Song exercise - Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

This song was written and recorded in 1967 by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, and kicked off his solo career after he left Belfast band Them. The only real reason for making it into an exercise is that I love the song and for its use of present participles.

Click and drop - Where you see the sign, mouse over for instructions

Some vocabulary to start with

Exercise 1 - Match the words on the left with their definitions on the right.

1.	hollow			a)	a deep hole or holes under the ground where minerals such as coal, gold, etc. are dug
2.	thump			b)	to move forwards lightly and quickly making a little jump with each step
3.	slide			c)	lose your footing and nearly fall
4.	misty			d)	to move easily over a smooth or wet surface
5.	slip			e)	to beat strongly
6.	mine			f)	like a light fog
7.	skip			g)	an area that is lower than the ground around it

Note - transistor radio which was commonly known in the UK as a tranny. This was the first truly portable battery radio, and it revolutionised listening habits in the sixties and early seventies.

Now complete the song lyrics before listening. See the links for the YouTube link

Exercise 2 - Choose the appropriate -ing forms to fill the gaps

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

	Hey where did we go
	Days when the rains came
	Down in a hollow
	(1) a new game
	Laughin' and a (2) hey hey
	Skippin' and a (3)
	In the misty mornin' fog with
	Our hearts a (4) and you
	My brown eyed girl
	You my brown eyed girl
	Now what ever happened
	To Tuesday and so slow
	(5) down the old mine with a
	Transistor radio
	(6) in the sunlight laughin'
	(7) behind a rainbow's wall
	Slippin' and a (8)
	All along the waterfall with you
	My brown eyed girl
	You my brown eyed girl
	Chorus
	Do you remember when we used to sing
	Sha la la la la la la la la la la ti da. Just like that
	Sha la la la la la la la la la la ti da. La ti da
	So hard to find my way
	Now that I'm all on my own
	I saw you just the other day
	My, you have grown
	Cast my memory back there Lord
	Sometimes I'm overcome (9) about it
	(10) love in the green grass
	Behind the stadium with you
	My brown eyed girl
	You my brown eyed girl
	Chorus

hidin'
slidin'
runnin'
goin'
thinkin'
standin'
jumpin'
thumpin'
playin'
makin'

Answers

• Ex 1 - 1. g, 2. e, 3. d, 4. f, 5. c, 6. a, 7. b
• Ex 2 - 1. playin', 2. runnin', 3. jumpin', 4. thumpin', 5. goin', 6. standin', 7. hidin', 8. slidin', 9. thinkin', 10. makin'

Links

• Brown Eyed Girl - On YouTube
• Brown Eyed Girl - Wikipedia
• Transistor radio - Wikipedia