Song: Take A Chance On Me
Artist: ABBA
Year: 1977
Album: ABBA: The Album
Language Feature: Fluency
Episode Description
We love listening to many different types of music from different time periods. In Season 3, Episode 3 we’re using the 1977 disco song, “Take a Chance on Me,” by the Swedish super group, ABBA. The rhythm of this song is great for practicing fluency. You may need to sing it a few times before you can sing as fluently as ABBA does, but it’s a really fun way to practice. And just remember that if ABBA, whose native language is Swedish, can sing this well in English, so can you!
Episode Transcript
<intro>
H: Hi! I’m Heather.
E: And I’m Ece. We’re English Language teachers who co-host, “English as a Singing Language.”
H: That’s right. In each episode of the podcast, we use a different song, from a variety of genres and time periods, to talk about pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar and fluency.
E: And then we sing the song and have fun practicing English skills.
H: We sure do. So, what’s the focus of this song, Ece?
E: You know how each season we choose at least one song by a singer or group who is a speaker of English as an additional language?
H: Yes! We’ve chosen songs by BTS and aespa, which are both Korean K-pop groups.
E: And we also used Shakira’s song, “Try Everything” to practice phrasal verbs.
H: And Shakira is a Spanish-speaker from Colombia.
E: Those are all great episodes. Listeners, you should go back and check them out if they haven’t already.
H: I agree. So what about this episode?
E: Well, in this episode we’re going to practice fluency using a song by the Swedish super group…
H + E: ABBA!!
H: Oh my gosh! I can’t wait.
E: Me neither. Let’s get started!
<end intro>
E: (humming ABBA’s “Take a Chance on Me”)
H: Hi Ece! Ece? Ece!
E: Oh! Hi Heather. I didn’t see you there.
H: You must be listening to a really great song.
E: I am. It’s the 1977 hit song, “Take a Chance on Me,” by the Swedish pop group, ABBA.
H: Wow! I absolutely love ABBA! I listened to them all the time when I was in school.
E: Me too. I love the musical and movie Mama Mia that features ABBA songs.
H: The group consisted of 4 members, actually, two married couples, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
E: And the group name actually comes from the first letter of their first names: Agnetha, A.
H: Björn, B
E: Benny, B
H: and Anni-Frid, A. That’s really cool. I didn’t know that. So, how did they come up with this song, “Take a Chance on Me?”
E: Well, Benny Andersson wrote the music, and Björn Ulvaeus wrote the lyrics. The two of them were a very successful songwriting duo.
H: That’s right. I remember hearing that apparently, Ulvaeus loved to go jogging, and he used the rhythm “tck-a-ch” to keep pace while he was running.
E: Oh wow. That’s definitely not how it sounds when I run!
H: Haha me neither. It’s more like, “wom, wom, wom.”
E: But Ulvaeus was out running and the, “tck-a-ch” eventually became, “Take a Chance.”
H: “Tck-a-ch,” “tck-a-ch,” “tck-a-ch,”... “take a chance” - I can hear it!
E: And, running and speaking a language have something important in common.
H: Oh yeah? What’s that?
E: In running and in speaking, fluency is very important.
H: Oh! That’s true. In running your arms and legs need to move together smoothly.
E: And in speaking, your tongue, lips and teeth need to work together to speak smoothly.
H: So, this song is perfect for fluency practice!
E: Listeners, this song is very fast, so you might need to sing it a few times before you are able to sing it as fluently as ABBA does.
H: And remember, the ABBA group members started singing in their native language, Swedish.
E: If ABBA can sing in English, so can you!
H: And this song is so catchy, it will be stuck in your head and you’ll be singing it for days!
E: I agree. In fact, according to the music magazine, Cashbox, [quote] “the lyrics are intricately arranged to produce a wall of sound.”
H: Wow! What a great description! “A wall of sound,” that’s a good use of figurative language.
E: The way their voices mix together, that’s really what it sounds like.
H: So, Ece, what does it mean to, “take a chance on” someone or something?
E: It means that you are taking a risk. You’re not sure it will work out or be successful, but you take a chance and see how it goes.
H: And in this song, the singer wants somebody to take a chance on her.
E: Hmmmm…so she wants the person to take a chance on having a relationship with her.
H: Exactly. Most of the song is her giving reasons why they should start a relationship.
E: And the song has rhythm and speed that makes it perfect for fluency practice.
H: It starts out, “If you change your mind, I'm the first in line. Honey, I'm still free. Take a chance on me.”
E: A-ha - This person has perhaps rejected her before, so now she’s letting them know that she is still interested. In fact, she’s “first in line.”
H: You can really hear the rhythm of English in the lyrics. “If you change your mind.” We do this a lot in English. The first part is a little rushed, it’s spoken more quickly, and then the last word is stressed. It’s longer. “If you change your mind.”
E: And the same in, “I’m the first in line.”
H: The next lines go, “If you need me, let me know, gonna be around”
E: “If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down,”
H: “If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown.”
E: “Honey I’m still free,”
H + E: “Take a chance on me.”
H: So, if the person needs her, has no place to go, is feeling down, is all alone…
E: They can take a chance on her. By the way, I love the line about the pretty birds.
H: Agree. It’s really cute.
E: In the next lines, she sings, “Gonna do my very best, and it ain’t no lie. If you put me to the test, if you let me try. Take a chance on me.”
H: How about, “it ain’t no lie”?
E: In English grammar class we learn, “It isn’t a lie,” but in conversation and in song lyrics, you can often hear, “It ain’t no lie.”
H: And what does “Put me to the test,” mean?
E: If you, “put someone to the test,” it means you find out how suitable they are.
H: In the next lines, she lists the things they can do together, “We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together.”
E: “Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better.”
H: Those all sound like great activities to do when you are getting to know a person.
E: And the rhythm of the song makes them perfect for practicing fluency.
H: That's true. Then she sings, “'Cause you know I've got so much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you. It's magic.”
E: The reductions of “because” to “‘cause” and “want to” to “wanna” make this sentence very natural. “'Cause you know I've got so much that I wanna do.”
H: And how about the next lines, “You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair, but I think you know that I can't let go.”
E: Wow! She’s really trying to convince this person to take a chance on her.
H: She won’t give up and she can’t let go.
E: The last set of lyrics go, “My love is strong enough to last when things are rough.”
H: More great fluency practice. And then, “You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind.”
E: If something is “on your mind” it means you can’t stop thinking about it.
H: Right. And if you “can’t get someone or something off your mind,” it has the same meaning. Even if you want to stop thinking about it, you can’t.
E: This whole song is perfect for fluency practice.
H: I think we’re ready to sing, right?
E: I think so! Listeners, there’s a link to the 1977 hit song, “Take a Chance on Me,” by the Swedish pop group, ABBA in the episode notes.
H: You may have to try a few times, but focus on moving your mouth smoothly, and you’ll be singing fluently in no time!
E: Take a chance on me!
H: Take a chance on me!
E + H: Take a chance on us!!
<outtro>
H: I’m so glad I ran “tck-a-ch” into you today, Ece.
E: Me too! We got to talk about a great song, by a great group, that’s great for fluency practice.
H: And listeners, if you are interested in even more fluency practice, you can check out Season 2, Episode 4.
E: That was Michael Franti’s hit song “The Sound of Sunshine.”
H: You know what? I’m really glad we decided to take a chance on making this podcast.
E: Me too! We weren’t very confident when we started, but look at us now!
H: We’re already in Season 3, Episode 3!
E: Just like with language practice, if you just keep working at something day-by-day, it will get easier.
H: And you’ll improve!
E: Listeners, don’t forget that you can subscribe to the Singing Languages YouTube channel.
H: We’d love it if you’d like and subscribe wherever you listen to us.
E: You can follow us on Instagram @singinglanguages.
H: And check out our website!
E: We hope you’re enjoying Season 3 so far.
H: Until next time, have fun and…
E + H: … just keep singing!
Official YouTube Video
Complete Lyrics
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try
Take a chance on me
(That's all I ask of you, honey)
Take a chance on me
We can go dancing, we can go walking, as long as we're together
Listen to some music, maybe just talking, get to know you better
'Cause you know I've got
So much that I wanna do, when I dream I'm alone with you
It's magic
You want me to leave it there, afraid of a love affair
But I think you know
That I can't let go
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie
If you put me to the test, if you let me try
Take a chance on me
(Come on, give me a break will you?)
Take a chance on me
Oh you can take your time baby, I'm in no hurry, know I'm gonna get you
You don't wanna hurt me, baby don't worry, I ain't gonna let you
Let me tell you now
My love is strong enough to last when things are rough
It's magic
You say that I waste my time but I can't get you off my mind
No, I can't let go
'Cause I love you so
If you change your mind, I'm the first in line
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
If you need me, let me know, gonna be around
If you've got no place to go, if you're feeling down
If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see
Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me
(Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me)
Ba ba ba ba baa, ba ba ba ba baa
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see
Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me
(Take a chance, take a chance, take a chance on me)
Ba ba ba ba baa, ba ba ba ba baa ba-ba
Honey, I'm still free
Take a chance on me
Gonna do my very best, baby can't you see
Gotta put me to the test, take a chance on me
Songwriters: Benny Goran Bror Andersson / Bjoern K. Ulvaeus
Take a Chance on Me lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
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