A2 · B1

David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World

blogdeserena

Here’s a song written by David Bowie back in the 70s that became very famous again when Nirvana performed their fantastic cover. It wasn’t an easy task for me to decide which version to use; because I love both of them, but since very few people know that Bowie wrote it, I eventually decided to use this one. The aim of this activity is to become familiar with the relative pronoun ‘who’ and to practise simple past verbs. There are two versions, one with the verbs in brackets and the second one without the verbs.

Created by blogdeserena

Learning English with songs The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie

Listen and  choose the best option according to what you hear.

Activity by Serena

We passed (PASS) upon the stair
We____  (speak) of was and when 
Although I wasn't there
He ____(SAY) I was his friend 
Which____ (COME) as a surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I _____(THINK) you died alone
A long long time ago
Oh no, not me
We never ____(LOSE) control
You're face to face
With the man who ____(SELL) the world
I_____(LAUGH) and shook his hand
And  ____(MAKE) my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years I roamed
I gazed a gazeless stare
We_____(WALK) a million hills
I must have died alone
A long, long time ago
Who knows?
Not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world

Your score is

The average score is 76%

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Created by blogdeserena

Learning English with songs The Man Who Sold the World by David Bowie 2

Listen and  choose the best option according to what you hear.

Activity by Serena

We passed upon the stair
We _____was and when 
Although I wasn't there
He ____I was his friend 
Which _____as a surprise
I spoke into his eyes
I  _____ you died alone
A long long time ago
Oh no, not me
We never  ____control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
I laughed and ____ his hand
And _____ my way back home
I searched for form and land
For years and years I roamed
I _____ a gazeless stare
We walked a million hills
I must have ____ alone
A long, long time ago
Who knows?
Not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world
Who knows?
Not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the man who sold the world

Your score is

The average score is 0%

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6 thoughts on “David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World”


  1. Thank you, Serena, for your congratulations and for the news. I really didn’t know it! 🙂 Just now I’ve seen it: my micro-story got an ‘accèssit’. Happy Sant Jordi. No more days without books! 🙂


  4. Hi, Serena. I’m glad that you are reading my humble book. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did when I wrote it.
    I have received a news: something has happened. I wish that you get well soon. A big hug
    Óscar


  5. So glad you enjoyed the activity. When I find some time, I’ll create some more listening activities for the blog and my classroom. Using songs is not only great fun, it’s also a way to pay tribute to great musicians.
    Many thanks for the contribution, Oscar

    PS. Really touched by your book. I’ve only just got round to reading the first two pages because right now I’m practically bogged down in exams and corrections, but I really look forward to curling up on my sofa to enjoy a good read.

    Thank you again,
    Keep safe,
    Serena


  6. Thanks a lot, again, Serena! It’s a good song. I knew it in 1995, because it was among the other songs of the “MTV Unplugged in New York” by Nirvana. So, I knew a cover. It’s interesting: I know some of the songs by David Bowie due to the covers recorded by several bands, like “Bauhaus” (the song “Ziggy Stardust), “Tahúres Zurdos” (the song “Five Years”), “Parálisis Permanente” (the song “Héoes”)…
    So, now, thanks to you I read the lyrics of it for my first time. I just knew the melody, little sad and strange. Bowie was good poet!

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