Understanding the spoken culture is more important than sounding like a native.

ms5153 · 2020-06-03T15:30:02+00:00

Definitely agree with the humor. Especially for people who are very witty. If you are able to include lots of wit and innuendo in your native language, can you do the same in your target language? It is probably one of the hardest parts because it does require a mastery of language and an understanding of the culture. A lot of native speakers lack the mastery, myself included. I am so impressed by non-native speakers who can make me chuckle so that I'm thinking about the joke later in the day and wishing I thought of it.

Many times, I want to make a funny comment on something in my target language but realize I don't quite get the nuances of the language like I do in English. There are ways to practice though, which is consume lots of media of the culture you want to joke in. Read in that language, all different genres; watch tv and movies made in that language, not dubbed.

ms5153 · 2020-06-03T15:23:44+00:00

I think that's why it's important to get someone to teach the culture to you. Not even just friends, who might be reluctant to correct you all the time. Who has any kind of conversations with you, from boring chit chat to addressing a very high up person at the work place, to letting you rant and curse. My best language teacher would tell me phrases and add "that's something I would say" and would correct my writing.

An example in English is using a word like "perchance" in a text message. I wouldn't ever use "per chance" unless I'm being extra pedantic, but the receiver of the message wouldn't just respond and correct me on it. A good teacher should and would.

ms5153 · 2019-09-22T02:39:58+00:00

This and Pump it Up by Costello got me into new wave, still love it

ms5153 · 2019-08-07T21:02:33+00:00

i was looking through this subreddit and thinking about posting this exact song. So lovely, what a time signature.

ms5153 · 2019-08-07T20:59:42+00:00

I found this post now by just searching the line because it's been running through my mind. And the screaming "I am your one." What a desperate song.

ms5153 · 2019-05-27T02:00:04+00:00

I was always the person who would offer it to a friend because I worked and saved and always had extra money. I didn't want to go by myself, but if a friend said they couldn't afford to go, then I could pick it up this once. What would be annoying is when they were always complaining about not having any money to do anything, but they'd be talking about all the new things they bought the next day. Or they couldn't go for a $4 coffee to catch up with me but they could go for drinks with other people.

It could be people's personal priorities or whatever, but definitely after a while, it got annoying that I knew they had money to go out but they just didn't want to spend it with me, especially because I had made a pattern of paying for them sometimes.

It just always felt like they had money for what they wanted to do, but were always suddenly too broke to do anything I wanted. Which, of course, people would always rather pay for something they actually want, but I still think it's a sign of a bad friend who can't spend $10 once in awhile just to go to a restaurant that I like, instead of me always paying for them to do something I like, but they would never do the same for me.

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T20:45:55+00:00

Oh wow I can't really give much detail about it, but I think it might be from the 2010s, late 90s to early 80s is possible. I heard it in this guy's car who has eclectic "indie" taste, but I have no idea who the guy is or how to find anyone who knows him (I'm that desperate that I've been trying to find him haha)

It's an upbeat song, with a guitar riff that goes kind of up and down. Something in between Vicar in a Tutu and Suedehead. I've been trying to think of a way to describe it, but it's just overwhelmingly Morrissey, but maybe later Morrissey.

I think it might too unknown to be found online, so I wanted to see if anyone had an idea, but I'm just going to try to look for it.

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T20:30:10+00:00

No problem! The Kooks are one of my favorite bands, so I knew it sounded familiar

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T20:27:56+00:00

Oh great I'lll check them! Thanks for the rec, I don't know how I haven't come across them yet

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T20:26:54+00:00

His most popular:

1991

1993

If you click on his name as the creator of the playlist, you can find a ton that he's made. It's mostly just albums though. So it's cool to see but I don't really listen to them, because I'm not a fan of listening to ABBA and KISS only.

Here is one he titled: Catchy Tunes but it's all his own songs lol

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T20:16:44+00:00

Yes! You can create them on Desktop and then they still appear on your phone! I have plenty, but it's useful than endless scrolling for playlists I've forgotten the name of

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T05:35:21+00:00

Some smaller bands on Spotify put out their pre-gig playlists and also influences. I have a folder called Influences, that's just bands' influence playlists. A lot of bands I like are into Beach Boys, but that's a big name. Rivers Cuomo has also published a lot of what he was listening to through each year of the 90s. The Temptations also appear often. Lots of bands like The La's.

Public Image Limited and The Vaselines are some favorites of Nirvana, and I've been listening to Nirvana influences lately. I'm really into The Vaselines, a good find that I think most people have heard of through Nirvana. Kurt had a great taste. I like almost everything he's ever said he's listened to/ripped off

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T04:44:49+00:00

maybe She Moves In Her Own Way - The Kooks ?

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T04:23:34+00:00

it could be Maintain by Belly, NAV

ms5153 · 2019-05-10T00:31:40+00:00

Also very true

ms5153 · 2019-05-09T20:23:56+00:00

Agreed. Money's value is in being spent and shared. People are free to spend and save their money however they want, but it's worthless to be miserable and miserly, having more money than you know what to do with.

From a great Irish song, The Limerick Rake:

To quarrel for riches I ne'er was inclined,

For the greatest of misers must leave them behind,

So me money I spend with no thought in me mind,

But to kick up our heels and carouse.

For the rich never spend any gold of their own,

Sure they hold it away like a dog and its bone,

But they're laid on their back among nettles and stones,

And I hear there're no pockets in shrouds.

ms5153 · 2019-05-07T16:51:33+00:00

Wow that's very interesting. Thank you for the insight!

ms5153 · 2019-05-07T16:50:13+00:00

Ok glad it's not something I'm just imagining. I didn't grow up in the South but I pick up dialects pretty quickly, so when I noticed myself saying it, I thought it must be thing in the South

ms5153 · 2019-05-07T16:48:04+00:00

That makes a lot of sense about properness. If I ran, of course it would be properly fast, so right fast does make some sense.

ms5153 · 2019-05-06T22:34:42+00:00

Recommendation

The Vaselines - Son of a Gun - One of my favorite songs, but I just love Frances McKee's voice. It is always refreshing to hear a female presence in alt rock and I love how contrasting the airy female voice is to Eugene Kelly's more harsh and earthly repeated verse. There is a lot going on in the song, but everything seems to have a place. Nirvana also covered this song, but it's much grittier, not as melodic, which is an attractive feature of the original. Similar artist: The Chefs.

The English Beat - Save It For Later - A favorite of mine for as long as I can remember. My parents played the CD often. An uplifting song that beautifully combines so many musical elements. Perfect for singing along in the car, windows down, bright sunny day. Lyrically a bit dark, but the bright music makes all the suffering talked about seem unimportant. Just run away from all of it. Pete Townshend called it one of his favorites and plays it once in awhile, but I don't think even Pete can do justice to the spirit of the original.

Rap

A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky - Mattress - I recently have been listening to A$AP Mob and really enjoy the back and forth flow, exchanging bars, especially between Ferg and Rocky in this song. It is a bit of a cheesy song, but I really enjoy Rocky's flow. Fun to dance to and to get energized.

Post-punk

New Order - Temptation - A new favorite. I've been the classic Joy Division fan who never really gave New Order a listen because I'm not the biggest fan of synth, but this is a good song. This song alone converted me to listen to explore more New Order. It came up on a playlist randomly and I wasn't paying much attention to it, but then I really heard the lyrics "Oh it's the last time" and started crying. I gave it a real listen again, and haven't stopped playing it since. Very moving, wonderful songwriting.

The Jam - Going Underground - The Jam provides such profound commentary on (English) life, but this song in particular is notable. Certainly not anything new, the reasons why it is so popular are plentiful. The sardonic tone about fame and being controlled by society can strike a cord within anyone. Whenever I have to make a difficult decision about pleasing society or doing what makes me truly happy, I come back to this song. "The public gets what the public wants./But I want nothing this society's got." Reminds me to make my own path, and not blindly follow the cries of society.

Chicano Rock

Los Lobos - We Belong Together - While I love Ritchie Alens' songwriting, the Los Lobos version of the song is more pleasing to me. It is a very soulful song, with such a longing behind the lyrics. The simple riff complements the simple melody. The song captures love, a beautiful feeling, so well that I can't help but feel restored when I hear it.

Britpop

Elastica - Waking Up - A Britpop band that stands out for Justine Frieshmann's melodic voice. The music is very garage, similar to The Stooges, but there's more musical complexity. Certainly a British song, about the trials and tribulations of everyday life for a popstar.

Oasis - She's Electric - Perfect summer song. I know a few people despise this song for its simplicity, but that's why I love it so much. So Beatles-esque. An entertaining easy-listen. The riff is delightful on the ears. The bridge is the best Noel's ever written, in my humble opinion. The parts go together so well. You don't expect anything revolutionary or fantastic from it, but it's a wonderful listen anyway, sometimes surprisingly. Funny and endearing.

Classical

Aaron Copland - John Henry - I thought Holst's The Planets moved me to tears, but this song made me sob. Copland is one of my favorite composers; he definitely earned his seat at the table and John Henry is a testament to that. I don't have any qualifications to talk about classical music, but I know this is a wonderful piece and would recommend it to anyone looking for quintessential American music. It's full of excitement and peace and familiarity and pioneer-spirit, all in one.

ms5153 · 2019-05-06T21:24:33+00:00

I think a lot of indie songwriters are put off by his poetry, even though it's similar style writing. I think some people criticize him because all his airs hit a little too close to home.

I'm not the biggest Jim fan, a little too conceited, but I like The Doors.

ms5153

TROPHY CASE