Song Year1 She Loves You 1963 2 I Want to Hold Your Hand 1963 3 Can’t Buy Me Love 1964 4 I Feel Fine 1964 5 We Can Work It Out 1965 6 Help! 1965 7 Hey Jude 1968 8 A Hard Day’s Night 1964 9 From Me To You 1963 10 Hello Goodbye 1967
Present any latest chart in pop or rock music you have access to. Does it reflect your taste?
¯ Read the text below. These words may help you. envy — want sth that another person has; smash up — break into pieces; bundle — several things tied together; exaggerate — make sth seem much better, worse, bigger, etc. than it really is; perform — act, sing, play music, etc. for an audience; homeward bound — going home; give up — stop trying to do sth that you find very difficult; movies Am. — films; to do tours on one night stands — to spend each night in a different place when on tour IT’S A HARD LIFE BEING A ROCK STAR OR IS IT?
There was a time when rock stars were regarded as supermen. They were admired and envied. Fans looked at Elvis Presley’s golden suit and whispered: “He’s got 120 rooms in his house, you know.” The Who smashed up hotel-rooms — and then paid for the damage by dropping bundles of?10 notes on the manager’s desk. The Beatles were so famous that you were envied if you knew someone who knew someone who knew the aunt of Ringo’s hairdresser. People had one particular idea of “stars”. They were rich and famous. Their work wasn’t really work — it was fun and it was exciting. The things in their lives were: parties, luxury hotels, money, travel, enormous houses, TV appearances, photographs in the newspaper. During the 1960s, “stars” tried to be like that (and their publicity men helped). Less famous groups and singers tried to copy them. In the 1970s, this is still true of a lot of singers — but some have turned against the idea of “stars” in the old style. Some rock singers now want to show that they are ordinary people, and that they work hard. In many ways, this is a good thing. It is possible now to be famous and still wear your jeans; to play music on a stage without spending two hours with a tailor and hairdresser first; to be a star without having to answer questions from stupid reporters, like: What colour socks do you prefer? or: What is your favourite vegetable? Rory Gallager, for example, is well-known as a marvellous guitarist — but he has never tried to present himself as a “star” in the old style. The Pink Floyd are internationally famous; they are respected for their music without posing for publicity photos wearing bathing-costumes from the 1920s. Of course, this “ordinariness” is sometimes just another invention by the publicity men. But when it is real, it is a very good thing. People remember that “stars” are people too. Their jobs are often not as exciting as their fans think: and their work may sometimes be boring and tiring, like any work. A lot has been said about this “hard work”. Often it has been exaggerated (perhaps the groups want the public to feel sorry for them?). It has been said that pop-singers are like footballers; they have very short careers, and they do work hard during these careers. A lot has been said about touring in particular. Groups (famous or unknown) travel a lot in order to perform. They often do long tours of “one-night stands”, i.e. they play one night in one town, and the next night in another town. Many people imagine this as exciting; travelling to new places every day, etc. — but in fact it can be the opposite. In his song, “Homeward Bound”, Paul Simon sang about it: I’m sitting in the railway station, I got a ticket for my destination, I’m on a tour of one-night stands, My suitcase and guitar in hand, And every stop is neatly planned For a poet and a one-man band, Homeward bound, I wish I were homeward bound.
Frank Zappa, the leader of the American group, the Mothers of Invention, made a film called ‘200 Motels”. In this film he said he wanted. to show that “touring makes you mad”. In the film, towns are represented by the wooden fronts of buildings; the group travelled through them, but never knew anything about them. As Paul Simon’s song continued: Each town looks the same to me, The movies and the factories.... There have even been books about it. In June/July 1972, Robert Greenfield, an American journalist, accompanied the Rolling Stones on a tour of America. He wrote a book called ‘Stones Touring Party”. He said that the excitement disappeared after a few days, and the tour became hard, boring work. On some nights the concerts were exciting, but the group spent most of the time feeling tired and depressed. Ian Hunter, the leader of the English group, Mott the Hoople, also wrote a book about his experiences (it’s called “Diary of a Rock’n’Roll Star”). He said similar things about life “On the road”. Paul Simon once again: Tonight I’ll sing my songs again, I’ll play the game and pretend... The “hardness” of this life is obviously often exaggerated. Famous groups really can’t complain too much — after all, they do earn a lot of money, they do receive a lot of admiration and publicity, and they do travel in comfort (often in luxury). For less well-known groups, however, life is not so luxurious: perhaps performing seven nights a week in small clubs all in different towns, not earning very much, sleeping in cheap hotel rooms, and driving from town to town. Some give up and become car salesmen or rent collectors or bank clerks. Others continue playing, but never get rich. A few become rich and famous, and then begin telling the world that they have a hard life. It’s difficult to decide which is the best result. Who still wants to be a rock’n’roll star?
· Which statements are true and which are false?
1.There was a time when rock stars were admired and envied. 2. People had no particular idea of “stars”. 3. In the sixties “stars” changed their life style. 4. Some rock singers want to show that they work hard. 5. Some musicians are famous without posing for publicity. 6. The work of a star is always exciting. 7. “Hard work” of pop singers is often exaggerated. 8. Rock stars have very short careers. 9. One-night stands are never exciting. 10. Some singers give up their careers. 11. Every rock singer becomes famous after all.
· What is the end of the sentences which start with the following:
1. The things in their lives were... 2. It has been said that pop singers are like footballers... 3. He said that the excitement disappeared... 4. The Beatles were so famous... 5. They often do long tours of “one-night stands”... 6. It is still true of a lot of singers... 7. For less well-known groups, however... 8. It is possible now to be famous and still...
· Read the selection again and divide the text into logical parts.
· Find sentences which summarize the 1st paragraph; 2nd paragraph; 3rd paragraph; 8th paragraph; 9th paragraph.
· On the basis of the previous exercise give a short summary of the text.
· Give a list of a) groups mentioned in the selection; b) singers and musicians.
· What are these people? Fit the meaning and the word or word combination. 1. car salesman a) a man who works in a bank
· Use the given words instead of those italicised:
stupid, pretend, marvellous, earn, regard, complain
1. Pop stars have to answer foolish questions of reporters. 2. Famous stars get a lot of money in return for their work. 3. There was a time when rock stars were thought of as supermen. 4. One may be a wonderful musician without having to pose for photos in newspapers. 5. Famous groups can’t say that they are not satisfied with. their life. 6. Some stars say falsely that they are happy.
· It is common to transform nouns into verbs and verbs into nouns without any change in the form or stress. Form nouns from the verbs below and translate them.
to report, to stage, to respect, to pose, to tour, to travel, to film, to experience, to comfort, to result, to envy, to answer, to question, to colour, to group, to regard, to damage, to work, to copy, to whisper
¯ Read the text and express your attitude to the problems discussed.
‘Pop stars certainly earn their money’
Pop stars today enjoy a style of living which was once the prerogative only of Royalty. Wherever they go, people turn out in their thousands to greet them. The crowds go wild trying to catch a brief glimpse of their smiling, colourfully-dressed idols. The stars are transported in their chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royces, private helicopters or executive aeroplanes. They are surrounded by a permanent entourage of managers, press-agents and bodyguards. Photographs of them appear regularly in the press and all their comings and goings are reported, for, like Royalty, pop stars are news. If they enjoy many of the privileges of Royalty, they certainly share many of the inconveniences as well. It is dangerous for them to make unscheduled appearances in public. They must be constantly shielded from the adoring crowds which idolise them. They are no longer private individuals, but public property. The financial rewards they receive for this sacrifice cannot be calculated, for their rаtes of pay are astronomical. And why not? Society has always rewarded its top entertainers lavishly. The great days of Hollywood have become legendary: famous stars enjoyed fame, wealth and adulation on an unprecedented scale. By today’s standards, the excesses of Hollywood do not seem quite so spectacular. A single gramophone record nowadays may earn much more in royalties than the films of the past ever did. The competition for the title ‘Top of the Pops’ is fierce, but the rewards are truly colossal. It is only right that the stars should be paid in this way. Don’t the top men in industry earn enormous salaries for the services they perform to their companies and their countries? Pop stars earn vast sums in foreign currency — often more than large industrial concerns — and the taxman can only be grateful for their massive annual contributions to the exchequer. So who would begrudge them their rewards? It’s all very well for people in humdrum jobs to moan about the successes and rewards of others. People who make envious remarks should remember that the most famous stars represent only the tip of the iceberg. For every famous star, there are hundreds of others struggling to earn a living. A man working in a steady job and looking forward to a pension at the end of it has no right to expect very high rewards. He has chosen security and peace of mind, so there will always be a limit to what he can earn. But a man who attempts to become a star is taking enormous risks. He knows at the outset that only a handful of competitors ever get to the very top. He knows that years of concentrated effort may be rewarded with complete failure. But he knows, too, that the rewards for success are very high indeed: they are the recompense for the huge risks involved and if he achieves them, he has certainly earned them. That’s the essence of private enterprise.
The argument: key words
1 Pop stars: style of living once the prerogative only of Royalty. 2 Crowds to greet them everywhere. 3 Transported by Rolls-Royces, helicopters, executive aeroplanes. 4 Permanent entourage: managers, press agents, bodyguards. 5 Comings and goings recorded in press; pop stars are news. 6 Enjoy privileges of Royalty; share inconveniences. 7 No unscheduled appearances; must be shielded from adoring crowds. 8 Not private individuals; public property; astronomical rewards for this sacrifice. 9 Why not? Society always rewards top entertainers. 10 E.g. the legendary days of Hollywood; stars: fame, wealth, adulation. 11 Today even greater: one gramophone record may earn more than a film. 12 Fierce competition: Top of the Pops. Rewards colossal. 13 So they should be: compare top men in industry. 14 Foreign currency earned, often more than industrial concerns: massive contribution to exchequer. 15 People moan, envious of successes and rewards of others. 16 Most famous stars: tip of iceberg; hundreds struggling. 17 Compare man in steady job; no big rewards: security. 18 Would-be star: great risks; few reach the top; many fail. 19 Rewards for success: very high; the essence of private enterprise.
The counter-argument: key words
1 Rewards of pop stars make nonsense of sense of values in society. 2 Pop stars: a frivolous contribution to society; what they offer is wholly unnecessary. 3 Compare essential services: e.g. a surgeon saving people’s lives: poor rewards by comparison. 3 Style of living outrageous: so much poverty in the world. 4 Big reputatations are often artificially created. 5 Demand created by “plugging” records. 6 “Public” image of pop stars: the work of promoters. 7 Many lack real talent, even a knowledge of music; succeed in spite of this. 8 Pop stars exert undesirable influence in society. 9 E.g. mass hysteria among young people. 10 Create fashions: way of life, style of dress, etc., considered as ideal. 11 Pop music often associated with sub-culture: e. g. drug-taking and movements against the best interests of society. 12 Pop stars never use wealth and power to exert good influence. 13 Personal profit the sole motive.
¯ Translate the text into English.
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