English, baby!

Norah Jones

Date: Apr 08 2002

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.

Norah Jones is a 22-year-old singer and piano prodigy raised in Dallas, Texas. She lives in New York City now, which is a better fit for her soft, sexy voice and diverse musical style. Norah’s songs mix jazz, soul and pop with a style that recalls music of the past. “I’m not inspired by music of today – I’m inspired by music of yesterday,” she says.
Norah got into jazz while attending a special Performing Arts high school. She always had a great voice, but she thought knowing how to play the piano would help her succeed in music. Much like Alicia Keys and Fiona Apple, and unlike performers like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Norah is not only a great singer, she is also a great musician and songwriter.
Read on to learn more about the talents of Norah Jones.

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.

Norah Jones’ first album, Come Away With Me, features 14 songs – and almost all of them have something to do with love. “Don’t Know Why,” is a song about her confused feelings for a man she loves. She sings:
I don’t know why I didn’t come
I don’t know why I didn’t come
When I saw the break of day
I wished that I could fly away
Instead of kneeling in the sand
Catching teardrops in my hand
Norah clearly regrets that she didn’t see the man, but she can’t figure out why she didn’t. She knows she loves the guy, but there’s something missing. Something is keeping her from committing to him. She’s conflicted, and you can hear it in her voice when she sings.

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Discussion

Norah Jones has an endless supply of talent and potential. Her first album just gives us a taste of what’s to come. I have a feeling she is going to become one of the most important and inspirational artists in the world of music.
I hope you get a chance to check out Norah’s album. I’ve been listening to it every day for the past two weeks. I’m already excited about her next one. Unfortunately, it will probably be a couple of years until she has time to record it.
Have you heard Norah Jones? Do you like singers like her? Come to the Music Mix message board and let us know!
Rock on,
Migs