Javier Bardem talks to Jay Leno

Jay, one of the most famous late night hosts on American TV, congratulates Javier Bardem on the arrival of a baby boy with Penelope while our international actor tells Jay that he doesn't like cars and actually hates to drive (to Jay's amazement!)

I know Cristina López, one of my C1 students, is a diehard fan of the Spanish heartthrob, but I'm sure many of you will have fun watching the interview too.

It's always nice to hear a fellow countryman speak rather fluent English despite the occasional mistakes, isn't it? The interview is split into two parts so this is the second excerpt. Well, in this bit Javier recalls how he used to play rugby (a much better sport than the Super Bowl, Jay!) and once he got his nose broken in a bar fight ("a guy decides to have fun with my face" - Jay looks a bit puzzled, because in L.A. "it means a whole different thing" - he he!)

Isn't it funny when he says he cannot speak Spanish any more because he doesn't know the meaning of the word "flasher" in his own language. Fortunately someone in the audience knows better!

The song of a generation: Don McLean's American Pie

A day like today, 52 years ago, "the music died". That's how Don McLean put it in 1971, as he wrote one of the most famous songs in rock history, remembering the death, 12 years before, when he was only a teenage paper boy, of one of his musical heroes, the great Buddy Holly. He tragically was killed in a plane crash together with fellow musicians Ritchie Valens and Jiles Richardson. It was indeed an untimely death, at the tender age of 22, and the news had a big impact on McLean.

To understand the importance of American Pie in US culture, suffice it to say that it was included by the American government within an educational project called "Songs of the Century" and listed at #5 no less.

Legend has it that the song summarizes the history of R'n'R from 1959 to 1970 as it seemingly contains numerous references to rock stars, from Bob Dylan to the Beatles, Elvis Presley, Mick Jagger, Janis Joplin ... the list is endless, as well as to landmarks in American history, like the Vietnam War, the hippy movement, the space race ... You know, Don has been asked constantly about the meaning of the song's lyrics, but he's always refused to do it by simply saying (quote): "You will find many interpretations of my lyrics but none of them by me ... sorry to leave you all on your own like this but long ago I realized that songwriters should make their statements and move on, maintaining a dignified silence." Which has only added more legend to the song, I guess.

Well, judge by yourselves by watching the clip below. I'm sure you've heard the tune many times, but probably not paid much attention to the lyrics, except maybe the famous chorus. I dare you try to find all the references I mentioned above ...

An 8-minute jewel that I never get tired of listening to. Enjoy!