Practise the topic of transport & travel in your ESL classes with this song, Where Boats Belong by Alan Smith Robertson.
These song lyrics include the following 24 travel-related vocabulary words: van, boat, bus, lorry, car, motorbike, plane, port, road, compass, travelling, miles, accident, travels, car crash, adventures, explored, return, came back, drove, towed away, got on, flew & slowed (down).
This song comes with a worksheet and is available for download in mp3. To see other suggestions on how to use this song in class, click here.
Lyrics
VERSE 1
Lucy took her van, explored the world
Lucy always knew she’d not return
When she was asked why she never came back
She said travelling was just what she preferred
CHORUS
She said a boat safe in port
Is never sunk or distraught
But that’s not where boats belong
VERSE 2
Lucy drove a hundred thousand miles
With buses, lorries, cars & motorbikes
In an accident one day her van was towed away
So she got on a plane and flew the skies
CHORUS
Because a boat safe in port
Is never sunk or distraught
But that’s not where boats belong
VERSE 3
Thirty years went by still on the road
And Lucy, on her travels, never slowed
She lived life by a compass, not by a clock
and carried on come rain or shine or snow
CHORUS
Because a boat safe in port
Is never sunk or distraught
But that’s not where boats belong
BRIDGE
Then, one day, she was driving too fast
and in a car crash she died
with all her adventures left untold
CHORUS
She said a boat safe in port
Is never sunk or distraught
But that’s not where boats belong
Because a boat safe in port
Is never sunk or distraught
But that’s not where boats belong
Suggested activity: fill the gaps
Listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the transport & travel-related vocabulary: van, boat, bus, lorry, car, motorbike, plane, port, road, compass, travelling, miles, accident, travels, car crash, adventures, explored, return, came back, drove, towed away, got on, flew & slowed (down)
VERSE 1:
Lucy took her van, _____________ the world
Lucy always knew she’d not _____________
When she was asked why she never _____________
She said _____________ was just what she preferred
CHORUS:
She said a _____________ safe in _____________ is never sunk or distraught,
But that’s not where boats belong.
VERSE 2:
Lucy drove a hundred thousand _____________
With buses, _____________, cars and _____________
In an _____________ one day her van was towed away
So she _____________ a plane and flew the skies
CHORUS:
Because a…
VERSE 3:
Thirty years went by, still on the ______________
And Lucy, on her _____________, never slowed
She lived life by a ______________, not by a clock
and carried on come rain or shine or snow
CHORUS:
Because a…
BRIDGE:
Then, one day, she was _____________ too fast
and in a _____________ she died
with all her _____________ left untold
CHORUS:
She said a…
.
If you enjoyed the song or if you think it will be useful for your students at least, remember this song comes with a worksheet and is available for download in mp3.
