A blog for my students and all English learners.

It deals with various everyday issues, news, curiosities

and things that arouse my interest every day.

poniedziałek, 6 sierpnia 2012

Suzanne Vega - 'Tom's Diner'



Hey! Today I've got a new listening exercise for you - Suzanne Vega's song - 'Tom's Diner'. Suzanne Vega is an American songwriter and singer performing eclectic folk-inspired music. The song, first released in 1984, was also used as the background soundtrack (=ścieżka muzyczna w tle) for the opening scene of the 1993 movie "Untamed Heart" (untamed - nieoswojony, nieposkromiony; Pl. "Skryta Namiętność", Fr. "Coeur sauvage"). 'Tom's Diner' is a vignette (=opis) of someone stopping at a diner (=cheap restaurant) for a cup of coffee. What's interesting Vega wrote the lyrics inspired by her friend who confessed (=wyznał) that: 


"he saw his whole life through a pane of glass (=szybę), and [...] like he was the witness (=świadkiem) to a lot of things, but was never really involved in them." 


Reading the lyrics you can notice that the scene is described through a male perspective

The song constitutes a very nice listening exercise as the artist's way of singing resembles melodeclamation - she pronounces the lyrics as if she were speaking, not singing. 

Listen to the song and try to complete the lyrics!


I am sitting
In the ...................
At the diner
On the corner

I am waiting
At the .................
For the man
To pour the ...............

And he ............ it
Only halfway
And before
I even argue

He is looking
Out the ................
At somebody
..................... in

"It is always
Nice to ................ you"
Says the man
Behind the ...................

To the woman
Who has ................ in
She is shaking
Her .....................

And I look
The other ..............
As they are kissing
Their hellos

I'm ..................
Not to see them
.................
I pour the milk

I open
Up the paper
There's a .......................
Of an actor

Who had died
While he was .................
It was no one
I had ................... of

And I'm turning
To the ..................
And looking
For the .................

When I'm feeling
Someone .................. me
And so
I .................. my head

There's a woman
On the outside
Looking inside
Does she ............. me?

No she does not
Really see me
Cause she sees
Her own .......................

And I'm trying
Not to ..................
That she's hitching
Up her skirt

And while she's
Straightening her ....................
Her hair
Has gotten wet

Oh, this rain
It will .....................
Through the morning
As I'm listening

To the ...............
Of the cathedral
I am thinking
Of your ...............

And of the ................. picnic
Once upon a time
Before the ................. began

I finish up my coffee
It's time to catch the ................


Here's the opening scene of 'Untamed heart':


You'll find the answers in my next post!

Source of the photos: the Internet

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