Saturday 26 May 2012

Song: I Started A Joke -- Bee Gees


Image from Billboard.biz

Definitely deserves more entries from our English Playground and my late sleep tonight just to finish this entry, Bee Gee's slow songs not only live forever, but also provide huge opportunities for learners to practise their listening skill.

Mainly sung by Robin Gibb, "I Started A Joke" is a song with two interpretations, one as a outcry of social alienation, and one as a self-reflection of the devil.[1]


Simply and wonderful melody, beautifully sung, magically magnetising the deepest of the listeners' heart.






I started a joke
Which started the whole world crying
But I didn't see
That the joke was on me, oh no

I started to cry
Which started the whole world laughing
Oh, if I'd only seen
That the joke was on me

Running my hands over my eyes
Image from Jeanetics: Blink

I looked at the skies
Running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed
Hurting my head from things that I'd said

Brave heroes started the whole world living
@ Tyne Cot Military Cemetery, Passchendaele
Image from photo.net
Till I finally died
Which started the whole world living

Oh, if I'd only seen
That the joke was on me

I looked at the skies
Running my hands over my eyes
And I fell out of bed
Hurting my head from things that I'd said

Till I finally died
Which started the whole world living
Oh, if I'd only seen, oh yeah
That the joke was on me, oh no
That the joke was on me, ohh


Thank you Robin once again, for all your great songs and music.



Vocabulary:
outcry -- (n)[C] a strong expression of anger and disapproval about something, made by a group of people or by the public
magnetise -- (adj) to make an object magnetic
alienation -- (n)[U] the feeling that you have no connection with the people around you

Resources:
People: Thank You, Robin Gibb!!! R.I.P. @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2012/05/people-thank-you-robin-gibb-rip.html

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_started_a_joke

Bee Gee Robin Gibb Mourned and Hailed in Britain @ Billboard.biz
http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/industry/record-labels/bee-gee-robin-gibb-mourned-and-hailed-in-1007110352.story

I Started A Joke @ elyrics
http://www.elyrics.net/read/b/bee-gees-lyrics/i-started-a-joke-lyrics.html


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/outcry?q=outcry
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/magnetize?q=magnetising+#magnetize__3
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/alienation_1?q=alienation