CROSSROADS Language StudioÊs Newsletter, October 2010
Thoughbothbrilliant
composers,
McCartney’s melodies are smoother, more
melodic in the conventional sense andAccording to Yoko Ono, therefore more singable. Lennon, capable ofJohn
Lennon(who penning gorgeous melodies on a par withwould have been 70 this his rival (This Boy, #9 Dream) is oftenmonth) was insecure drawn to the angular and rhythmically
about his songwriting asymmetrical (Happiness is a Warm Gun),abilities. He complained perhaps more common in songwriters whothat other musicians write the words before the music"always cover Paul's (something McCartney rarely does) or forsongs, and never mine”. She replied, whom the lyrics are paramount.
The Beatles produced what many would"You're a good songwriter; it's not ‘June’with ‘spoon’ that you write. You're a good argue is the most influential body of work
singer, and most musicians are probably in the field of popular music from the lasta little bit nervous about covering your half of the 20th century. It is the very
brilliance of their recordings which doomssongs".
Many would agree with her. His songs most attempts to cover their songs from theare usually deeply personal, honest and start (in contrast to the exceptionalsometimes unsettling; his voice - with songwriters of the first half of the samethat instantly recognisable combination century, such as George and Ira Gerswhin,of acidity, swagger and vulnerability – Cole Porter and Jerome Kern who, notperfectly suited to their performance. being performers, left no ‘definitive’
Who would not think twice about versions of their songs to posterity). Theircovering these songs? McCartney’s songs recordings are too good, then, too familiar
are more oblique, lyrically. They hide and to this generation. Only when tastes havedodge, reluctant to reveal anything about moved on and musicians no longer shiver
the composer, often taking the form of a under the giant shadow cast by the Beatles
narrative (She’s Leaving Home) or a will the group’s ultimate worth (and that ofseries of vignettes (Penny Lane). When he the respective members) be established.
Article by Jonathan
does use the first person singular
McCartney tends towards the universal(And I Love Her, Let It Be). Although OnoissurelyunkindtoNET LESSONS: Try our lessons on the Internet!
characterise McCartney as
It’s CROSSROADS in your home or office!
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a banal lyricist most would
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agree that Lennon’s lyrics
Here’s an interesting biography on John Lennon:
are cleverer, funnier, more
www.biography.com/articles/John-Lennon-9379045
imaginativeandmore
CROSSSROADS ON MIXI: Check it out!
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The young John LennonJoshua Says: The B-B-Q party last month was a somewhat quiet
affair, but, as usual, very relaxing and I enjoyed the good company of
those students and teachers who attended. Our next event will be the“performance night” party at the end of November. I’m looking forward
to this and I hope many of you will come along and join in the fun.

Junko Says: Only a few of you visit out roof-top garden regularly. That’s apity as the plants and flowers have looked quite beautiful this year. There has
been one regular visitor, though. In fact, we think he (or she) has made a homethere! It is a little fury critter. We don’t think it is a squirrel, and it is certainly
not a mouse! But what is it? Every now and then we catch a glimpse of him, but
he scurries away too fast for us to make out what he is. If you would like to play“detective”, perhaps one of you can tell us who our mysterious guest is!

Jonathan Says: The one thing I don’t like about working at Crossroads isironing shirts. This detestable job is something I’ve avoided all my life as I’ve
been lucky enough to work in places where scruffy clothes are acceptable (forexample, colleges, where the students are generally better dressed than theteachers). I was surprised to hear from a student that she would neverconsider going to Takashimaya without a nice skirt, top, and make up. So thesuave, debonair figure you see at Crossroads is not the real me…

Greg Says: We just arrived back from a marathon drive to Fukushima.
It was a 2450km round trip and we bypassed Tokyo on the way fromMatsuyama. I couldn’t believe they were doing road work (cutting thegrass) all the way from Kyoto to the other side of Shizuoka. There wasonly one lane of traffic open all the way and it seemed to take forevercrawling at a snail’s pace. My daughter played great in the national
tournament. She missed coming 3rd by one shot.

Kevin Dit: Saviez-vous que l'obtention d'un visa au Japon est plus ou moins difficile en fonction
de la nationalité ? C'est en essayant de renouveler mon visa que j'ai appris qu'il était bien plus simple
pour un Americain ou un Canadien d'obtenir un changement de visa que pour un Français ou unAllemand par exemple ! Si un Americain peut changer son visa tout en restant au Japon sans aucun
problème, un Français doit apparement quitter le pays (même si ce n'est que pour une journée parexemple) afin de pouvoir bénéficier d'un nouveau visa ! Ne trouvez vous pas ca très étrange ? Quoi qu'ilen soit, je vais apparemment devoir passer un week-end en Coree pour remédier a ce problème !

Crossroads is now
on Mixi!!!

Our End-of-Term Party

next month is on Saturday 27th. We will have all the usual fun:performances of students’ plays, delicious food and wine, and ofcourse, Karaoke! But we would also like to find the “hidden talents”
among you. So, if you can sing, play an instrument, dance, juggle, do
magic tricks, yodel, etc, and you would like to be in the program,sign up! You’ll have a blast! And so will your classmates!! For details on
how to join in, ask Junko in the office, or your teacher.

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You probably all know Mixi, the most
famous SNS (Social Network Service)in Japan! Well, you can now follow us
there too! It will be one more
opportunity to use English or French as
we will keep posting entries in bothlanguages (about Crossroads or justabout some random news from aroundthe world), sometimes spiced up withquestions for our readers!
For those of you who are on Mixi,
don't forget to check our page out here:
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