Roxanne sung by George Michael, Sting, Puff Daddy, Fall Out Boy, The Police

ROXANNE

Sung By The Police, Sting, George Michael, Fall Out Boy

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Pedagogic Ideas by Bibi Baxter 2006

www.musicalenglishlessons.org

Exercise 1: Nouns (common, proper, compound) (scroll to next box)
Exercise 2: Mixed Tenses: simple present (passive, negative, affirmative), present perfect, imperative, simple future
Exercise 3: Comprehension (summaries)
Further Practice: Discussion, Role-play, Debate, Composition
The full lyrics answer key

When The Sun Goes Down sung by The Arctic Monkeys (similar subject)
Grammar Index (more grammar)
Music Index (more songs)

IMPORTANT LANGUAGE POINTS

The opposite of MUST (+ infinitive) is DON'T HAVE TO (+ infinitive)
'I loved you since I knew you' (This could be US grammar; however, the correct UK grammar would be 'I've loved you since I've known you'. In order to avoid confusing students, the UK version has been given in all the exercises.
'I have to tell you just how I feel' (present simple after HOW)
PHRASAL VERBS:
- to put on = apply
- to talk down to s.o. = to speak to s.o. in a condescending way
- to make up one's mind (passive version in the lyrics)
'Those days are over' (to be over). 'It's over' is commonly heard at the end of sports events, after the break-up of relationships, a fight, a war, etc., but the phrase does not always have a 'final' meaning. (Popular phrase: It's not over until the fat lady sings)

Title: Roxanne
Exercise: 1
Level: Pre-intermediate +
Activity: Gapped
Practice: Nouns (common, proper, compound)

INSTRUCTIONS

Make it easier by:
- Playing the song at an appropriate speed, so students might complete the gaps.
- Dictating the missing words in a list, if students are struggling.
Make it more difficult by:
- Instructing students to complete the gaps.
- They can then check their answers by listening to the song.

Roxanne

Sung By The Police, Sting, George Michael, Fall Out Boy

...............

You don't have to put on the red ...............

Those ............... are over

You don't have to sell your ............... to the ...............

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...............

You don't have to wear that ............... tonight

(to) Walk the ............... for ...............

You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

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...............

You don't have to put on the red ...............

I've loved you since I've known you

I wouldn't talk down to you

I have to tell you just how I feel

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I won't share you with another ...............

I know my ............... is made up

So put away your ...............

(I've) Told you once I won't tell you again

It's a bad ...............

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...............

You don't have to put on the red ...............

...............

You don't have to put on the red ...............

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Pedagogic Ideas by Bibi Baxter 2006

www.musicalenglishlessons.org

The answer key

THE MISSING NOUNS

body, boy, days, dress, light, make-up, mind, money, night, Roxanne, streets, way

Title: Roxanne
Exercise: 2
Level: Pre-intermediate +
Activity: Gapped
Practice: Mixed Tenses: simple present (passive, negative, affirmative), present perfect, imperative, simple future

INSTRUCTIONS

Make it easier by:
- Completing the gaps containing irrelevant language points before photocopying
- Playing the song at an appropriate speed, so students might complete the gaps.
Make it more difficult by:
- Instructing students to complete the gaps. They can then check their answers by listening to the song.

Roxanne

Sung By The Police, Sting, George Michael, Fall Out Boy

Roxanne

You ................. (1-not have to) put on the red light

Those days ................. (2-be) over

You ................. (3-not have to) sell your body to the night

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Roxanne

You ................. (4-not have to) wear that dress tonight

(to) Walk the streets for money

You ................. (5-not care) if it................. (6-be) wrong, or if it................. (7-be) right

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Roxanne

You ................. (8-not have to) put on the red light

I................. (9-love) you since I ................. (10-know) you

I wouldn't talk down to you

I ................. (11-have to) tell you just how I ................. (12-feel)

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I ................. (13-not share) you with another boy

I ................. (14-know) my mind ................. (15-make up)

So ................. (16-put away) your make up

(I've) ................. (17-tell) you once I ................. (18-not tell) you again

It................. (19-be) a bad way

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Roxanne

You ................. (20-not have to) put on the red light

Roxanne

You ................. (21-not have to) put on the red light

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Pedagogic Ideas by Bibi Baxter 2006

www.musicalenglishlessons.org

The answer key

Title: Roxanne
Exercise: 3
Level: Pre-intermediate +
Activity: Multiple Choice
Practice: Comprehension

INSTRUCTIONS

Choose the most appropriate summary or summaries to describe the meaning of the lyrics in the song.
Check the answer with the answer key.

Summary 1

The singer is telling Roxanne not to wear her red dress, because he does not like the colour; neither does he like the way she wears it.

Summary 2

The singer is telling Roxanne she must not put on the red light, because it's not necessary.

Summary 3

The singer wants Roxanne to start a new life with him, because he respects her, but he does not want to share her affections with other men.

Summary 4

The singer fell in love with Roxanne at first sight and wants her to be his partner, but only if she is willing to stop selling her body

The answer key

FURTHER PRACTICE

DISCUSSION, ROLE-PLAY, DEBATE, COMPOSITION

This subject may be inappropriate for certain students. It is important to be aware of their age and/or cultural background, before introducing the vocabulary below.
Some relevant vocabulary is provided below
Begin by asking whether the singer is a client or a pimp. (He is neither, in fact)
Discussion should start as pairwork, then progress to group work
A composition can be set as homework

PERSON

PLACE

ACTION

TRADE

prostitute
whore
scrubber (slang)
tom (slang)

brothel
bordello
red-light district
street corner

to solicit
to turn a trick
to provide paid sex
to display one's wares
to be scantily-dressed
to wear revealing clothes
to prostitute oneself
to sell one's body

soliciting

client
kerb crawler

to drive slowly alongside women who are standing on, or walking along the pavement in order to proposition them or attract their attention

pimp

in the vicinity
nearby

to live off immoral earnings
to entice a woman into a life on the streets
to force a woman onto the streets
to control, using fear
to find clients
to pimp

pimping

The Full Lyrics Key

Roxanne

Sung By The Police, Sting, George Michael, Fall Out Boy

Roxanne

You don't have to put on the red light

Those days are over

You don't have to sell your body to the night

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Roxanne

You don't have to wear that dress tonight

(to) Walk the streets for money

You don't care if it's wrong or if it's right

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Roxanne

You don't have to put on the red light

I've loved you since I've known you

I wouldn't talk down to you

I have to tell you just how I feel

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I won't share you with another boy

I know my mind is made up

So put away your make up

(I've) Told you once I won't tell you again

It's a bad way

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Roxanne

You don't have to put on the red light

Roxanne

You don't have to put on the red light

Key to Exercise 3 - Comprehension

The correct summaries are 3 and 4

1 is obviously wrong

2 is also wrong, because MUST NOT does not have the same meaning as DON'T HAVE TO