Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the lyrics of the famous song Wild World by Cat Stevens. It is ideal for intermediate students and includes interesting language points such as expressing an apology.
Let’s begin with some information about the song!
Wild World by Cat Stevens
“Wild World” is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Cat Stevens. This page provides information about the song, the official video, and the lyrics.
Wild World by Cat Stevens
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the song
- Song:
Wild World - Album:
Tea for the Tillerman - Date of release:
September 1970 - Genre:
Folk Rock - Length of the song:
3 minutes and 15 seconds. - Writers:
Cat Stevens - Produced by:
Paul Samwell-Smith
Interesting information about the song
Stevens developed a relationship with actress Patti D”Arbanville and the two were a pair throughout a period of two years or so. During that time, he wrote several songs about her, including the song “Wild World.”
The song is inspired by the end of Cat Stevens and Patti D”arbanville”s romance. Stevens later said about the song:
“It was one of those chord sequences that’s very common in Spanish music. I turned it around and came up with that theme–which is a recurring theme in my work–which is to do with leaving, the sadness of leaving, and the anticipation of what lies beyond.”
The video
The lyrics
Language points
The song includes many interesting language points:
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- Now that I’ve lost everything to you
You say you wanna start something new
And it’s breakin’ my heart you’re leavin’
Baby, I’m grievin’
Wild World By Cat Stevens: Gap Fill Exercise
The following words are used in the lyrics of the song:
everything, heart, remember, leave, smile, friends, beware
To enhance your learning of these words, complete the gap-fill exercise below:
- friends
- everything
- leave
- heart
- remember
- smile
- beware
- Now that I’ve lost ____, I need to start from scratch
- It’s breaking my ____ because you’re leaving.
- I’ll always ____ you like a child.
- If you want to ____, take good care.
- It’s hard to get by just upon a ____.
- I hope you make a lot of nice ____ out there.
- Just remember there are a lot of bad things and ____of evil people.
Source: Wikipedia
