Harper Valley PTA

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The Harper Valley PTA
(Song by Jeannie C. Riley / YouTube, 2015)
page 1/3
♫ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08QH3rVqokw&feature=em-share_video_user.
I wanna tell you all a story 'bout a Harper Valley widowed wife
Who had a teenage daughter who attended Harper Valley Junior High
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
And she said, "Mama, I've got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA"
Well, the note said "Mrs. Johnson, you're wearing your dresses way too high
It's reported you've been drinkin' and a-runnin' round with men and goin' wild”
And we don't believe you oughta be bringin' up your little girl this way"
And it was signed by the Secretary, Harper Valley PTA
Well, it happened that the PTA was gonna meet that very afternoon
And they were sure surprised as Mrs. Johnson wore her miniskirt into the room
And as she walked up to the blackboard I can still recall the words she had to say
She said "I'd like to address this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA
Well, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a date
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice whenever he's away
And Mr. Baker can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep her window shades all pulled completely down
Well, Mr. Harper couldn't be here 'cause he's stayed too long in Kelly's bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's breath you'll find she's had a little nip of gin
And then you have the nerve to tell me you think that as a mother you think that I’m not fit
Well this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites
No, I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened just this way
That day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
The day my Mama socked it to the Harper Valley PTA
Vocabulary
01.PTA
02. a widowed wife
03. that attended
04. Junior High
05. way too high
06. to run around with men
07. a-runnin’ round
08. to go wild
09. you oughta (= ought to) be bringing up
Parent-Teachers Association
une veuve
qui faisait ses études à, qui fréquentait
collège
vraiment trop haut = mini-jupe!
fréquenter des hommes
langage familier
faire la fête, faire des folies
vous devriez élever
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10. this way
11.Well, it happened
12. was gonna (=going to) meet
13. that very afternoon
14. as she walked up to the blackboard
15. I can still recall the words
16. she had to say
17. I’d like to address this meeting
18. he’s asked me for a date
19. whenever he’s away
20. to keep her window shades pulled all the way down
21. if you smell Shirley Thompson’s breath
22. a little nip of gin
23. you have the nerve to tell me
24. You think that I ain’t (= am not) fit
de cette manière
bien, il se trouvait que
allait se réunir
cet après-midi même
pendant qu’elle marchait jusqu’au
tableau
je me souviens encore des paroles
qu’elle avait à dire
je souhaiterais parler à cette assemblée
il m’a demandé de sortir avec lui
à chaque fois qu’il partait
de garder les stores de ses
fenêtres baissées jusqu’en bas
si vous sentez l’haleine de ..
un petit coup de gin
vous avez le cran de / vous ôsez me dire
vous pensez que je ne suis pas à la
hauteur (= une mère indigne)
25. Peyton Place
26. Now, I wouldn’t put you on
série sulfureuse américaine des années 60
je ne vous mènerais pas en bateau /
je ne vous mentirais pas
c’est arrivé de cette façon
leur a dit de quel bois elle se chauffe /
leur dire de quoi elle est capable
27. it happened just this way
28. my mama socked it to ‘em (= them)
The Harper Valley PTA Exercise
(YouTube, 2015)
Exercise: fill in the blanks with the correct words
.
I wanna tell you all a story 'bout a Harper Valley w________ wife
(veuve)
Who had a teenage daughter who a__________ Harper Valley J_____ H_____
(fréquentait)
(collège)
Well, her daughter came home one afternoon and didn't even stop to play
And she said, "Mama, I've got a note here from the Harper Valley PTA"
Well, the note says "Mrs. Johnson, you're wearing your dresses w___ too high
(vraiment)
page 3/3
It's r__________ you've been drinkin' and a-r______ r______ with men and g____ w____”
(on dit que)
(fréquentez)
And we don't believe you o
b
(faites des folies)
b______ u _ your little girl this w_____"
(que vous devriez élever)
(de cette manière)
And it was signed by the Secretary, Harper Valley PTA
Well, it h__________that the PTA was gonna meet that v
(il se trouvait)
afternoon
(cet après-midi même)
And they were s______ surprised as Mrs. Johnson wore her mini-skirt into the room
(vraiment)
And as she walked u__ to the blackboard I can still r______ the words she h____ to say
(jusqu’au)
(je me souviens encore)
(qu’elle avait à dire)
She said "I'd like to a________ this meeting of the Harper Valley PTA
(parler à, prendre la parole)
Well, there's Bobby Taylor sittin' there and seven times he's asked me for a d_____
(m’a demandé de sortir avec lui)
And Mrs. Taylor sure seems to use a lot of ice w_______ he's a________
(à chaque fois qu’il partait)
And Mr. Baker can you tell us why your secretary had to leave this town?
And shouldn't widow Jones be told to keep her window s_______ all pulled completely down
(stores)
Well, Mr. Harper couldn't be here 'cause he's stayed too long in Kelly's bar again
And if you smell Shirley Thompson's b_______ you'll find she's had a little n____ of gin
(haleine)
(un coup)
And then you have the n______ to tell me you think that as a mother you think that I’m not f_____
(vous avez le cran / vous ôsez)
(à la hauteur, une mère indigne)
Well this is just a little Peyton Place and you're all Harper Valley hypocrites
Now I wouldn't put you on because it really did, it happened j_____ this w______
(exactement de cette manière)
That day my Mama s
i__ to the Harper Valley PTA
(leur a dit de quoi elle était capable, leur a dit de quel bois elle se chauffe)
That day my Mama socked it to 'em at the Harper Valley PTA