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"The birds and the bees" -  Inara George of the Bird and the Bee

"The birds and the bees" - Inara George of the Bird and the Bee

Date: Oct 05 2009

Themes: Family, Health

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

Intro

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

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

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“Well, you see, son, when a man and woman get along really well and spend a lot of time together, sometimes they decide to…uh…form an electronic jazz duo together.”

No, wait. That’s not how that common parent to child speech goes. Parents have to tell their kids about the birds and the bees, not the Bird and the Bee, even though that would be an easier conversation to have.

At some point, all kids ask their parents, “Where do babies come from?” The idiom “the birds and the bees” refers to the answer to that question. Since the facts of life are a pretty private subject, it helps to have a euphemism for sex and reproduction.

So, since your parents weren’t available for an Ebaby! lesson, we asked Inara George, one half of Los Angeles jazz/pop duo the Bird and the Bee, to have this important conversation with you. Jason recently talked to her on the phone about her hit song “Love Letter to Japan” and where babies…or, uh, her band’s name comes from.

Dialog

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

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

Inara

Inara

Jason

Jason

Inara:  Hi Jason, it’s Inara.

Jason:  Cool. You guys just played with Katy Perry in Hollywood. How was that?

Inara:  It was fun. We haven’t been playing a ton lately, so it’s always fun to play a show.

Jason:  How did you find her fans?

Inara:  They were very sweet. We haven’t opened up for anyone in a long time, but it seemed like the audience was into it, so that was cool.

Jason:  Well, tell me about “Love Letter to Japan.” What inspired that song?

Inara:  Our first record did really well in Japan and we went there I think three times in a year, so we thought it would be nice to do sort of a love song to Japan. But the label chose that song as the single and we didn’t even think that song was going to make it on the record.

Jason:  But then it seems like a really fantastical song. Like, it has a dream in it…

Inara:  It’s a pretty straightforward song. You know like when someone learns a new language and when they start to dream in that language, that’s what people say, is when they’ve actually learned it, you know?

Jason:  Right, right. So your name is the Bird and the Bee and you have this sort of futuristic electronic sound, but it’s also kind of comfortable and classic. And “the birds and the bees” is such a classic, wholesome idiom, I was hoping you could just explain what that means.

Inara:  Well, for us it came from a song. I wrote the lyrics to this song called “Birds and the Bees” and I sort take the idiom out of context so it doesn’t really mean what it means. I think in terms of what it actually means, I think it came from a poem, and I think in reference to sex. And it turned into maybe more of an antiseptic way of discussing sex with young people.

Jason:  So it wasn’t that song, “Birds do it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it…”

Inara:  No, that wasn’t the first time.

 

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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The Bird and the Bee’s first album was very popular in Japan so they went there to perform three times. They liked it so much they decided to write a love letter to the whole country. In the song, Inara sings about a dream she had in Japanese. When you dream in a new language, you know you’re making progress at learning it.

Another one of Inara’s songs is called “Birds and the Bees” and her group is named after it. But birds and bees first got together in a Samuel Coleridge poem called “Work Without Hope,” which was written in 1825. Jason guessed it was a popular song from the 1920s, but like a helpful parent or friend on the playground, Inara was happy to explain the true meaning of the birds and the bees to him.

When was the first time you dreamed in English? Was it before or after you learned about the birds and the bees?

For more with Inara and to see the music video for “Love Letter To Japan” visit our blog. And for music, tour dates and more, visit the Bird and the Bee online.

 

Comments

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dtl2021

dtl2021

Brazil

well… I never dreamed in English, but it’s very good if someone get to dream with it, I am not listened yet the song, but I will 

04:20 PM Apr 11 2021 |

dtl2021

dtl2021

Brazil

well… I never dreamed in English, but it’s very good if someone get to dream with it, I am not listened yet the song, but I will 

04:20 PM Apr 11 2021 |

kpl

kpl

Taiwan

In addion to the birds and the bees of human ,you can see straightforward  the facts of life of animals and insects in the nature.Completely opening act  in front of you eyes ,but please be whispering, ha ha .

I don't want to talk it in tone of euphemism, there is no way antiseptic today,

always a ton of difficulties of life ,  but each live is especial as a single

,because we would show different tunes in the future .

Try to make a wholesome life like a butterfly, but no die after the facts of life .

 

 

04:15 PM Apr 05 2010 |

lina valeria ortiz luna

Colombia

ok

11:29 PM Apr 04 2010 |

aemonkyaw

Myanmar

           i am pleased to advise you of learning english.actually, i am also a learner of english. in my opinion, the best way to learn english is watching tv . it can really help our pronuncation improve and reveals what real english's every day expressions are. so it helps us a lot .i eat my hat out.

 

08:04 AM Mar 15 2010 |

louis oladapo

Nigeria

though am still trying to be atuned to this kind of lesson. anyway. its okay.

07:30 AM Feb 08 2010 |

lballen

lballen

China

hello lol..

07:14 AM Jan 02 2010 |

ferdaddy

ferdaddy

Mexico

I remmember the first time I dreamed in English, I was proud of speaking in other language cos I spoke it fluently but then I didnt understand nor know what I said hahaha, I just remmembe it´s fetl so good. see everyboddy!!

06:54 AM Dec 17 2009 |

ahen611

ahen611

China

recently i feel it difficult to speak in english .i forget many simple english words.everytime when i want to express what i want to say,it always takes my a lot of time to thinkof some words,i feel painful and impatient.maybe my english falla behind others.dear friengs,who can tell me some more effective ways to improve my spoken english and easily pass some examinations.thank youI i am looking forward to your advice!

12:54 PM Dec 16 2009 |

iwori

iwori

Japan

More dreams I have in English recently but I hardly remember them when I woke up. And sometimes I come up with something in English naturaly when I was thinking . Both experience are good things for me!

By the way, I'm glad to know  they made a song for Japan,"Love Letter To Japan", but…if I may say so, that video seemed not to take in Japan, though similar.

04:59 PM Dec 13 2009 |

Temka

Temka

Mongolia

The lesson was cool . I think when you talk in a language you want to study in your dreams, while laughing and  while crying  means that you really want to learn it and you will learn it better then others! So try to do it! Wish luck to everyone!Laughing    

09:22 AM Dec 08 2009 |

sally_banana

China

I dream in english when I heared the english songs.The first song froms mariha carey's hero.I love english song so I swear I will learn ehglish very well.

03:48 AM Dec 07 2009 |

sweetboy0312

Taiwan

Actually, I have never dreamed in English. Does it mean I should work on it harder? Maybe that's why I am not good at it now. Anyway, I will keep learning, and hope one day I can have a sweet dream in English.

03:48 AM Dec 01 2009 |

LunaCSI05

LunaCSI05

Germany

One of my favorite bands!

08:37 AM Nov 03 2009 |

gaoweishang

China

This is a wonderfull lesson.I wish lookt  at "the birds and bees" every day.

01:30 AM Oct 30 2009 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

That amazing coincidence! I have a habit to nap in the afternoon after lunch so today I coincidentally I had a dream in English! And plus,It was before I read this lesson ;) I have studied a little every day for a year…Now I'm pretty happy 'cause now it means I'm really leaning :)

I didn't know on this band I thought their music nice :)

12:38 AM Oct 09 2009 |

Shinichi Lover

Bahrain

Ofcurse before, but in my opinion I don't think learning English it's such like a deam!!! on the other hand what is the relation between birds and bees with dreamed in English! they are diffrent topic!

07:39 AM Oct 07 2009 |

Romio79

Romio79

Russian Federation

I like Inara's voice and some of her songs I've heard. La La-La La La-La-La-La-La-La.  

07:05 PM Oct 06 2009 |

Cool English Teacher

Brazil

I first started dreaming in english when I was an exchange student in Salem, Oregon – USA. It was quite interesting and confusing at the same time because I'd dream in english and in portuguese all mixed up. I loved the experience anyway- MISS OREGON VERY MUCH…Go Ducks!!! 

08:19 PM Oct 05 2009 |

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