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Eagles

Date: Jan 21 2008

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

At a concert in Long Beach in 1980, the Eagles had a meltdown on stage. Instead of the usual country-influenced rock full of beautiful vocal harmonies, the audience was watched as the band members threatened one another on stage, talking about how they were going to fight once the show was over.

But last year the Eagles came back together to make more music…and money. Listen to Marni and Devan talk about the questionable business practices of the newly reformed Eagles.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Marni

Devan: Eagles…They sing “Hotel California,” right?

Marni: That is probably one of their most popular songs, yes.

Devan: Yeah, it’s a good song.

Marni: Do you really like it? Really?

Devan: Yeah!

Marni: I gotta say, I’m not much of a fan of the Eagles, and I kind of, I have to say, their new album went number one, Long Road Out of Eden, whatever, they got back together and put all their egos aside…

Devan: Aren’t they like 80 now?

Marni: I don’t think they’re that old. But they’re definitely older. But they did this really interesting, kind of, I think, really lame thing and they made an exclusive deal with Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club. So their album could only be sold there. And they re-did…like, Billboard, somehow they finagled Billboard to redo the way they chart album sales and their album went number one!

Devan: How so? What did they do to change the way they do albums…or, the charts?

Marni: I guess they never used to chart albums that had exclusive deals with retailers, but they changed that. They made Billboard somehow change that so the album went number one.

Devan: So you can only buy the album at Wal-Mart?

Marni: Only buy it at Wal-Mart!

Devan: That’s terrible!

Marni: I know! So you know, independent stores will actually go into Wal-Mart and buy it to sell at their stores. But I don’t know…their music…people love it.

Devan: That’s terrible.

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Discussion

Devan asks Marni if it’s the Eagles who sing “Hotel California” because it’s one of her favorite songs. Marni isn’t very into the Eagles or that song. The fact that their new album, Long Road Out of Eden, was only sold through Wal-Mart and the band’s website within the US didn’t make her like them any more, either.

Marni tells Devan how Billboard, a publication that tracks album sales, changed the way they determine the number one album in the US so that the Eagles could be number one.

This news upsets Devan, because, as you may recall, she works at an independent record store. But, as Marni points out, no matter how lame their business practices may be, people like the Eagles’ music.

What do you think of the Eagles’ reunion? Is it exciting news for you, or do you think they’re just being greedy?