#7. English Song

Macklemore & Ryan lewis - Same Love

 

Lyrics

[Verse 1: Macklemore]

When I was in the 3rd grade
I thought that I was gay
Cause I could draw, my uncle was
And I kept my room straight
I told my mom, tears rushing down my face
She's like, "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-K"
Trippin', yeah, I guess she had a point, didn't she
A bunch of stereotypes all in my head
I remember doing the math like
"Yeah, I'm good at little league"
A pre-conceived idea of what it all meant
For those who like the same sex had the characteristics
The right-wing conservatives think its a decision
And you can be cured with some treatment and religion
Man-made, rewiring of a pre-disposition
Playing God
Ahh nah, here we go
America the brave
Still fears what we don't know
And God loves all His children
And somehow forgotten
But we paraphrase a book written
3,500 hundred years ago
I don't know

[Hook: Mary Lambert]
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm

[Verse 2: Macklemore]
If I was gay
I would think hip-hop hates me
Have you read the YouTube comments lately
"Man that's gay"
Gets dropped on the daily
We've become so numb to what we're sayin'
A culture founded from oppression
Yet, we don't have acceptance for 'em
Call each other faggots
Behind the keys of a message board
A word rooted in hate
Yet our genre still ignores it
Gay is synonymous with the lesser
It's the same hate that's caused wars from religion
Gender and skin color
The complexion of your pigment
The same fight that lead people to walk-outs and sit-ins
Human rights for everybody
There is no difference
Live on! And be yourself!
When I was in church
They taught me something else
If you preach hate at the service
Those words aren't anointed
And that Holy Water
That you soak in
has been poisoned
When everyone else
Is more comfortable
Remaining voiceless
Rather than fighting for humans
That have had their rights stolen
I might not be the same
But that's not important
No freedom 'til we're equal
Damn right I support it
[Trombone]
I don't know

[Hook: Mary Lambert]
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm

[Verse 3: Macklemore]
We press play
Don't press pause
Progress, march on!
With a veil over our eyes
We turn our back on the cause
'Till the day
That my uncles can be united by law
Kids are walkin' around the hallway
Plagued by pain in their heart
A world so hateful
Someone would rather die
Than be who they are
And a certificate on paper
Isn't gonna solve it all
But it's a damn good place to start
No law's gonna change us
We have to change us
Whatever god you believe in
We come from the same one
Strip away the fear
Underneath it's all the same love
About time that we raised up

[Hook: Mary Lambert]
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
And I can't change
Even if I tried
Even if I wanted to
My love, my love, my love
She keeps me warm

[Outro: Mary Lambert]
Love is patient, love is kind
Love is patient (not cryin' on Sundays)
Love is kind (not crying on Sundays)

Songfacts

    This song finds Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, detailing the struggles of a gay man throughout his life.  Though straight himself, when Haggerty was in the third grade, he'd decided that he must be homosexual as he was artistic, tidy-minded and had an uncle who was in a same-sex relationship.  It was his mom who reassured him he was not.  Speaking with The Associated Press, Haggerty said the song's popularity affirms the changes in attitude within the notoriously homophobic Hip-Hop world.  "I hope we're part of that transformation," said the rapper.  "I don't think a song like 'Same Love' would have been received the same way even five years ago.  We as a society and a culture have proven throughout time that we evolve, that we become slowly more compassionate and tolerant and accepting.  The last couple hundred years in American culture have shown that.  Obviously, there's give and take.  There's times when we haven't and times that we lose ourselves, but I do think we're evolving as a society and hip-hop is a reflection of that."

My Comments

    In the most of countries, homosexuality is illegal.   The same-sex marriage in some countries even will be sentenced to death.  But just like the lyrics says, ”No law’s gonna change us.  We have to change us.”   No matter how the laws prevent that, love can cross all the barriers.  God loves all His children, but someone still paraphrase The contents of the Bible to oppose the homosexuality.   They think they can be cured, but homosexual is not a disease.   It’s normal just like bisexual.  Love is equal, no matter gender, ages, races, and skin tones.

#6. Steve Jobs' Talk

    This address is talking about three stories in Steve Jobs' life.  The first story is talking about his birth and college life.  The key point is that you have to trust that the dots will somehow cannect in your future.  You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, destiny, life ,karma, whatever.  So, don't be afraid to do any dicision.  Just follow your heart.  The second story is about love and loss.  Sometimes life let you depress, but don't lose faith.  Failture may be another starting point of success.  The last story reminds you that time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life.  Live each day as if it was your last, then follow your own inner voice and intuition.  Everything else is secondary.
    Steve Jobs is the genius of innovation.  He is regarded as a legend because of his great effect in this generation.  His philosophy of life is also suitable for everyone.  In his talk of Stanford Commencement, there's a sentence of the whole speech which is my favorite, is "Stay hungry, stay foolish."  Don't stop exploring new things which you are interested, then your life will be more wonderful.

#5. How do you like ESL Randall's Cyber Listening Lab as a language learning resource?

    It was really hard to improve my English listening before I knew this website because there is  not any foreigner arounds me.  So I could only listen foreign broadcasters or watch English movies to get my listening better.  But sometimes their conversations were so speedy that I could not follow them.
    Through this language learning resource, I can choose appropriate level in accordance with my ability.  It's very helpful to my listening!

#4. Two clips from Randall's Cyber Listening Lab

A. A Student Credut Card

    1. entertainment (n.): shows, films, television, or other performances or activities that entertain people, or a performance of this type
       e.g. There's not much in the way of entertainment in this town - just the cinema and a couple of pubs.

    2. stereo (n.): a way of recording or playing sound so that it is separated into two signals and produces more natural sound
       e.g. The concert will be broadcast in stereo.

    3. rating (n.): a measurement of how good or popular someone or something is
       e.g. The government's popularity rating sank to an all-time low.

    4. impulse (n.): a sudden strong wish to do something
       e.g. I had this sudden impulse to shout out "Rubbish!" in the middle of her speech.

    5. ridiculous (adj.): stupid or unreasonable and deserving to be laughed at
       e.g. Do I look ridiculous in this hat?


B. A Healthy Lifestyle

    1. fridge (n.): a piece of kitchen equipment that uses electricity to preserve food at a cold temperature
       e.g. Don't forget to put the milk back in the fridge.

    2. humph (interj.): a short deep sound made with the lips closed, expressing anger or doubt, or pretended anger
       e.g. Humph, I see you've got yourself some lunch and you haven't made any for the rest of us!

    3. abandon (v.): to leave a place, thing, or person for ever
       e.g. As a baby he'd been abandoned by his mother.

    4. physical (n.): connected with the body
       e.g. I'm not a very physical sort of person.

    5. instructor (n.): a person whose job is to teach people a practical skill
       e.g. Her husband is an archery instructor.

#3. Concordancer Exercise

粽子

1.rice dumpling

2.tsung-tzu

3.zongzi

#2. Dictionary Exercise: Secret taxi driver

1. incognito (adv.): in a way that prevents other people from finding out who you are
    e.g. Movie stars often prefer to travel incognito.

2. astonished (adj.): very surprised
    e.g. The helicopter landed before our astonished eyes.

3. cabbie (n.): a person who drives a taxi
    e.g. The cabbie drives to finance his dreams to attend a university.

4. rusty (adj.): not as good as it used to be, beacuse you have not been practicing
    e.g. My tennis is very rusty these days.

5. moonlight (v.): to work at a second job in addition to your regular job
    e.g. She is a secretary who moonlights as a waitress on weekends.

#1. Greetings!

My name is Wendy Chang.  I'm stydying in National Taipei College of Business and my major is in Business Administration.  In my spare time, I like to listening to Engligh songs and watching English movies.  Though I have learned English since I was in elementary school, my English is still really poor.  Beacause of the environment,I don't have many opportunities to practice speaking English.  I hope to improve my English with this course.