"Take" - In the Studio with Tété

Intro

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

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• childhood dream
• tricks up your sleeve
• cut
• take

• melting pot
• the South
• went platinum
• producer

• look up to
• what brings you to

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

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Tété is a one-man melting pot. He’s a French guy, born in Senegal to Caribbean parents, who plays music inspired by American folk and blues. Tété mostly sings in French and his songs are mysterious and fun, like music you might hear at a circus in the South.

In France, Tété is a famous, platinum-selling artist. When he tours the US, he plays in smaller clubs. This fall, he took a break from fame and came to Portland, Oregon, to record his new album with a recording staff who has worked with artists like Sheryl Crow, R.E.M. and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah in the studio.

Ebaby! paid Tété a visit while he was working on some tracks to talk about the word “take.” Did you know that in addition to being a verb that means get, steal or catch, “take” is also a noun? Find out how to use “take” as a noun and see what Tété’s take on America is.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

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.

Jason

Jason:  Welcome to English, baby! We are here in the recording studio with French recording artist Tété. How are you?

Tété: I’m good. How are you?

Jason:  Great, man. So, uh, what brings you to the United States?

Tété: Well, I’ve been listening to American music all my life and it was, like, a childhood dream to get to, you know, record an album here.

Jason:  This is gonna be your fourth album. What’s it gonna sound like? You’re kind of a blues, folk guy. Do you have any tricks up your sleeve for this next record?

Tété: Yeah. I’ve always been trying for as long as I can remember to play this music and I was like, what is more natural than to try and cut it in the country where it was basically all invented. And it’s great because I’ve been learning a lot and I’m really, really excited. And, yeah, it’s cool.

Jason:  Very cool, man. So we’re gonna do an English lesson today. And right when I walked in, they said, “You gotta wait a minute because Tété is doing takes right now.” Can you tell us what a take is in the recording studio?

Tété: Yeah. A take is when you press the button and there’s a countdown and then the musicians who are recording can start either playing their instrument or singing.

Jason:  You know, “take” as a noun is also, when you’re talking about slang, can be, like, an opinion. So I just wanted to ask, like, what’s your take on life in the US?

Tété: US of A means, like, freedom to me. And it’s basically everything I’ve been lookin up…Looking up to...

Jason:  Yeah.

Tété: ...all my life. So, yeah, it’s really a childhood dream to me and, yeah, I love this country so much.

Jason:  So your take on it is that it lives up to your expectations, I guess.

Tété: Totally. It’s very inspirational to me and the thing that I love so much in the US of A is, like, OK, if you have a dream and you’re willing to work hard for it, you know, just go for it.

Jason:  That’s great, man. And my take on your music is that it’s really inspirational, so I think we’re really lucky to have you in the United States right now. So, thanks a lot. Can I get you to give me a high-five and say, “English, baby!”?

Tété: Totally.

Jason:  English, baby!

 

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