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The Frames

Date: Apr 26 2004

Intro

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

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

Last March, The Frames won the coveted Best Irish Band award at the annual Irish music awards, called “The Meteors.” The winner of the award was chosen by the public, which means that a lot of people in Ireland really love The Frames. If you’ve heard their music, you probably love them too.
Read on to learn more about why The Frames are one of the best bands in the world.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

The Frames are called The Frames because when singer and guitarist Glen Hansard was small he used to fix all the bicycles in his neighborhood for his friends. His house had bicycle frames lying all around and Glen could be seen up to his eyeballs in oil and grease fixing bicycles. His house became known as the house with the frames. Hence the name The Frames.
Glen is all grown up now, and he’s changed his focus from bikes to music. He and the rest of his bandmates make outstanding rock & roll. They’re becoming popular all over the world because their music is nice to listen to and it’s meaningful. Glen’s lyrics are about things that happen in real life, so it’s easy to relate to them. The song “Disappointed” is a perfect example. Check out some of the lyrics:
The future takes us where it leads
Our heads just go beneath the waves
Time tells all and we obey
But how can I be mad at you
You did what you did
And you followed through
You were the one who always said
‘Forget it and move on’
But I’m not sad, I’m just disappointed
And I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed
In “Disappointed,” Glen explains his feelings to another person. The person has left Glen and is no longer his friend, but Glen’s not mad. He’s saying that he can forgive the person because he understands why things happened the way they did.

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Discussion

The Frames are currently touring in the U.S., so if you’re in the U.S. and they come to your city, you should make sure to check them out. If you’re in China, you’ll also have a chance to see The Frames in concert. They’ll be touring China in May!
Rock on,
Migs