road to mandalay

It's not that I'm a RobbieWilliams fan, but what I like about his songs, or at least some of them, is their streak of self-mockery. As if the singer was trying not to be serious about himself, and on no condition melodramatic, even though between the lines you can sometimes hear the drama of everything that "got broken" along the way. The same with his Road To Mandalay - the music is so cheerfull that it alleviates any possible anxiety audible in the lyrics. When you add up all of his biographical swoops, depression, alcohol and drug abuse, the song seems to be at least an attempt at self-detachment.


The Road to Mandalay is a perfect song for a teacher. Firstly, because it has a story behind. Secondly, because the lyrics are long enough. Thirdly, because it's easy to sing, and some of you asked for a pronunciation exercise. Remember only not to sing too loud, especially if you work shoulder to shoulder in some vast corporate space. The full text and explanations - HERE.

Play the song and fill in the gaps: )

Road to Mandalay

Save me from ______________ in the sea
Beat me up on the _____________

What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say
This ___________ song would drain the sun
But it won't shine until it's sung

No water running in the _____________
The saddest place we've ever seen

Everything I touched was ______________
Everything I loved got broken
On the road to Mandalay
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been ___________ and then replayed
As I got lost along the way

There's nothing left for you to give
The truth is all that you're left with
Twenty paces then _____ ______________
We will die and be reborn

I like to sleep beneath the _____________
Have the ________________ at one with me
Look down the ____________ of a gun
And feel the _________ replace the ___________

Everything we've ever stolen
Has been lost ____________ or broken
No more dragons left to __________
Every mistake I've ever made
Has been ______________ and then replayed
As I got lost along the way

Save me from ________________ in the sea
Beat me up on the beach
What a lovely holiday
There's nothing funny left to say

a Robbie Williams fan - proszę zwrócić uwagę na brak possessive 's

streak - element, "coś"

self-mockery - autoironia

on no condition - w żadnym wypadku

along the way - po drodze

alleviate anxiety - złagodzić niepokój

audible - słyszalny

swoop - lot nurkowy, pikowanie

self-detachment - dystans do siebie samego

shoulder to shoulder - ramię przy ramieniu, ramię w ramię

vast - ogromny