t h e s o n G

Language Level advanced Video Killed Track 15

Speaker: The Radio Star Justin Ratcliffe (Standard British accent) by Fergal Kavanagh

Come abbiamo When television became popular in drives his car, he realises technology visto non è the 1950s, it was thought that this has come so far that it is impossible to affatto andata would spell1 the end for radio, but it rewind, or turn things back, and return così, ma nel survived this and many subsequent to the golden age. 1979 uscì una innovations. Yet in 1979 The Buggles The song concludes with him canzone che released the huge hit2 “Video Killed surrendering to the new technology of decretava The Radio Star.” Co-written, sung and the VTR (Video Tape Recorder – now, la fine della 3 radio. produced by studio wizard Trevor Horn, nearly 30 years later, it is itself almost La canzone the singer reminisces about lying in bed obsolete!), and recognising the star on divenne at night in 1952 (although Horn would the screen as a one-time radio star. famosissima; then have been just three years old!), “Video Killed The Radio Star” was also furono gli listening to what was then known as inspired by the science fiction story interpreti (i a “wireless.” Despite his tender years4, “The Sound Sweep”11 by J.G. Ballard. Buggles) a Horn was profoundly affected by what The song took three long months to sparire nel nulla. he heard. record and went to number one in Much has been written about the 16 different countries. MTV, no doubt influence of the music video, but in aware12 of the irony, chose it as their the second verse Horn talks about one millionth video to be screened13. how radio’s influence has been ignored Trevor Horn became a career-reviving – the “second symphony” refers to the producer, working with Rod Stewart, new wave5 of more electronic music, Paul McCartney, Grace Jones and Tina

Glossary using technology to rewrite old ideas. Turner, amongst others. (Ironically, the electronic synthesiser He was also responsible for the success 1 spell - significare. features heavily on the track6, played of Frankie Goes To Hollywood, a band 2 huge hit - enorme successo. by Hans Zimmer, who who embraced the music 3 wizard - mago. 4 tender years - is now a film score video. giovane età. composer7). Some day 5 wave - ondata . 6 features heavily on in the future the singer This recording features the track - ha un will shamefully8 tell a a brief excerpt from the ruolo importante nella canzone. new generation that song “Video Killed the 7 film score composer - video was the cause of Radio Star” (by Trevor compositore di the death of radio. Horn, Geoff Downes and colonne sonore per il cinema. The singer goes to A detail from the cover of “Video Bruce Woolley, 8 shamefully - an old radio studio Killed.” Trevor Horn is on the left. Island Records, 1979) spudoratamente. 9 signature tunes - to listen to old tapes ritornelli pubblicitari. on playback, and 10 demise - fine. English Through Music... 11 The Sound Sweep remembers the jingles, the short radio - titolo italiano, Lo 9 Fergal Kavanagh, the author spazzasuoni. signature tunes – just like the “oo- of this article, runs the website 12 aware - a-oh” of the song. Radio was the first www.tuneintoenglish.com. consapevole. The Students’ Area features 13 to be screened - da and the last, music started with radio, activities for learning English trasmettere. and will end with its demise10. As he through pop music. reflects, or looks around him as he