This song was made famous by the movie, Moulin Rouge. Did you enjoy this film? I loved the songs but found the movie quite boring! Listen to the song and complete the gaps with the missing words listed below. I've taken out some 'easy' words as well as some more challenging ones, did you know all the words before you listened or did you learn some new ones? Good luck!
Lesson by Caroline
Rufus Wainright is a singer/songwriter famous for songs such as 'Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk' and his cover of 'Hallelujah'. I really enjoy his music and his unusual voice. Here is an interview with him that appeared in UK newspaper 'The Guardian' last year. All you need to do is match the interviewer's questions with his answers. This is excellent for practising your reading comprehension. Let us know how you get on!
Read through these questions and think about what an example answer might be.
Jessie J isn't known for her ballads, but this is one of my favourite songs of hers. I think it is about a woman at the end of a relationship, who is trying to find a way to cope. Listen to the song and then complete the gaps with the words listed below. Do you know any other songs by Jessie J? Which is your favourite?
Lesson by Caroline
Whitney Houston is famous for a number of classic songs, including this duet with her mother, Cissy Houston.
Tragically, she recently passed away at the age of 48. This song is about the difficulty of relationships and the heartbreak of letting someone go.
Read through the lyrics first and try to guess which word fits in each gap, then listen and check your answers.
What is your favourite Whitney song? Let us know.
Taylor Swift won two awards at the Grammy's recently and seems to be getting more and more famous by the day. This song is well known for appearing in the recent Twilight movie and is about a very sad break up. Read through the lyrics first and guess what word goes in each gap. Then listen to the song and check your answers.
This song is about what we learn from our relationships with others and how these relationships change the person we are. It is from the successful musical, Wicked. Listen to the song and complete the gaps with the correct word.
Note: please tell me if there is a singer, band, or song that you would like a lesson on. I’m always looking for new ideas!
Lesson by Caroline Devane
This song could be particularly useful for you if you are studying in (or wish to go to London), as the singer has quite a strong London accent. Her name is Kate Nash and she is famous for writing songs that don’t romanticise love and dating.
Read through the lyrics of this song first and then listen and try to complete the gaps with the missing words.
This is a beautiful song by Tracy Chapman. Before you listen, read the lyrics as if they were a story and see if you can guess which word goes in each gap. Then listen to check your answers. Can you summarise the story in this song? What do you think the message of the song is?
Cellophane: A see-through material used to wrap food.
We all sometimes feel like we need more attention, but this character from Chicago feels completely invisible! Read through the lyrics to the song and see if you can guess which word goes in each gap, then listen and check your answers. Do you relate to the singer, or do you think he is just complaining about nothing?
I love this song, even though it is a bit depressing! Read through the lyrics and try to guess which word fits in each gap before you listen. Why don't you listen to some different versions of the song as well. To complete the lesson you need to listen to link 1, but listen to Niia's version at link 2 as well if you want!
Lesson by Caroline Devane
