Hey there! This is TOP episode 236. Learn English With Beyonce ‘TEXAS HOLD ‘EM’
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Hey there! Thank you so much for being here today! ‘Texas Hold ‘Em’ is a big surprise, who expected Beyonce to create a song taht has so much to do with country music? I like the lyrics, I think they’re making up a nice little story. Still, it’s a simple song, but a good one. It certainly doesn’t disappoint.
Before we start let me tell you something. There’s a free 3-day training coming up! During these three days 21, 22, 23 of March you’ll learn 3 secrets of fluent, smooth pronunciation. Sign up at: teacherola.com/webinar. It costs nothing but is gives you knowledge that will boost your confidence! Be there with us on Thursday, Friday and Saturday: 21, 22, 23 March. Teacherola.com/webinar.
Time to dive in into the lyrics. I picked 10 expressions from ‘Texas hold ‘em’ by Beyonce, and let’s begin without further ado!
1This ain’t Texas – This place is not Texas. Ain’t means negations: This ain’t Texas. And people in Texas are tough, cold, closed. Here you can open up, show your feelings, you are not in Texas.
This ain’t pretty.
It ain’t funny.
2So lay your cards down – it’s not Texas, right? You can open up and lay your cards down. This idiom means to be honest with other people, tell them your thoughts and plans and feelings in an open way.
Lay your cards down.
You need to put all your cards on the table.
3Stick around – to stick around means to stay around, linger, wait.
Stick around; we’ll need you to help us later.
4And I’ll be damned if I can’t slow dance with you – to be damned is used to show that you refuse to do something or do not know something. I’ll be damned, I’ll suffer in hell.
I’m damned if I’ll apologize!
5Hoedown – a social occasion when lively dances are performed. Folk dances. A hoedown is a type of American folk dance or square dance. It can be country music, and usually it is but doesn’t have to. Youtube it, I’m sure you know what a hoedown is but have a look, feel it. Here’s an example sentence:
The hoedown starts at 4 pm.
6Hit the basement – in the lyrics she sings about people in Texas who need to hit the basements because ‘there’s a tornado in my city’. So, to ‘hit’ some place means to reach that place. To hit the town, to hit the road, to hit the basement.
Traffic was heavy when they hit the main road.
7We headin’ to the dive bar we always thought was nice – a dive bar is a neighbourhood bar, where local residents gather to drink and socialize. A well-worn, unglamorous bar, often serving a cheap, simple selection of drinks to a regular clientele. It can be a shabby, sinister place or simple, comfortable local bar. But, I didn’t mean to focus your attention on the bar but on the verb: heading. We are heading to the bar. To head somewhere means to move in a particular direction. We are going to the bar.
Where are you heading?
8I can’t read your mind – I’m not a Holy Spirit, I can’t read your mind. So in other words what it means is: tell me.
I can’t read your mind.
9Too hot to think straight – according to the lyrics, we know theres a heatwave coming, and it’s really hot. Too hot to think straight. I think it’s not a reference to the weather but rather to the atmosphere between them. It’s getting hot. Anyway! To think straight means to think in a clear or logical way. It’s so hot we don’t think clearly. We don’t make logical decisions.
I can’t think straight.
10Photogenic – looking attractive in photographs.
I’m not very photogenic.
Time to practice! Listen to these 10 sentences based on the song lyrics, inspired by the song lyrics and say them out loud!
It ain’t funny.
Lay your cards down.
Stick around; we’ll need you to help us later.
I’m damned if I apologize!
The hoedown starts at 4 pm.
Traffic was heavy when they hit the main road.
Where are you heading?
I can’t read your mind.
I can’t think straight.
I’m not very photogenic.
Good job! Now, don’t forget to complete the Worksheet for this episode. It’s available at teacherola.com/236.
I’m sure you understand the song better now, you see that these lyrics are useful, we managed to learn many daily phrases. If you like my work please leave a comment on iTunes, rate this podcast on Spotify, and like it on YouTube! Thank you so much!
Go to teacherola.com/webinar and sign up for a free training! 3 secrets of smooth pronunciation. It’s on the 21, 22 and 23 of March! Be there live because I’ll be giving away free materials but they’ll be available only during the webinar. Sing up now: teacherola.com/webinar.
I’ll be back soon, stay fearless, say it out loud and take care! I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you were listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now!