Here's what's been happening ..
You choose a CD , you get a list of all the songs on it.
THEN ... you think up a little talk based on each song title... and the clever bit ... each talk needs to last exactly long as the song !
Pretty neat.. on the programme they chose Pet Sounds ( The Beach Boys) as an example. Various experts came on and talked about how they had prepared their talk for various tracks....
- Wouldn't It Be Nice
- You Still Believe In Me
- That's Not Me
- Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)
- I'm Waiting For The Day
- Sloop John B
- God Only Knows
- I Know There's An Answer
- Here Today
- I Just Wasn't Made For These Times
- Caroline ( no words apparently)
Now that is a bit daunting for most of us ...though it's brilliant for our more fluent readers.. but this is the sort of task you can do at different levels ...plus, of course, you can choose songs or a CD of your own... here's the sorts of things you might have a go at .. easiest first ...
[a] You can try translating the CD title and/or the song titles into French. Not as simple as you might think. the very phrase " Pet Sounds" for example can be looked at in at least two different ways,
[1] The sounds that pets make
[2] Sounds you really like
... as can " That's not me" ..... [1] that photograph is not a photograph of me.
[2] that's not the sort of thing I like.
[b] You could write just one phrase or sentence about that title or the song.. Maybe why you like it or don't like it, what it reminds you of etc. Or just think up or find some appropriate adjectives to go with it.
[b1] ...here's an odd one .. you could make up a different title .. for the whole CD, of for the individual songs. Interesting.
[c] Instead of writing a whole speech, you could just make notes for a speech ... I'm sure the radio people did the same thing ... they can be very short bits, or as complex as you like.
[d] If you are up for it, use your notes to make a proper talk..
[e] ..and if you want to really classy, try to make it the same length as the song!
[f] ..obviously, it doesn't have to stop there .. there's whole songs to be translated into French,though that can be a tough (t)ask, you could even perform it in French.... who knows?
There you go ... I suppose, though I haven't looked, that this is all on the net ... you might find more examples there, maybe some of the talks. Worth a look .
And now ... the music ...an angular, rockist sort of song with post-punk stylings (?) by Mademoiselle K ... "Branc" ...
Alors toi t'as un gros coeur
mais t'es un branc ça va pas l'faire
tu vas t'faire marcher sur les pieds
tu vas chialer ça t'apprendra
La prochaine fois c'est toi qui attaqueras
comme ça tu t'sentiras moins bête
t'auras plus mal aux pieds
Mais comment tu fais
pour paraître toujours aussi niais ?
tu vas t'faire manger par les hyènes
et dans leur ventre on entendra
le grain qu't'as dans la tête
chanter à tue-tête :
« Qu'est-ce que j'fous là ? »
La la la la la
la prochaine fois tu réfléchiras encore'
Si ça s'trouve t'as pris cher
quand t'étais p'tit avec ton père
Si ça s'trouve si ça s'trouve
t'es né comme ça et c'est tout
Combien d'fois tu t'es senti
super con à des soirées
les cheveux dans la gueule
tous ces râteaux à digérer
tu criais dans ta tête
criais à tue-tête :
« qu'est-ce que j'fous là ? »
la la la la la
la prochaine fois faudra s'assummer
au moins ça t'soulagera les pieds
la la la
Si ça s'trouve c'est ta mère
qui t'a fait l'crâne à l'envers
si ça s'trouve si ça s'trouve
t'es né commme ça et c'est tout
Il t'faudrait un médiateur
24 heures sur 24
qui éponge ta douleur de ces malheureux
contacts
en attendant la prochaine fois
tu t'prendras en main tou seul
tu pourrais faire un malheur
mais plus dans le sens qui fait peur
Si ça s'trouve si ça s'trouve
tu pourrais encore changer
Si ça s'trouve si ça s'trouve
faudrait te bouger
si ça s'trouve c'est ton père
si ça s'trouve c'est ta mère
c'est l'destin qui t'as fait bon à rien
mais souviens-toi si un jour
on te marche sur les pieds
tranquille tranquille tranquille'
t'as qu'à faire un croche-pieds !
Here's one Amazon reviewer's attempt to describe it ...
Utterly bonkers. This sounds like Bjork and Kate Bush giving Toyah Wilcox a kicking behind the bike sheds while the Penguin Cafe Orchestra look on. By no means bad but perhaps you should listen to the clips on the Amazon page to help you decide if you should acquire the taste or not. "This side of the blue" and "The book of right on" are the standouts for me but maybe that is because I was familiar with them to start with. Strange but rewarding.