I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra

Listening Activity

This listening activity is based on the famous I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra. The song lyrics are ideal for English Learners and contain many interesting language topics, such as the simple future.

Let’s start with some information about the song!

I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra

My Way is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. This listening activity provides information about the song, a link to the lyrics, and the official video.

Interesting Information about the Song

“My Way” is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra in 1969. It is set to the melody of the French song “Comme d’habitude,” composed by Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Gilles Thibaut and Claude François. The original French version was first performed by Claude François in 1967.

The English lyrics were written by Paul Anka and differ entirely in meaning from the French song. The song became a success for various artists, including Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and Sid Vicious. Sinatra’s rendition of “My Way” spent 75 weeks in the UK Top 40, making it one of the longest-running songs in UK chart history.

Paul Anka adapted the original French song for Frank Sinatra, making subtle changes to the melodic structure and completely rewriting the lyrics:

At one o’clock in the morning, I sat down at an old IBM electric typewriter and said, ‘If Frank were writing this, what would he say?’ And I started, metaphorically, ‘And now the end is near.’ I read a lot of periodicals, and I noticed everything was ‘my this’ and ‘my that’.

We were in the ‘me generation’ and Frank became the guy for me to use to say that. I used words I would never use: ‘I ate it up and spit it out.’ But that’s the way he talked. I used to be around steam rooms with the Rat Pack guys—they liked to talk like Mob guys, even though they would have been scared of their own shadows.

I did It My Way By Frank Sinatra (Official Video)

The Lyrics

• Full lyrics of this song

Language Points

I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra includes many interesting language points:

• Simple future
• Present perfect simple
• Simple present

Expressions that may be useful to students:

• And now, the end is near,
  And so I face the final curtain.
  My friends, I’ll say it clear;
  I’ll state my case of which I’m certain.
• I’ve lived a life that’s full –
  I’ve travelled each and every highway.
  And more, much more than this,
  I did it my way.

Listening Comprehension

Sentence Completion Exercise

Gap Fill Exercise

The following words are used in the song “I Did It My Way by Frank Sinatra.” Here are their brief definitions:

1. Curtain: A piece of cloth that hangs down from above a window and can be used to cover the window.
2. Regrets: Feelings of sadness or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.
3. Exemption: The process of freeing or state of being free from an obligation or liability.
4. Chew: To bite and work food in the mouth with the teeth.
5. Subside: To become less intense, violent, or severe.
6. Amusing: Causing laughter and providing entertainment.
7. Blows: Hard hits or shocks, often referring to emotional or physical impacts.

Complete the sentences below with the correct word from the list above:

Source: Wikipedia

More lyrics here