Students often choose a Manchester English school because they love the local music scene and the legendary bands that called the city home. Music is a great ally for learning English and the UK is the birthplace of many world-famous bands. So how about looking for an English language school in Manchester and getting to know some local bands that have made and are still very successful while learning the world’s most spoken language in a historic, culturally-rich city?
This, of course, is a subject for many posts, as it is not fair to leave any famous “Mancunian” (Manchester-born) out!
To start this theme, we opted for 3 bands that certainly are or have been part of your playlist, and highlight some successful songs and that can help you develop some English skills.
Learn English “little by little” with some inspiring lyrics from Oasis band
That’s right! Oasis is a band that was born in Manchester in 1991 but decided to split in 2009, to the chagrin of the fans. However, the hits played by Liam and Noel Gallagher, Paul Arthurs, Andy Bell and Chris Sharrock (final lineup) still rock and inspire many people around the world due to the depth of the lyrics.
Who doesn’t remember “Little by Little”, “Stop Crying Your Heart Out”, “Stand By Me” and so many others?
Despite the band’s demise in 2018, “Live Forever” was named the best British song of all time, following a survey by Radio X.
Check out a little example:
“Maybe I just want to fly
I want to live I don’t want to die
Maybe I just want to breath
Maybe I just don’t believe
Maybe you’re the same as me
We see things they’ll never see
You and I are gonna live forever”
In addition to first place, “Don’t Look Back In Anger” and “Wonderwall” were third and fourth in the survey, respectively.
If you want to know the band better, take the time to update your playlist and sing these and other hits. Reading and humming songs is a great exercise for learning English.
Older songs are also great resources for learning English and enriching your vocabulary.
Another famous Manchester band that is still very present in the music scene are the Bee Gees.
The group, formed by brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb, started in the 1960s and lasted until mid-2010 and ranks in the top five of all time, alongside The Beatles, Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson. and Paul McCartney.
Who has never danced in a ballad to the sound of “Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin ‘alive, stayin’ alive”?
If you need a little extra help to remember these successes, the suggestion is to watch – in English, of course – the movie “Saturday Night Fever” (the one with John Travolta). For sure, you will spice up your playlist with new “old” hits and practice your English singing and dancing around in between your classes.
Enjoy lyrics by The Smiths and other bands to learn new English words
Despite their short length, The Smiths, another band that has emerged on the Manchester music scene, has also won the world and ranks eighth in the best songs of all time (in the same survey cited above) with the song “There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.”
Check out an excerpt, and as an exercise suggestion to practice your English, look up the full lyrics on the internet and translate, creating sentences with the new words you find:
“Take me out tonight
Where there’s music and there’s people
And they’re young and alive
Driving in your car
I never never want to go home
Because I haven´t got one
Anymore”
Despite the band’s relatively short career – from 1982 to 1987 -, several hits are well worth knowing and that is certainly a great source for you to learn new English words and practice your pronunciation.
There is no denying that Manchester is an inspiring destination. Consider learning English in a historically and culturally rich city, and in between breaks enjoy pubs and restaurants in the Northern Quarter, home to the artists mentioned and many others. Certainly, at some point, your happy hour soundtrack will be rocked by some of these bands, icons of the world music scene.
How about taking an IELTS, General or Business at an English school in Manchester? Check out these and other programs offered by EC English in this unique destination and enjoy one of the most classic cities in the United Kingdom.
