English, baby!

Bowie

Date: Jan 07 2008

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.

David Bowie is a chameleon. The British singer rose to fame in the ‘70s playing glam rock, and his style has shifted in each decade since, though he’s always good at what he does.

Along the way, he’s worked with many influential musicians, including Stevie Ray Vaughn, Queen, Brian Eno, and, most recently Arcade Fire. Listen to Devan and Jason talk about how Bowie makes friends so easily.

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.

Jason

Devan

Jason: So you know what I think every musician wants to know?

Devan: What?

Jason: Is how did David Bowie get into, like, the position David Bowie is in? I mean, he’s incredibly talented, granted, but he has such freedom that other artists don’t have. He can be in movies and costumes and he can collaborate with anyone he wants and no one else does that…

Devan: That’s because he’s an alien.

Jason: Really?

Devan: He’s not really human. He’s, like, superhuman. He’s amazing.

Jason: Where is he from?

Devan: Haven’t you seen his movie? The Man Who Fell to Earth?

Jason: Oh…

Devan: That’s basically an auto…or a biography about him. It’s about his life.

Jason: And it explains that he’s an alien?

Devan: Um-hm.

Jason: Oh. Well, you answered my question, then. I guess other musicians are Earthlings and therefore…

Devan: Why do you think he has two different colored eyes?

Jason: Fair enough. I’ve seen Earthlings with different colored eyes though, but…

Devan: No. He’s definitely…He’s Ziggy Stardust. He came to Earth with the spiders from Mars, started a band.

Jason: And all this time I’ve just admired him for being able to pull off an act like Ziggy Stardust.

Devan: Isn’t he amazing.

Jason: He is amazing. But now I know that he actually is Ziggy Stardust. So thanks for solving the mystery.

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Jason wonders how David Bowie is able to act in films, collaborate with all kinds of people, and do so much more than most musicians. Devan explains it’s because he’s an alien.

In the ‘70s, Bowie used to perform as an alter ego named Ziggy Stardust. But Devan insists that Ziggy isn’t a just a character. She says David Bowie is from another planet and that’s why he has two different colored eyes.

Jason says he’s seen people with different colored eyes before, but that maybe the idea that Bowie is an alien would explain his success and charm.

What other pop stars do you think might be aliens?