WATERLOO SUNSET by The Kinks

Waterloo Sunset is a song about the view of London over the River Thames in the evening, when millions of people are going home from work. It was a big hit for The Kinks in the mid 1960s.

a. Complete sentences 1-9 with adjectives from the list. See comments to check the answers.

afraid / bright / busy / chilly / dirty / dizzy / fine / lazy / safe

1. The opposite of dangerous is _________________ .
2. When you feel _________________, everything is going round in circles.
3. How are you? I’m _________________, thanks.
4. Some people never travel by plane because they are _________________ of flying.
5. Somebody who doesn’t like working is _________________.
6. The opposite of clean is _________________.
7. The lights in a TV studio are always very _________________.
8. When you have a lot of things you need to do, you are very _________________.
9. Another way of saying quite cold is _________________.

b. Listen to the song. Complete the gaps with an adjective. Some adjectives are used more than once. (See comments to check the answers)



1______________ old river, must you keep rolling
Flowing into the night
People so 2______________, makes me feel 3______________
Taxi light shines so 4______________
But I don’t need no friends
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day I look at the world from my window
But 5______________, 6______________ is the evening time
Waterloo sunsets fine

Terry meets Julie, Waterloo station
Every Friday night
But I am so 8______________, don’t want to wander
I stay at home at night
But I don’t feel 9______________
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

Every day, etc.

Millions of people swarming like flies round Waterloo underground
But Terry and Julie cross over the river
Where they feel 10______________ and sound
And the don’t need no friends
As long as they gaze on Waterloo sunset
They are in paradise

Waterloo sunset’s fine

Glossary
Keep rolling: continue to move
So (+adjective): very
I don’t need no : I don’t need any
As long as: if I can
Gaze on: look at
Be in paradise: be very happy
Wander: go for a walk
Swarming like flies: moving like little insects
Safe and sound: sano y salvo
(activities taken from New English File Elementary, OUP)