Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey“. The lyrics of the song are beautiful and ideal for English learners and include many interesting language topics, such as the simple future.
Let’s start with some information about the song!
Easy Lover by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey
“Easy Lover” is a hit song performed by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins, and written by Bailey, Collins, and Nathan East. This listening activity provides information about the song, a link to the lyrics, and the official video.
Easy Lover by Phil Collins
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: Easy Lover
- Album: Chinese Wall
- Date of release: September 1988
- Genre: Dance-rock, progressive rock
- Length of the song: 4 minutes and 50 seconds.
- Writer: Philip Bailey, Phil Collins, Nathan East
- Produced by: Phil Collins
Interesting Information about the Song
Easy Lover,” a duet by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey, became an international hit after its release in 1984. The light-hearted music video for the song was filmed in London, England, and is unique in that it portrays the making of a music video, offering a behind-the-scenes look at the production process. The song itself showcases the powerful vocal talents of both Collins and Bailey, blending pop-rock with R&B elements.
In addition to its catchy melody and memorable lyrics, “Easy Lover” achieved significant commercial success. It topped the charts in several countries and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The song’s enduring popularity has made it a staple of 1980s music, often featured in retrospectives and compilations of the era.
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- She’s an easy lover.
- She’ll get a hold on you.
- Before you know it you’ll be on your knees.
- She’ll take your heart but you won’t feel it.
- You’ll never get it.
- She will play around and leave you.
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete these sentences while listening to the song:
- “She’ll get a hold on you, believe it, like no other before you know it you’ll be ________.”
- “She’s the kind of girl you dream of, dream of ________.”
- “She will play around and leave you, leave you and ________.”
- “You’re not the only one, ’cause seeing is ________.”
- “She’ll take your heart but you ________ feel it.”
Gap-Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
- Deceive: To mislead or trick someone into believing something that is not true.
- Regret: To feel sorrow or remorse for something that has happened or been done.
- Control: To have power or influence over someone or something.
- Believe: To accept something as true or real.
- Change: To make or become different.
- Dream: A series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep or an aspiration or goal.
- Forget: To fail to remember or recall something.
Complete these sentences with the words provided above:
Deceive, Regret, Control, Believe, Change, Dream, Forget
- She tried to ________ her friends into thinking she was someone important.
- After making a big mistake, he couldn’t help but ________ his actions.
- He likes to ________ his environment to ensure everything is in order.
- It’s important to ________ in yourself to achieve your goals.
- People often resist ________ because it can be uncomfortable.
- Her ultimate ________ is to travel the world and learn about different cultures.
- If you don’t write it down, you might ________ the important details.
Source: Wikipedia