Popular, you're gonna be popular.
Hey everyone, today we are going to shadow and practice and learn the vocabulary of the song Popular from the movie Wicked.
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I'm Hadar, your host, a pronunciation expert, fluency coach, and a proud non -native speaker.
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Are you ready? Let's do it.
we could just recently came out and it is awesome if you haven't watched it go watch it i had so much fun popular is performed by ariana grande who plays glinda and she sings this song to her now friend elphaba also known as the wicked witch of the west from the wizard of oz and she basically tells
her how she can help her become more popular.
It's such a great song to practice because we are going to practice speaking quickly and singing quickly.
We're going to talk about connected speech, pronunciation, rhythm, and I'm going to share with you the definition of some words that might be new to you.
So let's listen to the first sentence.
Popular, you're gonna be popular.
Let's break down the word popular.
So technically when you say the word popular, you start with a P sound, and then the O's and father, pop.
And then the middle syllable is usually a schwa, yuh, and then ler, another reduced vowel, ler, popular.
When she sings it, she sometimes stretches the middle syllable and then she turns it into an U.
Popular, which is also a valid pronunciation.
So the U is a vowel there that is usually reduced, but in the song she actually pronounces it.
Let's listen. Popular.
So here it was pronounced as a schwa.
You're gonna be popular.
And then the second time, you're gonna be popular.
Right? She stretches it.
And then it's you. I'll teach you the proper ploys.
I'll teach you the proper ploys.
Let's say it together.
I'll teach you the proper ploys.
ploys are clever and planned ways to do something usually to get what you want the proper ploys now play with your piece here proper ploys I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys so notice the rhythm proper ploys talk to boys these are the stressed words in the song but also if I were to
just say it these are the words that I would stress.
So, usually when we listen to the music of a song, then we see that it actually reflects the lyrics.
It's never disconnected.
I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys.
Let's listen. Let's continue.
Little ways to flirt and flounce.
So, we have the flap T, little, little, little, try to Connect it.
Little ways. Little ways.
And then we have to flirt and flounce.
So the word to and and are reduced.
Little ways to flirt and flounce.
You want to sing it from the beginning?
Let's do it. You don't have to put in the u at the end, but you could.
It's a lot of fun. Let's practice it.
Okay, good. Let's continue.
Okay, so let's pay attention to the rhythm here.
I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair.
So, how to. If she were to stress every single word, how to fix your hair, that would change the rhythm of the song completely.
So, we have to reduce it.
So, notice that this is how it's pronounced when people speak as well.
For example, when I make my videos on how to pronounce words, that's how I say it.
How to. How to. How to.
How to pronounce. How do you know.
How do you do. How to fix your hair.
I'll show you what choose to wear, how to fix your hair.
Let's continue. Everything that really counts to be popular.
Good. So we have everything that really counts.
Let's do it together.
Everything that really counts.
Here, we don't have to rush.
It's fun. Let's do it from the beginning.
Ready? Good. So we go into, to be popular, to be, to be, to be.
That has to go by quickly.
To be. To be popular.
Don't forget to open your mouth for the pop.
Popular. I'll help you be popular.
I'll help you be popular.
You'll hang with the right cohorts.
Okay. You'll hang with the right cohorts.
A cohort is a group of people you spend time with.
And that's how you say it with two long O sounds.
COHORT COHORT COHORT it's a little hard if you don't know this word so just say it several times COHORT COHORT you'll hang hang technically this A is the as in cat but because there is an NG sound after hang it's more of an E or A sound hang hang you'll hang with the right cohorts You'll be good at sports!
You'll be good at, you'll be good at.
Just say it. Practice.
Connected speech. Good, good, good, good.
Not good, good. You'll be good at.
Now notice what happens to the D here.
Good at, good at. It sounds like the T in little, because it's pronounced exactly the same.
The T and D between two vowels are pronounced the same and they're pronounced as a flap.
Good at. Good at. Good at.
Sports. You'll be good at sports.
Know the slang is just like hang.
Notice all the rhymes in this song.
Slang hang. Know the slang you've got to know.
So, got is the eyes on father.
Know the slang you've got to know and then continue okay i think that's my favorite part of the song so let's start so let's start and then we slow down because you've got an awfully long way to go way to go way to go so the T here is a flap T way to go because you've got an awfully long way to go let's
take it again from the second verse popular I'll help you be popular you'll hang with the right cohorts you'll be Could have sports!
Know the slang you've got to know, so let's start cause you've got an awfully long way to go!
Very good! Okay, now we're getting into the faster part.
Are you ready? I think you are, but are you ready?
Okay, listen. Don't be offended by my frank analysis.
Think of it as personality dialysis.
Okay, let's take these two sentences.
Don't be offended by my frank analysis.
Frank is honest, indirect.
Okay, so she doesn't want her to get offended because she basically...
She doesn't make fun of her, but she kind of makes fun of her, right?
Don't be offended by my frank analysis.
So frank also has that as in CAV that turns into an A sound before an NG.
Frank, frank. Analysis, analysis.
Fran -K -A -nalysis. Fran -K -A -nalysis.
So when we connect the words together, it actually sounds like Fran -K -A -nalysis.
Kan -alysis. Fran -K -A -nalysis.
Don't be offended. Don't be hurt.
Don't be offended by my Fran -K -A -nalysis.
Now the next sentence...
Think of it as personality dialysis.
Think of it as personality dialysis.
So... Dialysis is a medical procedure to clean up the blood and she uses that here to make a joke as if she's trying to fix her personality.
Personality dialysis.
Now, I really like the rhythm here.
You know, the words were chosen deliberately or the music was composed deliberately to fit the rhythm of the words.
Personality dialysis.
Right? Stress, unstressed, stressed, unstressed, stressed, unstressed.
Okay, let's continue.
Now, pay attention here.
So, this sounds a little confusing because the word sister at the end of the first sentence breaks into two.
It's the end of the first sentence and the beginning of the next sentence.
So, let's listen to how it's broken down in the song.
Now that I've chosen to become a palacis.
That's the first sentence in a way.
A sis. And they did that so that it rhymes with a previous line that ends with is.
Dialysis apalacis. Dialysis apalacis.
Dialysis apalacis. If I were to say dialysis apalacister, that doesn't work.
Teren advisor. Okay?
So this is like the beginning of the next line.
Turan advisor. There's nobody wiser.
Okay? Let's just do the second part from the beginning.
Don't be offended by my frank analysis Think of it as personality dialysis Now that I've chosen to become a palicist Turan advisor There's nobody wiser Not when it comes to popular Good.
Not when it comes to popular Okay, listen to the rhythm shift here.
Not when it comes to popular.
Not, as in father, when it, that's quick, comes, that's a cup sound, to popular.
Okay, let's just speak that part together.
Again, focus on connected speech, focus on pronunciation.
Don't be offended by my frank analysis.
Think of it as personality dialysis.
Good! Now that I have chosen to become a palacis to an advisor, there's nobody wiser when it comes to popular.
Good! Let's continue!
I know about popular!
That's easy! I know about.
Know about. Know about.
Know about. I know about everything.
I know about what happened last night.
I know about popular.
I know about. I know about.
And with an assist from me!
And with an assist from me!
And with an assist from me!
assist. EH, EH, EH!
Be who you'll be! to be who you'll be so we have a high e and a tense o here to be who you'll be to be who you'll be instead of dreary who you were well are okay instead of dreary who you were well are so let's break it down instead of dreary dreary is boring sad not interesting so here's what she says
instead of dreary who you were around your lips, who you were, da da da, who you were.
Instead of dreary who you were.
If you struggle with W's and R's, this is a really good tongue twister for you.
Instead of dreary who you were, instead of dreary who you were, well R, because she's talking about her in the present because she hasn't changed yet.
Okay, and then There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular.
There's nothing that can stop you, that's easy, right?
Just don't forget the T -H.
There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular.
And then she changed this to Lar, because everything rhymes except for this line.
And the previous line said, ar.
Well, ar. So this is why she changed the ler to Lar.
And that's always the part that makes people laugh.
So now, one last time, from beginning till the end.
Are you ready? Don't forget to connect the words together, to speak fast, and when you get stuck, just move on.
Don't pause the video, don't start, just move on.
Sing along and then try it again next time.
Let's go. You're going to be popular.
I'll teach you the proper ploys when you talk to boys.
The ways to learn and translate.
I'll show you what shoes to wear, how to fix your hair.
Everything that really counts to be popular.
I'll help you be popular.
You'll hang with the right cohorts.
You'll be good at sports.
Know the slang you've got to know.
So let's start. Cause you've got an awfully long way to go Don't be offended by my frank analysis Think of it as personality dialysis Now that I've chosen to become a palestrist Or an advisor, there's nobody wiser Not when it comes to popular I know about popular And with an assist from me to be who you'll
be Instead of dreading who you were Well, are There's nothing that can stop you from becoming popular lore.
Well done, my friends.
That was incredible.
Now it's time to pump up the volume and sing along, but this time on your own.
You did great. Thank you so much for joining me.
And I hope you were able to tap into your inner musical theater actor.
Have a beautiful day.
And I'll see you next week in the next video.
Bye. You have been the light of the day.
You are such a gift.
