Quite a few times in my life, I have been somehow 'obsessed' by a song. The music...the lyrics...the performance.
I remember that happening when I was a kid. But, mostly, when I was a pre-graduate University student. I used to record certain songs on tape (No, I am not THAT old!). Then playing them again and again and again. You see, I was listening mostly to a certain radio station which did not give any information related to the singer or band, name of the song etc.
So, I used to play these songs again and again and again, until I could know by heart as much of them as I could. And, although I did not always manage to find out the true lyrics (due to words that sound the same or phrases that are proverbs, quotes etc.), this whole procedure improved my English.
One of the songs I have listened to as a child, was 'Hideaway' by Cokney Rebel. I thought it was about a group of thieves, who had made a good 'job' and managed to escape the borders. Funny, huh?
A few years ago, a newspaper of the so-called "yellow press" or "Lifestyle press" was providing each week a cd of classic rock albums. Alice Cooper, Lou Reed, Blondie, Socrates, are just some of the names. Among them? Oh, yes! Cockney Rebel! And, through this, I found out the true lyrics of the song.
Did I get disappointed? No! Not at all! The word "borders" was actually "bodies". And the loot was...hearts. Quite interesting.
Another song that belongs to this 'category', is "Corsica" by Petru Guelfucci. I have listened to it through a transmission by a radio producer I like a lot. When I was listening to it, I could close my eyes and imagine my own Fatherland, Athani in Lefkada. Walking in the mid-summer through an olive grove, arid weed etc. So, I thought somehow that, more or less, the lyrics should be like that.
I was not far from the truth. You see, nowadays, internet helps a lot find lyrics and, even though sometimes they may not be entirely correct, they can help complete the whole picture. I think it was my twin bro who looked it up first. So, the lyrics of Mr. Guelfucci do not speak about a man walking in an olive grove (I did not expect it to be so, anyway). But they speak of a wild rock in the sea, unique, tender, pure, quiet yet rebelling, generous and hospitable. Corsica.
And that was not so far from what my country is...or used to be. Or can be again. So, the image in my mind was not so far from the truth.
Listening to a new song in a foreign language that one knows or is currently learning, is a wondeful experience. And it can be very tutoring. And, in order to enjoy it most, let's listen to the song a few times, looking up in our dictionaries, before we start browsing. The beauty lies in the mystery, doesn't it?
ΠΟΛΥ ΚΑΛΟ.
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