Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “Wavin’ Flag by K’nann“. The song lyrics are beautiful and ideal for English learners and include many interesting language topics, such as conditional sentences
Let’s start with some information about the song!
Wavin’ Flag by K’nann
“Wavin” Flag” is a song by Somali-Canadian artist K”naan from his album Troubadour. This page provides information about the song and links to the lyrics and the official video.
Wavin’ Flag by K’nann
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: Wavin’ Flag
- Album: Troubadour
- Date of release: March 18, 2009
- Genre: World music, Reggae fusion
- Length of the song: 3 minutes and 41 seconds.
- Writers: Keinan Abdi Warsame
- Produced by: Kerry Brothers, Jr., Bruno Mars
Interesting Information about the Song
The original version of “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan, featured on his album Troubadour, powerfully captures the struggles of refugees displaced by war, with poignant references to K’naan’s native Somalia. The lyrics reflect the hardships and resilience of those affected by conflict.
However, the song gained widespread recognition when it was reworked for the FIFA World Cup, where the lyrics were rewritten to adopt a more celebratory and unifying tone, aligning with the global spirit of the event.
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- When I get older I will be stronger
They’ll call me freedom, just like a wavin’ flag
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete these sentences while listening to the song:
- Give me freedom, give me ________.
- See the champions take the ________ now.
- In the streets, our heads are ________.
- Let’s rejoice in the beautiful ________.
- When I get older, I will be ________, they’ll call me “Freedom.”
Gap-Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
- Inhibition – A feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way.
- Rejoice – To feel or show great joy or delight.
- Surrounds – To be all around someone or something.
- Unify – To make or become united, uniform, or whole.
- Celebration – The action of marking one’s pleasure at an important event or occasion by engaging in enjoyable, typically social, activity.
- Champion – A person who has defeated or surpassed all rivals in a competition.
- Freedom – The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
Complete these sentences with the words provided above:
- The festival ________ the town with music, lights, and laughter.
- People ________ in the streets, singing and dancing.
- The parade was held to honor the ________ of the local sports team.
- We will ________ the community by working together.
- Overcoming your ________ will help you achieve your full potential.
- The sense of ________ felt during the event was overwhelming.
- Everyone values their ________ and the ability to express themselves.
Source: Wikipedia
