Learn English with Songs – White Flag by Dido

Hello again ABA friends!

What could be better than singing along to a great song and at the same time practising some of your English? Remember that it is great way of learning new vocabulary and being able to stay in tune to a song in a different language, which may be more challenging than it seems.

We are going to listen to and learn the song “White Flag” by British female artist “Dido”. The song is one of her most famous songs and the album “Life for Rent” on which the song is listed is one of the top selling albums of all time.

1. Read through the lyrics
2. Understand the vocabulary
3. Listen and sing!

Lyrics

I know you think that I shouldn’t still love you,
Or tell you that.
But if I didn’t say it, well I’d still have felt it
Where’s the sense in that?

I promise I’m not trying to make your life harder
Or return to where we were

But I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I know I left too much mess and destruction
To come back again
And I caused nothing but trouble
I understand if you can’t talk to me again

And if you live by the rules of “it’s over”
Then I’m sure that that makes sense

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

And when we meet
Which I’m sure we will
All that was there
Will be there still

I’ll let it pass
And hold my tongue
And you will think
That I’ve moved on….

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

I will go down with this ship
And I won’t put my hands up and surrender
There will be no white flag above my door
I’m in love and always will be

Vocabulary

Sense – a feeling a meaning or an awareness.

Return – to come back or go back to a place.

Go down – to sink.

Surrender – to give up or abandon.

Mess – a state of disorder or confusion, or also meaning untidy, unclean.

Destruction – the action or process of causing so much damage to something that it no longer exists or cannot be repaired.

It’s over – to be finished.

Put my hands up – to raise or lift you hands up above your body.

Let it pass – to choose not to react to a problem or remark.

Move on – to progress or change your thought or behaviour.

White flag – a white flag or cloth used as a symbol of surrender, truce. Also used to show peace.

Song