English, baby!

Journey

Date: Aug 24 2009

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Intro

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

Go Super to Listen

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

Go Super to Listen

Have you ever fantasized about your favorite rock band asking you to join them? For one lucky guy from the Philippines, that’s just what happened.

Back in 2006, the lead singer for the American rock group Journey had to leave the band because of throat problems. The band started a worldwide search for a new singer. When band members saw a YouTube video of Arnel Pineda of the Philippines covering one of their songs, they knew they’d found their man.

Pineda has been a big success with Journey. He went on tour with the band, and huge crowds came to the shows. A DVD of a concert that Mineda and Journey played in the Philippines, titled Journey: Live from Manila, will be coming out soon. Find out if Dale and Beren will be rushing out to get it.

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.

Beren

Dale

Beren: You know what song I love singing at karaoke?

Dale: What’s that?

Beren: “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

Dale: Don’t Stop Believin’. I’ve always liked Journey, but now it’s more…closer to my heart than any other eighties band.

Beren: Any other eighties band? Even Poison?

Dale: Even Poison.

Beren: Woah.

Dale: Journey decided to go and find a new lead singer. Now I don’t know what was the reason.

Beren: OK. You don’t know what happened to the original. ‘Cause he’s pretty…I mean, he’s known.

Dale: The voice is very particular. Very high-pitched voice. So what happened was, they searched on different concerts, different karaokes, and they found…

Beren: Karaoke? That’s dangerous. I don’t know.

Dale: Yep. But they found an excellent cover band playing out of Manila. And the lead singer, his name is Arnel Pineda.

Beren: Wouldn’t it be wild to just be plucked out of obscurity and put with this huge band that people know? I wonder if he’s worried, though, ‘cause you know Journey’s so known for their old lead singer.

Dale: He has made Journey stand out even more so.

Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Beren loves singing the Journey song “Don’t Stop Believin’” at karaoke. Dale loves Journey for another reason. He has always been a Journey fan, but he likes the band even more now because of the interesting story behind its lead singer.

Journey searched far and wide for a new lead singer. The band wanted to find a great replacement for its old singer, who had a very memorable voice. Finally, the band members discovered Arnel Pineda. Pineda is a Filipino man who used to sing Journey songs with his cover band, The Zoo.

Beren thinks it would be crazy to be suddenly made the lead singer of a huge band like Journey. In Dale’s opinion, Pineda has made the band even better.

If you could be the lead singer for any band in the world, what would it be? Do you think it would be hard to be an overnight success like Pineda?

Comments

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Michellita

Brazil

I simply love Journey. Steve Perry's voice is amazing. I read about Arnel Pineda during the auditions and I saw a video of him doing a cover of Don't Stop Believin' and I thought "Oh my! His voice reminds me of Steve's!"

Lucky him to have the opportunity to fulfill a dream like that! By the way, this is not the first case of a fan replacing an idol!

Marcelolic

Brazil

Never let success go to his head,so this is makes you lose control ;)

Marcelolic

Brazil

Being an overnight success it shoud be pretty cool…It be closer of many other celebrities,lights,cameras and more…I think you shoud be pretty concentrated and not lose control to the success doens't go to the head ;)

Qbee

China

Being a lead singer is not an easy job.You must have an outstanding voice.And there is always a lot of work to deal with.

joaco

Argentina

if i could choose, i would like to sing with arctic monkeys!

Cool English Teacher

Brazil

If I could be the lead singer of any band in the world, it would be for the Cranberries. I really like Dolores O'Riordan and I'd love to have such a unique voice like hers. And, yes, I think it would be too much for me to handle if I became an overnight success.

Denny500

Australia

I think not only musician, for all kinds of people, internet has provided more opportunities. However, at the same time, it also created more competions. So, as a double blade sword, good or bad, it depends on how can you use it.

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

So firstly i would make sure i have talent for it and make sure i will be able to go on tour all over the world, thats is not that easy, i think. So i like U2 it would be interesting to sing with them.

andrespretty2

Colombia

I'd like to be an important singer of the band Blink 182, but definitely i'm not a good singer, jajajaja, i think is great that you'll become in an overnight success, few times happens something like that.

Romio79

Russian Federation

It's hard to become famous and it's much harder to be overnight success. It's like to win the main prize in lottery. Such things happen but rare. May be you have already heard the news about belgian and frenchman who won the prize (nearly 35,5 million euro for each) recently. So if you don't try you will never win.

And as for the band, if i was a musician I would be happy to play with Red Hot Chilly Peppers.

max1983

Germany

I hope the poor guy will go through it.

This is the good thing YouTube. I mean the talented guys have a great opportunity to show the whole word what they can do and I'm very happy for them.

erener

Turkey

Lucky Bas…. Something familiar happens in the move Rock Star, It is a Mark Wahlberg movie.

Gabrielly Guaitolini

Brazil

Estou aqui para conheçer novas pessoas estou online no Msn:

Dabren

Mexico

OMG if i had the oportunity to stay in a band i prefer stay with The Beatles jejejej well i know that is impossible but is nice dream jejeje…

And in the other hand i think is hard to stay in a band because u need a lot of disiplin and practice, but is funny too stay in a bad, well this is my opinion…

In my case i love play guitar!! if u need someone to stay in a band, just call me ;) jejejeje

Walker Fish

China

I don't have a gift for singing.Being a lead singer in any band is impossible for me. But I could be a lead fan of the lead singers in many bands. :)

What's more, pls don't ignore somebody's great efforts before an overnight success. Hard practice is still a must even somebody has a gift.

rosendo

Mexico

HI gang !!!! here in Puebla there is a special venue "Bull McCabe" , in this place there is a cover band kick-ass. u should know them !!!

DJ FOSFORO…

ASKO !!!!!

spike_dsl

Philippines

I am proud to be a Filipino. Thank you for recognizing Filipino talent. Arnel Pineda of band Journey, member of black eyed peas apl-de-ap or Allan Pineda, Charisee Pempengco discovered at youtube thru Oprah Winfrey and Lea Salonga of Miss Saigon to name a few who are making their names in International Music. I can say that Filipinos are great entertainers. We have lots of local talents and singing is a past time of every member in the family. Mabuhay Pilipinas!!!