want to go with a label.
Luke – How many songwriters were there in this band?
Aaron – There were two. There were two dedicated songwriters.
Luke – Okay. Uh… So, you were one of them?
Aaron – Yes. Yeah.
Luke – And who is the other one?
Aaron – Chris King, who is on my left.
Luke – Okay. So let’s … Shall we move over to Chris?
Aaron – Yeah!
Luke – Hi Chris.
Chris – Hi.
Luke – So Chris, what did you do in the group?
Chris – Uh… I … I … I um … I played guitar and I sang… And… uh…, as Aaron said, I wrote some of the songs as well, so.
Luke – Okay. Right.
Chris – Uh… I wasn’t there from the very beginning.
Luke – Really?
Chris – I was almost there from the beginning, very beginning.
Luke – When did you arrive?
Chris – Uh… About a month or so after the band began. Basically I started uh… working… I was working at the same place as Aaron. And uh… and he started… he started the band. And… uh… and after, I think, he had a couple of practices with an old friend of his Dave who was the drummer. And… uh… So… they had a couple of practices and then I came along to one and after that I was in the band. So… yeah…
Luke – How did you… How did you join? Because Aaron and Dave were already in this…
Chris – Yes, you know, you know, basically I think what happened is Aaron and… , Aaron… Actually we’d been talking about it for a while at work. Aaron had a practice with Dave and another guy who he what was…
Aaron – Well it was me, Dave and this guy called Olly who just getting back to that when Chris joined. Chris came down for a practice and Olly had been sort of, you know, taking his top off like when it’s still quite… not even like warm in the room, just taking his top off and playing with his top off. And he’s a little skinny tosser on his guitar. And we were playing really badly and then Chris came down and Olly actually uh… proposed himself, you know, he offered himself for to leave the band because once he heard, you know, Chris play and realised that it was a little bit act of his depth, and went off to read poetry in pubs and that’s where he ended it up.
Luke – So Olly decided… Wait a minute. Just going back to this fact you said that he used to play with no top on. So did you not like that? Did you … Didn’t you … You didn’t like the fact that he’d played without his top on.
Jim – Why such a homophobe Aaron?
Luke – I don’t. I’m just curious to find out about that.
Aaron – It wasn’t somewhat that, you know, playing with you taking top off…
Jim – Some mates are so…, isn’t it?
Aaron – …it’s not about it, it’s like if you just go into a practice room, and it’s not that hot. Why would be… Why would taking your T-shirt off be the first thing you do.
Luke – Chris?
Chris – I … I never … I have sort of never sold that but it doesn’t surprise me. But I’m …
Luke – Okay.
Chris – Yes. So then I came along and things, you know,
< ? > – It’s a recent thing.
Chris – …things went, you know,
James – …From bad to worse.
Chris – …no, no, not into, you know.
Matt – …From bad to punk.

Old Comments Box Archive

1 Reply

I’ve just removed the comments box from the sidebar of Luke’s English Podcast but I didn’t want to lose all the comments that people had left, so here are all the comments as an archive.

unnimoonali2 months ago
how can i log in?
Respond·More…

jawaid2 months ago
Its wonderful podcast to improve English>

Anonymous2 months ago
Hello,
I’m a learner of English. Thanks a lot for devoting so much time to the podcasts. Each episode engages my interest and helps improve my English, with lots of useful and commonly used vocab and expressions. I’ve discovered that the more I learn English, the more I find native English speakers brilliant and prodigious!!!
Cheers

Anonymous3 months ago
Video games are a huge industry. I don’t dislike them, but Ii is desesperating to be in front of a screen trying to win a game trying to compete with an amazing machine. They are pdesigned to give more and more!!! Nice pods!Congratulations!!!

Anonymous3 months ago
Hi Teacher Luke,
How’s it going? I enjoy listening to your podcasts very much and I find it invaluable. Actually I’ve got a question to consult you. I wanna ask if you (personally and as a native English speaker) omit the vowels of some words when you’re speaking very fast? e.g. the word ‘university’, do you pronounce it ‘u-ni-ver-si-ty’ or ‘u-ni-ver-s-ty’ (omitting the vowel ‘i’)? Or another e.g. the word ‘duplicitous’, do you pronounce it ‘du-pli-ci-tous’ or ‘du-plis-tous’? (omitting the vowel ‘i’)

Cheers

Anonymous3 months ago
Hello Luke,

I always enjoy your podcasts.

I listened to your latest podcast “126. Your Emails, Comments and Questions” and found that a Japanese commented that he or she couldn’t make donation using PayPal due to Japanese law.

I tried to donate using PayPal just now and I could do it without any trouble. I just clicked the “Donate” button in this site and login to PayPal. It was very easy.

Best regards,
Hiroshi

luke teachera year ago
Competition Results:
Winner: Camila from Brazil
Runners-Up: Kiyomi from Japan and Kirill from
Belarus.
Congratulations to the winners. Commiserations to
people who took part but didn’t win. Thanks for votes.
L :)

Anonymous11 months ago
commiseration or comiseration?

Luke9 months ago
Comiseration is the correct one.
Thanks for the correction.
3 gold stars to you ;)

rikman7 months ago
Sorry to interrupt Luke
but what does mean
runner-up ? Please explain
it for me in simply words.
In my view we can talk
about person is better than
another competitiors but
not winner.
We rewarded the people
for their efforts and good
results. Am I right ? :)

luke teacher7 months ago
Runner up means someone who didn’t win, but got 2nd or 3rd place. The winner and 2 runners up won dictionaries, which they have received by post!

Anonymous3 months ago
Thanks a lot Luke for your explanation. Yet, I have one question to you. Could you tell me how we should read the year 1010 or for example 2010 ? I don’t know which form is correct: ten ten or one/a thousand (and) ten. Cognately we read the 2010 as twenty ten or two thousand (and) ten ? I’ll be thankful for your help.

PS. I like very much your video podcasts. The video presentation entitled “Say: I like it” is my favourite ! I’d like to have more this type of videos. In my opinion it’s wonderful way to improve our English skills.

Hispanomexicano5 months ago
please reply me in order to know you read it :D hahhaha
happy new year 2013!! a new ear indeed
2013= 0,1,2,3… :D

luke teacher4 months ago
Hi, I read your comment and hope to reply fully soon.
Cheers!

Anonymous4 months ago
Oh my goodness!! they are funny conversations!!!

vidurangae5 months ago
I’ve been listening to your podcast & thought you might be able to help me with something. I’m a final year med student from South Asia trying to learn Manchester accent in my leisure time simply because i love it. Would you mind helping me with providing some sources that I could use in my accent training? Thank you.

Hispanomexicano5 months ago
Luke!! what’s up! I really like your accent I have
heard some English accents and they’re not the
most understandable for me lol no offense :) by the
way the episodes 120-121 were definitely awesome
why don’t you do the Australian, Canadian version?
I live in the Mayan land and nothing happened the 21 december hahaha God bless please performe American English
to have fun!

Anonymous6 months ago
What happened to the episode 119?

luke teacher6 months ago
Technical difficulties… but it’s there now!

Ning7 months ago
I just learned from your podcast that you were doing cultural studies for your university degree. I’m going to join the same program in the UK next year. As a foreigner, I was a bit worried about whether or not I could pick up British cultures as soon as possible, so any tips besides listening to your podcasts? LOL

Luke7 months ago
Listen to BBC Radio 4. It’s full of cultural
information and it’s good for your English
too. http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/

nounou8 months ago
hello,luke!how are u doing?i am ABDENOUR from Algeria and I am a regular listener of your podcasts.in fact I do listen to them almost everyday.yet,it’s been a long time since u haven’t recorded a podcast;we do miss your qualitative and educative podcasts really!luke,can I ask you afavour? i would really like it if u record some podcasts on british culture.that would be a mind-boggling thing really..to let u know,my realm of study is English-that’s why I would love it if u do record some podcasts about the subject asked for above since it is far ahead different to learn things from a native speaker than from other resources,though I believe not all native speakers are like yourself.glad to be a listener of your podcasts.keep up mate.you are doing a great job.
All the best
nounou

hassan9 months ago
it’s amazing efforts,thank you.

Gabor10 months ago
Yes. Hearing a conversation presented by drunk people sounds interesting

klaa year ago
Who won??? (Im at work and cant check it out myself). Tell me, pls.

luke teachera year ago
VOTING IN THE COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED.
I WILL PUBLISH THE RESULTS SOON.
ONLY VOTES MADE IN THE COMMENTS
SECTION FOR COMPETITION EPISODES
ARE VALID. Sorry, those were the rules.
EXPECT A WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON!
GOOD LUCK ;)

nima.1988a year ago
i vote for romina adel .

nimaa year ago
fantastic job ! – i vote for romina adel .

kláraa year ago
Hi teacher Luke, I just listened to the very first podcast and it’s a bit strange, because I’ve been listening to your podcasts quite long time… Hope you’re doing well, and thanks for your podcasts :) Klara

Camilaa year ago
Teacher Luke what means ” Live life on the edge” ? That’s a stupid question, I know… I have an idea but I’m not sure of what it means. : ) Thanks in advice.

Barbara, Italya year ago
Thank you very much, Luke, for these helpful podcasts, and mostly for the passion and professionality you put in doing them, which are very important qualites.
My best wishes to achieve the success you deserve.
Bye!

Adelaa year ago
I vote for Regina from Russia. :)

elisaa year ago
The whole competition has been hilarious ! Although it was really odd experience to record your own voice at the same time it was liberating:)
I made many mistakes but I decided not to correct them… what is done is done.
And then, I was over the moon when Sergei wrote that “I sounded like BBC news programs” …You must be kidding.. anyway thanks! Heartfelt thanks to Romain and Hiroshi :) The competition ends on 16 May, so Your votes are already my gift.. because the 16 May is my birthday :)
I wish you all the best, elisa
And You Luke, You are the best, really!

Hiroshia year ago
I vote for Elisa from Finland

Myselfa year ago
Very nice your radio show : ) The songs are great and seems like you used to do that for long time. I’m pleased you making a personal project. But please, don’t forget your listeners from Luke’s English Podcast! Haha. I’m joking. Go for it!

Catarina Marciaa year ago
Teacher Luke, I’m addicted to your podcast. I can’t stop listening.I hope you become rich and famous through this podcast. You deserve it.

Claudia, Germanya year ago
I vote for Regina from Russia.

jta year ago
great!
i vote for Ewelina from poland

Camilaa year ago
Hello teacher Luke, Camila here. Thanks for you feedback. I forgot to mention Mr. Bean when I talked about tv series. I grown up watching it. It’s very famous here. : )

Lukea year ago
Hmm… I seem to be having some problems with
the appearance of this page. The right side is cut
off. Is anyone else having problems seeing the
whole page?

xue shena year ago
Hi Luke. Thanks a lot for your contribution.I come from Mainland of China and i living in Australia now. Although I am a student but i donated my saving moeny from my work. I will continue to my donation to help you make this websithe better. Thanks.

luke teachera year ago
Thank you so much for your contribution.

Lukea year ago
Thanks very much for your competition entries. So far I have received quite a lot of audio ones and a couple of written ones. If you are thinking about sending me something, don’t be shy – just give it a try!

ewelinaa year ago
People jog/run because they want to be able to get away when the zombies come. Slow people will get eaten first and the runners may even survive the zombie attack :P

Lukea year ago
It’s not just running that will save you from zombies. Eventually you will end up stuck in a building surrounded by them and running won’t help you then, only a blunt instrument of some kind and hopefully a helicopter.

ewelinaa year ago
if you’re fit enough to get to the closest supermarket where you’ve got plenty of food to survive ages, it can actually save your life. i think so, but i guess we have to wait and see.

Lukea year ago
All it takes is one zombie to break into the back of the supermarket and bite one lazy member of your group, who then keeps it secret because he has too much pride and then before you know it you have a surprise dead-head in your group and he’ll take you all down to zombie town before the end of the day. It doesn’t matter how many boxes of corn flakes you have then. What you need is weapons. Find a gun shop or weapons cache, stock up and find a secure place like a bunker or a castle or something (or a decent pub with big wooden doors) and just wait as long as possible until the government (who are responsible for all this shit in the first place) clean it all up with some kind of anti-zombie gas or something, or a special-ops swat team. Job done.

ewelinaa year ago
you can use all the things u can find at tesco’s (well, at least at the polish tesco’s) like lawnmowers to kill some of the zombies, and to barricade all the doors, windows and other stategic places, and there’s also tonnes of ketchup (i recommend pudliszki) which u can use to distract the zombies, it’s red so they could take it for blood, you never know, and while they r discracted you can use the back door to try n find some other place to hide. there’s no point waitin for the polish government to sort out the situation, coz they r not able to make sensible decisions in advance (the preparation for Euro 2012) let alone in some kind of emergency situations.

samukaa year ago
Hello Luke. Just an idea… We could analyze the match from the perspective bellow. For instance, you would read each minute and comment them… Cheers
HALF TIME

8 min Drogba collects a short pass in his own half from Romeu and charges forward, which gets Stamford Bridge roaring. He lays it off to Mata on the left, and Chelsea have four on three, albeit with them all over on the other side of the pitch. Mata tries an early ball towards Sturridge, but it’s well off target and Clichy collects it calmly.

7 min Balotelli and Augero swap roles from the goal, with the Italian picking up the ball on the right and looking for the Argentine in the middle of Chelsea’s high line. Terry and Bosingwa crowd him out on this occasion, but that was very close to being another one-on-one against Cech for City.

5 min Sloppy opening period here, don’t think either side has had more than four consecutive passes in a row. Ray Wilkins nots that Chelsea appear to have reverted to their high-line, early pressure approach. Which probably explains why they conceded that potentially catastrophic goal.

2 min GOAL!! Chelsea 0 Man City 1 (Balotelli)
Great work from Sergio Aguero, who picks up the ball wide on the right, and quite deep, having drawn Terry out with him from central defence. He turns inside, accelerates and plays the ball just in front of Balotelli who’s off Ivanovic’s shoulder in a moment and one-on-one against the exposed Cech. Ivanovic dangerously slides in on him from behind in the box but Balotelli stays on his feet, rounds Cech, and finishes from a tight angle into the empty net.

1 min City get us started. It’s absolutely teeming it down at Staford Bridge.

Lukea year ago
Good idea. There’s TONNES of language in those first 8 minutes alone. it could be another 90min podcast.

samukaa year ago
That’s it Luke. It will be fantastic… Deadly addicted to your podcasts.. they’re amazing… Just listening the “Mind the gap” Lads are very funny… Way to go!!!!

samukaa year ago
Hello Luke…
Great podcast. May I suggest one podcast about Premier League. We have exciting things to talk about that, don’t we? some polemic involving Carlos Tevez from the Blues, L Soares from Liverpool and the Red Evils etc… Cheers. Sammy

Lukea year ago
Yes, good idea. I’ve had quite a few messages from people who’d like a podcast (or two) about football. I need to get together with a couple of football loving mates and have a big chat I think. Watch this space.

ewelinaa year ago
hey, i’ve listen to the whole random episode and i think you really deserve the holiday ;) n i deserve a medal coz i managed to listen to it lol

Lukea year ago
Please send me your mp3s at luketeacher@hotmail.com

milaa year ago
Hi, it’s me again. I’ve just come across an American website for English learners. I contains real natural phrases you can use on everyday basis. But I’m not sure if i can really rely on it… I mean, at this moment my goal is to learn British English in order to get by in the UK, and I’m afraid that those phrases are too “American”. Could you give it a look? The address is www.phrasemix.com . I would just like to know if these expressions are common in the UK.

Regards,
mila

Lukea year ago
Phrasemix is a good site as far as I can see. It is American English but most of the phrases I saw on the site would be fine in British English too. It looks good.

milaa year ago
Many thanks.

Anonymousa year ago
Hi teacher Luke. Just wanted to tell you I was going today on pavement, listenning to the podcast about Learning to playing the drums, step by step in those rythms, and sometimes laughed loudly :) It was really funny! People must have thought I´m a bit crazy :DD Bye, Klára

luke teachera year ago
Hello to my listeners from Japan. I miss Yokohama. When I think about that place I think “Ah, Nihon natsukashii”

Shina year ago
Come back to Japan, mate!

milaa year ago
OMG, three brand new podcasts. You rock! :-)

Camilaa year ago
Heey!! I just want to say HELLO! THE GREAT LUKE!!!

ewelinaa year ago
hey,
could you do a podcast episode about St. Patrick’s Day?
cheers in advance.

Camilaa year ago
Hey teacher Luke! The podcast about Criminal Law it’s amazing! Very interesting! Thank you very much!

alexandraa year ago
Hi Luke,
Thank you for such a great podcast ! I’m in London since April 2011 and my English is still bad ! :( I’m trying to improve it by listening your podcast, study grammar, reading, watching Tele, speaking with people, sometimes I’m going to Cinema. Soon will go for Comedy ! Maybe I will see you !

I love your British Accent and I must say you’re amazing ! Teacher, comedian, singer, drum player ! Well done !

Cheers,

Alexandra from Romania

Anonymousa year ago
Thank you so much, you have really made me forget about American accent that I switched to some years ago, and get back to the British one, I love it.

nabela year ago
totally love this site..I do love English, but my English is not that good..after all, I am a learner..:)

Luke Teachera year ago
Hello everyone. Thanks for visiting the site. Please leave your comments here!
Luke

nabela year ago
Thank God, I found your site..this is very helpful for me as I am taking English course..:D

Camilaa year ago
Hey teacher Luke. I found this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tENkiKyZolY It’s man speaking with british accent ( he’s not native ) what do you think about it?

Camilaa year ago
Hello teacher Luke I enjoyed a lot your podcast about british accents. I was really surprised after that because I didn’t know that Britain could have so many differents sorts of accents. Very interisting. My favourite one is the London accent. Awesome!! Thank you.

Japana year ago
We love Luke’s English Podcast!!! Go Luke!!!

Polanda year ago
Hello Luke!
Today I had a presentation about how to learn English effectively. I had a whole 3 min about your blog and everybody liked it. I hope that some of my classmates will check up this site and be one of the fans of your blog;)thanks for doing it!

Lukea year ago
Thanks for that!

luke teachera year ago
Another episode should be available on Saturday. Watch this space.

milaa year ago
Could you record some more podcasts about social English used in everyday life, please? I mean a set of expressions which are useful, but generally unknown to English learners. I’m probably going to go to the UK in a month or two and I’m really anxious that I won’t be able to buy a train ticket or order food cause nobody will understand me :( All expressions I know are quite formal and I’m not even sure if they are used (e.g. “how do you do” still taught in Polish schools).
PS. If u can’t/don’t want to/don’t have time to prepair such a podcast, could u at least provide some links to such expressions? I know “How to…?” series by BBC, but it still isn’t enough.
I’m sorry for being so pushy, but I’m quite desperate.

Lukea year ago
I’ll do what I can Mila. I’m quite a busy guy so I don’t know when I’ll have a chance to do more podcasts about social English but I will be thinking about it. In the meantime I will look at some other websites for you. Damn, I am a good man… Luke

milaa year ago
Thank you so much!!! Cheers.
mila

Evgeniyaa year ago
Are you a teacher at The London school of English?))
If so I took courses there 5 times!

I have came across this site by accident and I can say I like it!
I have been learning English constantly for 6 years. My final goal – to be a fluent speaker.
I love English and London.
I find your site very helpful for me, will wait your new podcasts.

Lukea year ago
Yes, I’ve been teaching at The London School of English for the last 6 years.

Kláraa year ago
Are you sure you want everyone to leave a note when he is on this site? I don´t know how long would you be interested, because there are many of us :) By the way I really like this site, Klára

Lukea year ago
Yes I don’t mind. I like seeing people’s responses, as long as they’re not abusive or anything. It’s nice to hear from my listeners. Luke

Matsua year ago
Hi Luke.May I want to know what are you and your brother think about ACTA? In my country (Poland) it’s very popular and controversional subject. In my opinion it’s global problem.

Pilara year ago
Hi dude! Today while having our “holly” sunday roast in the pub and talking about your brilliant website, we just have started practising our swearing in English not realizing that everyone was staring at our table in amazement … ooops! There is not a single day when you don’t crop up in our conversations. Sweet. If you ever come to Norwich don’t forget to visit your fan club. Lots of regards! Pilar

Anonymousa year ago
Everyone’s looking at my page today, and the first thing they see is an episode about swearing. It’s not usually this rude to be honest.

silvinaa year ago
I loved it! ;)

nausikaaa year ago
Ha, ha, ha what a shame!! Certainly, I wouldn’t like a podcast about Mary Poppins. Please teacher, don’t regret(stolen from French )
Edith Piaf – Non, je ne regrette rien (Officiel) [Live Version] – YouTube

silvinaa year ago
Lovely material, Luke!!! Keep it up! I enjoy every one of your podcasts. Have a nice weekend!!! Silvina from Buenos Aires, ARGENTINA

luke teachera year ago
Expect another podcast episode in the next few days! I’m just enjoying glory of victory at the moment, and catching up on all my housework.

Dannya year ago
You are the champion my friend, and you’ll keep on fighting till the end, you are the champion, you are the champion. No time for losers.’cause you are the champion of the world.

luke teachera year ago
…enjoying the glory of victory…

Blondiea year ago
The sticker rocks !!!

luke teachera year ago
Just one day left in the competition, it actually looks like Luke’s English Podcast is going to win!
You can still vote here: CLICK HERE TO VOTE

nausikaaa year ago
It smells like victory!!
Oh Jesus-Christ, what a thrill! 1522votes!!
Here comes our commercial break, quite old fashion…
Gin Fockink – YouTube

Vote for the winner!!
(I don’t know what actually I mean, do I?)

luke teachera year ago
GIN GIN GIN – FOCKING! -NICE!

Bettinaa year ago
You certainly will win! I hope you’ll celebrate the victory. I’m so glad that so many listeners voted for you. After all, you’re the best,right?

Blondiea year ago
You’re clearly the best !

Lukea year ago
I WON THE FREAKIN COMPETITION!!!!

nausikaaa year ago
Hip, Hip, Hurrah!

ula(PL)a year ago
Congratulations!! I knew you will win:)

nausikaaa year ago
QUEEN – WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS LYRICS and VIDEO
We are the champions – my friends
And we’ll keep on fighting – till the end –
We are the champions –
We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions – of the world –

luke teachera year ago
Ha ha, love it

Waltera year ago
Hey Luke, you’re doing a fantastic job. I simply enjoy listening to you. It’s such a convenient way to learn English. And your sarcasm is exactly what I’ve been looking for in an english podcast.

Alimaa year ago
I think these comments from such a frustrating person will actually help you Luke ! We’re even more to vote to express our support for you ! Continue doing your podcasts, they’re great !

xxxa year ago
COME ON LUKE !!!
You’re gonna win because you deserve it !!!!!!!

Anonymousa year ago
evidence-web stats don’t add up.including facebook,twitter. blogs with way more subscribers and hits don’t get as many votes.
2)your votes come in waves-are you seriously telling me that over 200 people voted for you in an hour.
3)there are websites on the other sectiion with 50,000 hits a day who don’t have that many votes in over 6 weeks.
btw-i’m not in the competition,i just voted for one blog then went back to see who was winning and yes i have listened to the podcasts along with the 200 odd subscrbers . not over a 1000 comments are there.?
If it’s that important to you then good luck,i along with some peoplewho are in the competition also know it’s a tainted victory.
final question,if it’s that popular,how come it took so long to be nominated.?

luke teachera year ago
I really should be asleep because I’m teaching tomorrow, but I just couldn’t help responding again!
Just a few things.
1. If my web stats don’t add up, then tell me – of these websites getting 50,000+ hits a day, why the hell can’t they get more than 1000 votes in 6 weeks? Come on John! These figures just don’t add up!
2. Yes, I think it’s reasonable to say that over 200 people voted for me in an hour. Perhaps in the hour just after I publish a podcast when thousands of people listen to me saying “Please go out and vote for my podcast!” – it only takes a percentage of them to go and do it.
3. I have about 280 followers on podomatic, a small number, but I have many more on iTunes. Podomatic is a hassle to subscribe to, and as a listener it’s unnecessary. So not many people do it. However, for owners of apple products, subscribing to iTunes is standard. I imagine most of my listeners have subscribed via iTunes. I can’t tell you why I don’t get many comments on my page, but after all it is an audio podcast so people tend to listen to it away from the computer.
4. I’ve been obsessively promoting my podcast and encouraging my listeners to vote. That could account for all the votes I’ve got. That’s hardly cheating. Who knows, maybe I’ve peaked now and no-one will vote for me this week. Perhaps Film English will get the award. It is a really good website, and they’ve won lots of awards before. They don’t seem to be promoting the competition very much though.

In the end it’s just a competition to win a dictionary!

alexa year ago
Luke, I think he has a lot of free time and he enjoys teasing you. It’s not worth answering to this crazy guy. Just make more podcasts, they are great!

Alicjaa year ago
That’s right! I’ve subscribed via iTunes!! Your Podcasts are great. I love them. I’m sure that many people feel the same way as I do. Hope you’ll win!!!
Ps. Can I donate using Google Checkout?

Lukea year ago
I don’t know how you can donate using Google Checkout at the moment, so just PayPal I’m afraid…

luke teachera year ago
Could you send me your email address? I’d rather conduct this conversation privately please.
Your guess is as good as mine regarding the statistics. I know my facebook page has fewer subscribers than others, and I have fewer twitter followers, etc. According to podomatic though I get something like 40,000 downloads each month. That’s what they tell me. Isn’t it possible that after I publish a podcast episode in which I ask people to vote for me that some of them vote in the same hour?
But really, I can’t account for the number of votes I’m getting. I’m also surprised by the numbers, and I’m just pleased about it. And I assure you I’m no internet hacker who is capable of breaking into Macmillan’s voting system in order to win a dictionary, if that is what you’re suggesting. Believe it or not, I’m just happy to have been voted for and I hope I win the award. It makes me sad that in your eyes it’s a tainted victory. Please, do send me an email if you’d like to respond: luketeacher@hotmail.com Thanks.

PFa year ago
Dear John,

If you were well informed which is clearly not the case, you would know that it’s a listener who nominated Luke for the award (cf. Facebook)
Do you seriously suggest Luke hacked Macmillan website or what ?
I asked all my facebook friends to vote for Luke’s blog and I know other people who also did it. Yes Facebook is frequented by million people so 200 votes in an hour are nothing.
Just to clear your mind, I’m gonna be very logical : Luke did a podcast about voting/polls/US elections + another one about swearing and he asked his listeners to vote for him if they liked the podcast.
Is promoting your work through it an act of cheating ?
His podcast is available on iTunes so it means, each person who subscribed has the new episode automatically when one’s plugs his iPhone for instance.
Of course, when we start listening to the podcast, the 1st thing we do is voting ! And we’re thousands to be fan.
No cheat.
It’s pure defamation and it’s sad you taint the competition with such allegations.
The victory will go to the best : Luke (I hope) or another one.

Good night

Bettinaa year ago
You’re just jealous and envious ! Poor guy ! Your nasty anonymous comment doesn’t even merit to discuss. Listeners love Luke’s podcast, that’s a fact and I hope he’ll win the dictionary. He deserves way more than 200 votes per hour !

Andya year ago
John,

I think you are the one who overdid it by posting your comments here.

I listen to Luke’s podcast every now and then, and I listen online. I don’t download it, I don’t subscribe to it, but I like it. I’m sure there are many others who do the same, so your point about comments and subscribers doesn’t really make any sense.

Luke produces this podcast in his own time as a hobby to help others learn English. Like many of the nominees, I’m fairly certain he doesn’t get paid to do it either. There are a lot of people who really appreciate his efforts, yet you feel that it’s appropriate to come on here and accuse him of cheating.

Fortunately your comments reflect poorly on just one person, and that person is you.

Claudiaa year ago
Hello,

I just felt that I had to write something in support of Luke’s fantastic English podcast as I can’t believe how bitter your messages are. I voted for Luke’s podcast because I think it’s brilliant and as a language teacher I know that my students love it too. I listen to it and I’m not subscribed to it on here. I’ve had students independently recommend it to me and had to tell them that they are preaching to the converted. People just really enjoy it. So it is absolutely no surprise to me that Luke’s podcast is smashing it and I think you, John, should focus more on just listening to podcasts rather than getting freakishly hung up on twitter stats!

Go Luke and Good day to you sir.

¿¿a year ago
Mr. ?? You are a clear example of mosca cojonera. I’m afraid there is not translation in English. Major Pita?

hexaa year ago
Luke is a brilliant teacher. I’m not a subscriber or a twitter follower, and not interested to make comments. Only here for studying. The evidence is just his personality which shows itself throught his works. Friendly, spontaneous, professional, lively, articulate, with exciting subjects. I’m not surprised of his podcast’s popularity at all. Go on Luke!!!

johna year ago
Cheat,all this just to a win a dictionary,Macmillan are aware of what you are up to,can’t wait to see your comments when they disqualify you. 1,000 votes in over a week,you overdid it.

Blondiea year ago
John, are you in the competition ? Frustated by the fact you’re gonna loose ?
If one day you do more than 80 podcasts with more than 20,000 worldwide dowloads a month one, I think you’ll be legitimate to raise your voice.
But accusing someone who’s dedicated to a voluntary work and passionnate about what he’s doing is really low.
Do you know the concept of “having fans” ? Apparently not.
More than 1100 votes in few days is just the expression of our gratefulness for Luke.
Think about it.

eliza_chana year ago
Yes, that’s the truth. I’m your fan and I really enjoy your podcasts. I’m learning a lot with them. Thanks a lot for everything and I hope you can win this competition.

nermina year ago
What’s your problem? You haven’t listened to his podcasts have you? Lots of people enjoy listening to his podcasts and lots of people learn a lot from it….so can’t wait to see your comment when Luke wins the award he deserves…if someone gets 1,000 votes in over a week this only proves that people appreciate his work…

luke teachera year ago
I think it’s uunfair that you’re accusing me of cheating John. Where’s your evidence? I have lots of listeners, and I work hard to make the podcast popular. Also, it’s not just for a dictionary, it’s also for the award itself.

Russiaa year ago
Hi Luke, thank you a lot for your job, I think you should get this Macmillan Dictionary “Love English” Awards 2011! I’m sure you win. My vote was definitaly for you man!

luke teachera year ago
Hi everyone – this is the new comments box.
Please leave your comments here. Thanks!
100%
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0%
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Brazila year ago
Hi Luke. I’m Camila, I live in Brazil and I’ve been studying english for 3 years. Here almost all of the english courses teach the american accent. I enjoy a lot to visit your website because I always wanted to learn the british accent and I think I’m much better. Thank you very much for helping people to learn your language.

Lukea year ago
Please vote!
CLICK HERE

133. Hip-Hop Lyric Analysis

9 Replies

A look at hip-hop culture and analysis of the lyrics to a classic rap track. FULL TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE BELOW, OH YES!

Right-click here to download this episode.
There’s an introduction, then the lyric analysis begins at about 21mins.
HIP HOP LYRIC ANALYSIS

I wonder if you’re a fan of hip hop. Maybe you are, maybe you’re not. If you already are, then sit back, enjoy the episode. If you’re not then listen on, because you might learn something about the world of hip hop music which you previously didn’t know. You can also learn some slang in the process.

In this episode:

1. I’ll tell you a bit about hip hop, and its history, but not too much because I don’t want to bore you.

2. We’ll listen to some hip hop and have a look at the lyrics and analyse them. I’ll explain them, and kind of give you my thoughts on them.

There is music in the background on this one. I thought it was appropriate because of the subject of this episode. Future episodes will not always have music, but this one does. If you really can’t hear what I’m saying then let me know and I might be able to upload this episode again without the background music. If you like the music and would like to hear more, let me know by commenting on this episode. I should be able to recommend some albums or tracks for you.

I understand that hip hop is not everyone’s cup of tea, or perhaps you’ve never considered listening to it. Well, you know with Luke’s English Podcast you never know what you’re going to get each time. Variety. This time it’s hip hop, next time it might be about something else like kittens. A whole episode about kittens, that would be nice, or maybe something about football… that’s in the pipeline, and more interviews and all kinds of things, but for now it’s all about da hip hop game, straight up, no nonsense, no diggidy, no doubt, the ill communication… You’re probably thinking, “why is Luke speaking strangely, or more strangely than usual”. Well, I’m throwing in a bit of hop hop slang into my sentences sometimes, just for a laugh really.

I love hip-hop but sometimes I don’t feel like I can truly relate to it. It’s an amazing musical genre. There’s a lot of talent, great music and clever lyrics.

What are The 3 elements of hip hop? How did it develop?
First of all, the term ‘hip hop’ is used to refer to both the musical genre and the culture in general. This culture of hip hop is considered to have a number of elements. I think it boils down to about 3 main things:

1. DJing – this involves the creating of loops of music, usually taken from old jazz or funk records played on two turntables. This is clever because it involves a lot of skill. Two copies of the record are needed, and the record needs to be chosen carefully. Usually the piece of music to be looped is a drum break from a funk tune. That’s the bit where only the drums are playing. That section is just played over and over on the two turntables, the same bit being played and then rewound and played again- the music gets looped, and you get a continuous beat which people can dance to or rap over. The DJs would either do it live at parties or they would make mix tapes to be shared and used as the backing track for rapping.

2. Rapping. This is talking into the microphone over the top of the beat. The best rapping involves clever rhyming of words, and a unique flow or rhythm in your voice. It’s also known as MCing. MC means master or ceremonies. The original job of the MC was to be a kind of host for a party. He or she would liven up the audience and get the atmosphere going. Later, MCs started rhyming and creating stories or commentaries. MCs sometimes battle with each other. This means that they take turns to do a verse of rhyming in which they have to be more inventive, funny or insulting than the other one. An example of this can be seen in the movie 8 Mile with Eminem.

3. Breakdancing. This was the dancing associated with hip-hop in the early days. People seem to do it less these days. It involves body popping, robotic movements, or acrobatic spins and jumps. It’s also possible to have a breakdancing battle in which two teams take turns to perform better and better dance moves.
Graffiti is also associated with hip hop. That’s the painting of large graphics or tags in public places using spray cans. Now, DJing has been replaced by more sophisticated forms of sequencing and sampling using computers, but the effect is still the same – funky beats and samples of well chosen old records. Beats can also be created without samples as well, but most of the classic hip hop of the 90s was made with samples from 60s jazz/funk records.

Some also consider ‘knowledge’ to be an essential part of hip hop culture. This means the understanding of your cultural history and the reality of the situation you are living in. More specifically this relates to the condition of black Americans as a cultural minority in the United States, but it can also apply to a wider state of mind in which you ‘keep it real’. Keeping it real just means being true to yourself, trying to ascertain what really is going on around you, questioning authority and everything around you and not believing ‘the hype’. Public Enemy released a famous rap/hip-hop track called ‘Don’t Believe The hype’. I think the message of this is ‘don’t believe what you read in the papers, or don’t believe what everyone says about something. Check it out for yourself first. Have some independence of thought. Don’t accept the common opinion. Have confidence in your own sense of judgement. Don’t believe the hype.

Click here to hear Public Enemy “Don’t believe da hype”

Hip-Hop is also notable for it’s recycling of previously released music, particularly music created by soul, funk and jazz artists of the previous generation. This shows us how hip-hop is a kind of ‘do it yourself’ cultural movement. The musicians who made this music just used what was available to them there at the time. They didn’t have instruments, or classical musical training. There wasn’t a lot of money going round. What they did have was old records, possibly from their parents’ generation, and so they used that as a resource. If they were lucky they had record decks or other equipment. Otherwise they would use tape players to crudely edit together selected pieces of music from old records. This cut and paste approach is one of the things that defines hip-hop culture.

My personal favourite era for hip hop is the early to mid nineties. I think this is when it was at its best. If I could recommend one hip hop album it would be “Midnight Marauders” by A Tribe Called Quest. Why? The samples are very well chosen (some amazing bits of classic soul, funk or jazz) the music is positive, the rhyming is inventive and funny, it’s catchy, I never get bored of listening to it and it always puts me in a good mood and reminds me of great times. I strongly believe it will be considered one of the all-time great hip hop albums. Click here to see the album on Amazon.

Hip Hop music is often associated with poor urbanised black american communities, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s not about being poor black Americans. The music might have come from that community, but ultimately music transcends racial barriers and can be enjoyed by everyone. But, saying that, there is something weird about middle class English white kids acting like rappers from Compton. They’re not keeping it real, and the importance of keeping it real is one of the things you can learn from hip hop. Be true to yourself, don’t play yourself because that’s just straight up wack! A lot of rappers are very rich these days. Some are white, some are of other ethnicities. This just goes to show that it’s not just a simple question of black or white, rich or poor or whatever. Gangster rap is one sub-genre of rap music. There are other types of hip hop that don’t involve being a gangster. Positive hip-hop or political hip-hop. I suppose within gangsta rap there is the idea that hip-hop can be a way for poor people in America can escape from the ghetto. In the case of someone like Jay-Z who apparently used to live a gangster life, music did help him to escape the world of crime.

Hip hop music can give you an insight into life in the ghetto in America. The stories I hear in rap are like crime novels or a gangster movies. They can be evocative, moving, frightening and just very exciting tales of life on the edge. I must say though, as a white middle class English guy I can’t fully relate to the music, and sometimes I feel slightly ridiculous listening to rap music. I find I feel embarrassed sometimes listening to tales of the gangster life while I’m on shopping in Tescos or walking along the Champs Elysees. I can’t really relate to it, but nevertheless I love the music, and I wonder if you also like hip hop.

Anyway, I decided to play some hip hop in this episode and discuss the lyrics with you. First up, it’s a genuine hip hop classic. This one is from the 90s which is the best era for hip hop in my opinion. It’s basically gangsta rap. It’s moody, dark and tells a story of how difficult life can be in the ghetto. The track is called “My mind is playing tricks on me” by Geto Boys. Listen to the track, and then I will explain it all, and analyse the lyrics after. You’ll appreciate it more when you hear it the second time. If you like it, click the link to see the album on Amazon, where you can buy it and support this group. If hip hop is not your thing then I hope this episode at least educates you about a musical genre that you’re not familiar with. You don’t have to like it, but knowledge is power. Also, the English you’ll hear is a dialect (to an extent). It’s the language of black American youth, and this is one of the most pervasive English dialects. It has influence on many informal dialects in English, including youth in London and all over the UK in fact. It’s interesting that the social group with the least status – poor African Americans, has some of the most widespread cultural influence though its music and its English slang. Well, maybe that’s the thing about hip-hop – it really changed the status of many poor young people in America, by making them into superstars. Although being a superstar is not the end of your problems of course, because you know, Mo’ Money Mo’ Problems… So, here it is.

GETO BOYS LYRICS

“My Mind Playin’ Tricks On Me”

Click here to check out the song on YouTube

[Intro: Scarface]

I sit alone in my four-cornered room staring at candles

“Cool out man, we on the Radio dukes”

We’re on the Radio dukes

“yeah”

Ooh, alright, check this here

[Verse 1: Scarface]

At night I can’t sleep, I toss and turn

He’s having a bad night. He can’t sleep. Maybe he’s had too much coffee, or maybe he’s got an exam tomorrow. You know the feeling, you’re nervous, you can’t sleep. Very frustrating.

Candlesticks in the dark, visions of bodies being burned

If he’s got candles burning I’m not surprised he can’t sleep. You need to extinguish all lights. Anyway, he shouldn’t leave a candle burning when he’s going to sleep. It’s quite dangerous, it might start a fire and the smoke could choke him to death in his sleep, or he could be very badly burned.

Visions of bodies being burned. He’s having a very bad night. I know that sometimes your mind wanders when you can’t sleep but that’s quite extreme. Maybe he’s been watching too much of The Walking Dead. It’s ironic that he’s thinking of burning bodies when he’s dangerously leaving candles lit while going to sleep.

Four walls just closing in, getting bigger

I know the feeling. It can be like you’re trapped in your room, especially if you’ve been indoors all evening revising and now you can’t sleep.

I’m paranoid, sleepin’ with my finger on the trigger

Woa! He’s sleeping with a gun in his hand and his finger on the trigger? He’s likely to have a bad accident, especially if he starts to drop off to sleep and his hand jerks. He must be paranoid if he’s sleeping with a gun. I wonder what happened.

My mother’s always stressin’ I ain’t livin’ right

Well, she’s right because already you’ve got naked flames and a gun in the flat.

But I ain’t going out without a fight

Ok, he’s determined.

See, everytime my eyes close

I start sweatin’ and blood starts comin’ out my nose

You might want to get that looked at. If blood comes out of your nose when you close your eyes, you might have a serious condition. I don’t think it’s paranoia. Those are genuine symptoms. Go to a doctor. Call NHS direct at least.

There’s somebody watchin’ the Ack’

But I don’t know who it is, so I’m watchin’ my back

OK, I’m not sure what that means but it seems that someone is watching him, and apparently they’re not really looking after him because they haven’t stepped in to give advice or help. Whoever this person is, it seems that they don’t have his best interest at heart. Again, I don’t think he’s being paranoid. This guy is probably not a friend. But then again it is quite normal to just see the same people in your neighbourhood and just because they’re not friendly, it doesn’t mean they want to kill you. I mean, in London I never talked to my neighbours but I saw them all the time. Didn’t mean I wanted to kill them. Just saying.

I can see him when I’m deep in the covers

When I awake I hear a car burning rubber

When he’s deep in the covers, that means when he’s in bed. So, what he can see him when he’s in his bed? That is pretty weird, what is he doing in the guy’s bed?? Or maybe he’s in the bed and looking out of the window and he can see him in the street or something. Oh I see, he can see him in his sleep. Bad dreams.

He owns a black hat like I own

A black suit and a cane like my own

Perhaps this is just a mirror. I wonder if he’s considered the fact that he’s seeing his own reflection in windows or something. That happened to me once. I was walking alone in the street and I thought I saw someone following me. I got really scared and ran home. Turned out it was just my own reflection in the windows of houses. I used to be scared of the dark so I suppose my mind was playing tricks on me too.

Some might say, “Take a chill, B”

Yes, it’s a good idea. Take a chill. Relax. Have a cup of tea. Watch some telly. Put your feet up. Just take the afternoon off. No need to go round being a gangster today. It’s hard work being a gangster. Just take it easy for a change. You’ve got to look after your health. Take some you-time. Just watch “Friday” or something.

But I can’t see, because there’s somebody trying to kill me

Mmm, that will tend to make you a bit uptight.

I’m poppin’ in the clip when the wind blows

Every twenty seconds got me peepin’ out my window

This means he’s putting a clip of ammunition into his gun whenever the wind blows. Now, the wind blows quite a lot, especially when it’s windy. Does this mean he’s just putting the clip in when he hears the wind, and then going “oh no it’s just the wind” and then taking it out, but then hearing the wind again and going “What the hell is that?!” and popping the clip back in again, and again and again. He needs a holiday. He’s peeping out of his window, with a gun. THis is an awful situation.

Investigatin’ the joint for traps

Checkin’ my telephone for taps

Ok, so I assume that he’s really nervous because of something he did in his past. Maybe he criticised someone’s mother, or stepped on someone’s sneaker. Now he’s worried that someone wants to take revenge on him and he’s so paranoid that he’s convinced that someone has set traps in his house. Perhaps like a bucket of water above the door and when you open it = splash. Or worse. Maybe a broken chair or a whoopee cushion. He’s checking the phone for taps. That’s a wire tap. Perhaps people are trying to listen in to his conversations. It could be the mob getting ready to kill him or the FBI surveying him, or maybe he’s just been smoking too much weed and he’s imagining it all.

I’m starin’ at the woman on the corner

It’s f*cked up, when your mind is playin’ tricks on you

The woman on the corner? I expect that is a prostitute. It’s quite sad that there’s always a woman on the corner. It’s even sadder that this guy is staring at her because he’s paranoid that ‘someone is trying to kill him’.

[Verse 2: Willie D]

I make big money, I drive big cars

Everybody know me, it’s like I’m a movie star

Sounds like Luke from Luke’s English Podcast.

But late at night, somethin’ ain’t right

I feel I’m being tailed by the same sucker’s head lights

This means he feels like someone is following him. He’s being tailed by someone’s headlights. But normally you’re tailed by someone in a car, not just some headlights.

Is it that fool that I ran off the block?

Or is it that clown last week that I shot?

He shot a clown? Why did he shoot a clown? They’re basically harmless. They’re just kids’ entertainers. He’s gone too far, shooting a clown.

To be honest, I think that by ‘clown’ he means a ‘fool’ or an ‘idiot’. But really, was it necessary to shoot the guy? Two words: Gun Control.

Or is it the one I beat for five thousand dollars

He beat a guy for 5 thousand dollars. That is a lot of money but is it worth it for the risk. You could be sent to prison for aggravated assault. I’m not surprised he’s having a bad time, because you know “what goes around comes around”.

Thought he had caine but it was Gold Medal Flour

His mind really is playing tricks on him. He’s seeing people doing their grocery shopping, and mistaking them for badass gangsters who want to kill him. The guy needs to just stay in for a while and wait for this all to blow over.

Reach under my seat, grabbed my popper for the suckers

Ain’t no use to me lyin, I was scareder than a mother*****

This means he reached under his seat to get his gun in order to shoot these bad rude boys, and truth be told he was very frightened. Scareder (not correct English) than a mother-. One can only assume that ‘a mother’ is usually quite scared, for some reason. I think we know he is referring not to a Mum, but to a swearword, a motherf***er

Hooked a left into Popeye’s and bailed out quick

If it’s goin’ down, let’s get it over with

So, in order to escape, or find a good place to hide or escape he turned a quick left into what I assume is some kind of shop. He was ready to have a fight if it was necessary. So, he thinks that these gang-bangers are going to get him as an act of revenge, but perhaps he’s just paranoid and imaginging it all.

Here they come, just like I figured

I got my hand on the chrome (gold?) plated the trigger

So, they’re coming just as expected. He’s got his hand on his chrome plated gun. The trigger is the part that your finger squeezes to fire the gun..

What I saw’ll make your ass start gigglin’

Three black crippled and crazy senior citizens

What he saw will make you laugh because it was three black crippled and crazy old people. He must have been tripping because he thought they were all gangsters. He’s in a real mess.

I live by the sword

I take my boys everywhere I go, because I’m paranoid

To live by the sword means you live a violent life. He takes his boys everywhere – not his sons I imagine, but some of his home-boys, some friends or fellow gangsters as protection.

I keep lookin’ over my shoulder and peepin’ around corners

My mind is playin’ tricks on me

Looking over his shoulder, looking around corners. He’s certainly got to be vigilant at times like this.

[Verse 3: Scarface]

Day by day it’s more impossible to cope

I feel like I’m the one that’s doing dope

Ok, this really is a messed up life. He’s find it hard to cope. He can’t manage it or deal with the pressure. He feels like he’s the one doing dope – I guess this is a reference to the fact that he’s a drug dealer, and usually his clients are the ones who are strung out and losing control of their lives because of the drugs they’re taking, but this time even he is losing control. This is a messed up story of criminal life in America. Have you seen Scarface? This song is one of many similar crime stories which for me form part of American popular culture in literature, film and music. Yes, I’m saying this is art. Sue me.

Can’t keep a steady hand because I’m nervous

Every Sunday mornin’ I’m in service

Prayin’ for forgiveness

And tryin’ to find an exit out the business

He’s going to church every sunday, praying to be forgiven by god, and trying to find a way to leave this terrible business of drug dealing and extortion. So, he does want to get out but apparently he is trapped. I wonder what you think. Does he have a choice? I suppose he is so deep in crime that if he tries to leave he risks losing his life.

I know the Lord is lookin’ at me

But yet and still it’s hard for me to feel happy

He believes in god but it’s almost not enough because of his guilty conscience.

I often drift while I drive

Havin’ fatal thoughts of suicide

BANG and get it over with

And then I’m worry-free, but that’s nonsense

He sometimes considers killing himself in order to escape, but yes, that’s nonsense. Suicide is the coward’s way out.

I got a little boy to look after

And if I died then my child would be a bastard

Technically that is true. That’s in line with the literal meaning of ‘bastard’ but does it also mean his son would be a bad guy? Quite possibly, if he’s deprived of a father and growing up in tough conditions, and considering his Dad is a bit of a bastard apparently it must run in the family, so yes if he is killed then his son is likely to be a bit of a bastard. BUt also, his son would be fatherless, and that’s serious.

I had a woman down with me

But to me it seems like she was down to get me

He used to have a girl friend, but it seemed she didn’t support him. Maybe she was not good for him. Maybe she nagged him, and it didn’t help.

She helped me out in this

But to me she was just another chick

OK, she did help a bit, but he didn’t love her. Sad story. Sorry listeners.

Now she’s back with her mother

Now I’m realizing that I love her

All right, so he does love her! Make your mind up!

Now I’m feelin’ lonely

My mind is playin’ tricks on me

You have my sympathy sir. Although I do think it was wrong that you committed those crimes and you shouldn’t have done it. There’s no way of justifying those criminal acts. Still, I will raise a glass to you sir.

[Verse 4: Bushwick Bill]

This year Halloween fell on a weekend

Me and Geto Boys went trick-or-treatin’

Robbin’ little kids for bags

So they went trick or treating. Not exactly the behaviour of authentic straight up gangstas. Why are they trick or treating? Aren’t they a bit old for that now? Don’t they have business to attend to?

And robbing little kids for bags?? Really? Literally stealing candy from children. That’s hardly the way a true gangsta rolls? It’s almost pathetic, stealing sweets from children. It’s a serious act of bullying and seems out of character. So these are very well esteemed bad-boy gangstas, who act like they’ve killed and done bad things, and here they are stealing sweeties from kids. Pathetic.

Till an old man got behind our rags

Too right. The old man was correct and I’m glad a member of the community stepped in to get behind their rags and tell them off.

So we speeded up the pace

Took a look back, and he was right before our face

They decided to leave quickly and walked away, but when they turned around he was right up in their face. Wow, that guy is fast!

He’d be in for a squabble no doubt

So I swung and and tried to take him out

So the guy wanted a fight, so Bill swung his fist and tried to knock him down. ‘Take him out’

He was goin’ down, we planned

But this wasn’t no ordinary man

The plan was to put this guy down, but apparently this was no ordinary man. Maybe it was, like, Batman or just an extraordinarily tough guy who they shouldn’t have messed with.

He stood about six or seven feet

Now, that’s the creep I’d be seein’ in my sleep

This is a very tall guy, and the ‘creep’ he’d been seeing in his sleep too. So, this is the scary guy that Bill was dreaming about earlier on. Wow, so here he is in a fight with him. Scary.

So we triple-teamed on him

Droppin’ them 5th ward B’s on him

Triple teamed on him – this means the 3 of them teamed up to fight him together. Ladies or in fact anyone else, if you’re listening – I’m sorry about the violence. More civilised topics will be dealt with in due course.

The more I swung the more blood flew

Then he disappeared and my boys disappeared too

The more he punched the more blood there was, but then suddenly he disappeared, and so did his friends.

Then I felt just like a fiend

It wasn’t even close to Halloween

He felt just like a fiend – this is someone who is evil and kind of obsessed by doing bad things. So, he frightened himself by realising he was a fiend, a monster. This is dark…

It was dark as death on the streets

My hands were all bloody from punchings on the concrete

Oh man, homie

My mind is playin’ tricks on me

The streets were pitch black, and his hands were bleeding from punching the concrete. So, he imagined or hallucinated the whole thing and in fact had been punching the street itself thinking it was a man. His mind is playing tricks on him.

What a dark tale.

Let’s lighten things up a bit. Now we’re going to listen to a short rhyme by De La Soul from their amazing album 3 Feet High and Rising. This one is all about the importance of washing yourself with soap to avoid BO or Body Odour, which can be a problem on public transport for example. Again, listen to the whole tune and then I will explain…

De La Soul “A Little Bit of Soap” – Click here to listen to the song on YouTube

Please, listen to this simple De La style I’m gonna sing

It’s strongly directed to all the misery you’re bringing

Now I’m not all about dissing someone else personnel

But there’s no quota on your odor, that’s right, you smell

Now you might feel a little embarrassed, don’t take it too hard

And don’t make it worse by covering it up with some Right Guard

Before you even put on your silk shirt and fat gold rope

Please, take your big ass to the bathroom

And please use a little bit of soap

Okay, contestant number two, do you have the answers?

No, no I don’t

SOME HIP HOP SLANG, DEFINED:

da hip hop game = the hip hop industry. ‘da’ means ‘the’

straight up = simply

no nonsense = simple

no diggidy = no doubt, definitely

the ill communication = ‘ill’ here means ‘good’

wack = not cool

sucka = a sucker, a stupid person

LINKS:

For more hip hop slang, click here.

To download some free hip hop mixes, click here. I personally recommend this one.

Visit this page to play around with ‘gizoogle’, which is a website that translates everything into hip hop slang.

Here’s an example of what it does. Look at the below sentence, which is normal.

Hello, my name is Luke and I am an English teacher. You probably know me from my podcast which is called Luke’s English Podcast. I really enjoy making episodes of my show and I hope that you like listening to it. Good luck!

Here’s the hip-hop slang version:

Yo muthaf*cka, hoes call me Luke n’ I be a Gangsta mackdaddy n’ sh*t. Yo ass probably know me from mah podcast which is called Lukez Gangsta Podcast. I straight-up trip off makin episodez of mah show n’ I hope dat you like listenin ta dat sh*t. Dope luck!

‘Dope luck’ indeed…

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Luke’s ENGLISH Podcast

Learn British English with Luke Thompson

Monthly Archives: June 2013

137. Discussing Movies (Part 1)

136. Cycling from London to Paris

135. Raining Animals – “It’s raining cats and dogs”

Raining animals

Explanations

[38:11]

Occurrences

“Raining cats and dogs”

Old Comments Box Archive

133. Hip-Hop Lyric Analysis

Raining animals

Explanations

[38:11]

Occurrences

“Raining cats and dogs”

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