Hey there, this is Teacher Ola Podcast episode 71. Learn English With Chris Rea ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ With Special Guests

My name’s Ola and I am an online English teacher, I teach through one to one classes and I want you to know I believe you can eliminate your language blockade. I’ve overcome a massive blockade myself and I know how to do it. This podcast is for you if you’re an English learner who wants to speak English with more confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. You’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar, improve your pronunciation.  Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!

Welcome to today’s episode. I’m so glad you’re here today because it’s going to be slightly different. I asked my fellow teachers I met on Instagram to join me here today. I’ve invited Beata from Trener Angielskiego, Kasia from Lingually and Lucy from Anglojęzycznie and they said yes. Thank you so much for saying yes, for being here with us today. I asked them what their favourite Christmas song was and why? Shortly you’ll find out what their answers were. 

Anyways, if you use Instagram and don’t follow English teachers, you miss a lot! Using Instagram for learning words, phrases, pronunciation, wow! It’s really packed with valuable stuff! I wish I’d had Instagram when I was in highschool for example. Please follow Anglojęzycznie, Lingually and Trener Angielskiego. Listen, if you’re here it is clear to me you’ll love those amazing teachers. Trust me. I’ll link their accounts and websites in the show notes at teacherola.com/71.  Stay with us, because you’ll have an opportunity to listen to three different teachers speaking beautiful, I mean beautiful English. Practice your listening, and later check yourself while reading the transcript.

Today’s episode will start with my guests sharing with us their favourite Christmas songs and reasons why they picked them. Then we’ll learn English with Chris Rea and his hit ‘Driving Home For Christmas’ You know the drill. I’m going to give you a few song facts, then we’re going to  repeat out loud the song lyrics and learn some grammar and vocabulary too. Then my dear you will practise. I hope you’ll stay till that part, because I’ve prepared  25 sentences to repeat out loud. Let’s begin. I give you the best teachers on Instagram. 

Beata Topolska, Trener Angielskiego. Beata teaches English face to face, has a blog ‘Trener Angielskiego’ and runs an account on Instagram.

Beata Topolska  |   Trener Angielskiego

Right, so, Ola asked me to share my favourite Christmas tunes with you. And well, I actually have three which I reckon I listen to every single year and these are basically my go to songs if I need to put myself in this christmasy kind of vibe, if you will. And the first would have to be ‘Oh Holy Night’ which essentially is not really a christmas hit but more of a carol I suppose. But still, I absolutely love this one performed by King’s College Choir of Cambridge University. So if you’re not familiar with them, they basically do this christmas concert every single year. And ‘Oh Holy Night’ is by far my favourite from the list of songs they usually do. And personally I’m quite sensitive to music and I’ve always liked church choirs. So certain moments of this carol, to me, are so beautiful that they literally send shivers down my spine. But if you’re really not into choirs, you can go for a more mainstream version, if you will, which is performed by Josh Groban. And, well, his voice is just divine. You can easily find some of these videos on YouTube. Right so, the second tune I absolutely love is the classic ‘Last Christmas’ by Wham. And, you know, I know it’s tacky, I know it’s cliched but I can’t help it, I love it, and well, I don’t care. So, I can listen to it literally on a loop for like hours on end and yeah. So, please don’t judge me for it. So, the last one is again, the classic from ‘Love Actually’, ‘Christmas Is All Around’ by Billy Mack. And  I love it just because it cracks me up every single time, you know, that’s it really.  That’s all there is to it. And obviously I have to watch the video clip with the dialogs from the film otherwise it doesn’t count. Yes, so there you have it. My all-time favourite Christmas tunes.

Kastarzyna Owsińska  |   Lingually

Hi guys! My name is Kasia, all my English speaking friends call me Kat. I am a high school teacher in Szczecin but I also run my own business called Lingually which revolves around teaching English and spreading love for English speaking countries culture. December is probably one of my favourite months, not only because I was born in December and I love celebrating my birthday, but also because of Christmas. This time is special to me, I usually cannot stop smiling, the act of giving presents is something I probably like most coz I simply love surprising my family. But Christmas is not the same without the Christmas tunes I start listening to on the first of December. I mean, there are soooo many songs I know by heart and make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, however there is one that beats them all. I remember when I saw a music video to this song for the first time in my life when I was probably 7 years old and that was it, I was gone! I mean – who could resist this check-out-my-hair guy who looks at you across the table and you know that he remembers the last Christmas he gave you his heart? Yes, of course I’m talking about Last Christmas by Wham. I know, it’s a cliche but hey – I cannot help it! I cannot get sick of this song. If it were acceptable to sing it in August, I would – no doubt. You know this feeling when a song brings back some memories? When I listen to „Last Christmas” all I have in mind are the best December images and though there are many other tunes close to my heart, George Michael wins every year.  

Lucy Tomaka  |  Anglojęzycznie

Hello everyone, hope you’re well.

My name is Lucy and I run an account on Instagram called Anglojęzycznie. I was invited by Ola, who runs the TeacherOla podcast, to tell you about my favourite Christmas song, so here it comes.

My favourite Christmas song is the Fairytale of New York. It was recorded by the Pogues and released in November 1987. Mind you, I was only 1 year old then, so the song is really old but really current at the same time.

I lived in London for 12 years and heard this song probably a million times because it’s the most popular Christmas song in the UK. 

When I heard it for the first time, I didn’t quite understand the lyrics, especially that the pronunciation of the lead singer is a bit sloppy. So I just enjoyed the music. The Fairytale of New York is an Irish folk-style ballad which I absolutely adore.

Later I started to pick up some individual words and I wasn’t sure I heard them right – they were RUDE! Bum, arse, scumbag, slut – was this really a song about Christmas?!

So I decided to read the lyrics and check for myself.

Yes, the song features a lot of slang and rude expressions. It is about relationship problems and there are two people being obnoxious towards each other. But I still love the song. 

It’s not a typical Christmas song. There’s no snow, no mistletoe, Christmas tree or any usual Christmas magic for that matter.

Instead, there are shattered dreams, bitterness, loads of alcohol and drunken visions. 

And somehow, this song brings hope. Even though the couple from the song had their dreams ruined, haven’t achieved what they had dreamed about, both are in a difficult situation at the moment – but their lives aren’t finished yet. They can still turn them around and write their own ending.

So when we listen to the last chorus, we can’t help but think about the miracles that can happen on Christmas Day. That’s the real magic here.

Now go ahead and listen to the song and see for yourself if you can spot the hope I’m talking about.

I wish you all loads of laughter and happiness this Christmas. Take care. 

Wow, that was brilliant! Beata, Kasia, Lucy, thank you so much and now, let’s move on to my favourite Christmas hit by Chris Rea.

Chris Rea wrote the song in 1978, 10 years before he released it. Wow, so he released it the year I was born, in 1988, wow ok. He basically needed to get home, ok? He and his wife wanted to save money, as it was cheaper to drive than travel by train. While stuck in heavy traffic and snow falling down, Chris started looking at the other drivers, who ‘all looked so miserable’ and he started singing: ‘We’re driving home for Christmas…’. Then, whenever the street lights shone inside the car, he started writing down lyrics. He wrote this song for Van Morrison. I mean he had him on his mind writing this song and describes it as a ‘car carol’. In fact, he never intended to release it. Chris never planned to write a Christmas song. He doesn’t like it, he rarely performs it live. So, It is funny how things work out in life, innit?

Now, time to listen and repeat the lines of the song. Let’s see how well you know the lyrics, ok? Listen and repeat.

I’m driving home for Christmas

Oh, I can’t wait to see those faces

I’m driving home for Christmas, yea

Well I’m moving down that line

To drive – this verb has quite a few meanings. We are not able to discuss all of them  but we’ll look at the most frequently used ones and at one idiom with the verb ‘to drive’. And two phrasal verbs. Ok, first of all, and that’s the meaning you have in the song. To drive means to operate a vehicle, a car, a truck, a bus. I’m driving home for Christmas. Driving in my car. The second meaning is, to take somebody somewhere in a car or in a taxi. Like in: Can you drive me to the airport? The third meaning is to make somebody angry or crazy. Like in Britney’s song: ‘You drive me crazy’.  

One idiom with the word ‘drive’ The idiom is: what somebody is driving at. Like in: What are you driving at? What it means is what do you want to say? What do you mean? What are you driving at? Last but not least. Two phrasal verbs. Both meaning the same. The phrasal verbs are: to drive away and to drive off. They mean: to leave a place in a vehicle. Ok, I’ve got one more phrase for you. To drive somebody up the wall. It means to annoy someone. Like in ‘stop doing it, you know it drives me up the wall’.

Those faces – those. Ok, so if you have one pen in your hand, it’s within your reach basically, you say this pen. If the pen is far away from you, far from where you’re sitting, and it’s out of your reach, you say: that pen. Can you pass me that pen? Ok, these examples showed you how it works with singular forms. How about plural forms? Well, if you have jeans near you, or even wearing them you say: these jeans. If the jeans are far out of your reach, you can’t reach them, you say: Can I see those jeans, please? So, this man is driving home for Christmas, to see his family members, there are many of them. Plural. He can’t see those people, right? That one person, but those people. Those because there are many of them and they’re far away. He needs to drive to see them, hence we know they’re far away. Don’t worry, if you feel confused because after we finish going through the lyrics you’ll have a chance to repeat out loud the sentences. Secondly, I have prepared a worksheet. Download it in order to practice this/that/these/those in translations, ok? Let’s move on. 

Well, I’m moving down that line – He’s stuck in a traffic jam, he’s moving forward. 

Let’s repeat the next few lines:

And it’s been so long

But I will be there

I sing this song

To pass the time away

Driving in my car

Driving home for Christmas

It’s gonna take some time

But I’ll get there

It’s been so long – Notice the use of present perfect tense. Imagine this situation, the last time you saw someone was a year ago. You saw that person one year ago. I used the past simple tense because I stated the date quite precisely.  A year ago. But now, look at it from a different perspective. Focus on now. We are now, not in the past, not in the future. Not a year ago. Think about all this time between I saw that person and now, it has been so long. I haven’t seen that person for a long time. It’s been so long! I’m sure one day we’ll talk some more about present perfect, I’ve received a few requests, so yes, stay tuned, present perfect will be there. 

But I will be there – Future simple tense. I will be there. It will be there. Do you know why we have ‘will’ here? It’s ‘will’ there because, here because, it’s ‘will’ here because he makes a promise. So use ‘will’ with promises. 

To pass the time away – to spend the time doing something, so that it doesn’t feel so long.  To pass time. Or, to pass the time. If I have to wait somewhere I usually read to pass the time.  So it menas to engage in some activity. 

It’s gonna take some time – gonna. Gonna is common in speech and it’s a form of going to. It’s going to take some time. He knows it because he is stuck in traffic. I’m gonna do this. I’m gonna do that. It’s gonna take some time.

Well done, let’s keep on going. The next verse. Shall we?

Top to toe in tailbacks

Oh, I got red lights on the run

But soon there’ll be a freeway yeah

Get my feet on holy ground

Top to toe in tailbacks – from the top to toes he is stuck in a traffic jam. Tailback is a long line of traffic that is moving slowly or not moving at all because something is blocking the road. Top to toe in tailbacks. 

a freeway – a wide road where traffic can travel fast for long distances. You can only enter and leave freeways at special ramps. It’s also an expressway or highway. These are all american words, in the UK they travel on motorways. 

Get my feet on holy ground – holy ground. What else can be holy? Holy ground, books, Bible, holy day, holy war, holy life, water, name, a holy terror, and a holy cow. Holy cow is used to express surprise, and a holy terror is a person. Usually it’s a child who causes problems. 

Ok, let’s repeat the next few lines, ok? 

So I sing for you

Though you can’t hear me

When I get trough

And feel you near me

Driving in my car

I’m driving home for Christmas

Driving home for Christmas

With a thousand memories

I take look at the driver next to me

He’s just the same

Though you can’t hear me – though means  despite the fact that. Despite the fact that. I sing for you despite the fact that you can’t hear me. I do this though I know you can’t hear me. Although, it means the same. ‘Even though’ is a bit stronger, ok? I will help you even though you don’t want me to.

When I get through – to get through is a phrasal verb meaning to manage to do something. To get home in this case.

Feel – here I just wanted to steer your attention to the past form of this verb, and past participle. It’ s feel – felt  – felt. I’ve noticed this word, especially in the past form, is often confused with the verb fall. Fall – fell – fallen. Be careful with those two. 

Well done. Now let’s move on to the most important part. Your practice. Listen, retain and say out loud, ready? Let’s do this.

Don’t drive so fast!

He drives a taxi

Can you drive me to the airport?

You drive me crazy.

What are you driving at? 

This cough is driving me mad!

The robbers drove off in a stolen vehicle.

She got in a car and drove away.

That voice of hers drives me up the wall.

How long have you been living in this country?

Look at that man over there.

Can I see these documents?

Did you see those monuments?

Good to see you! How long has it been?

I will always love you.

It won’t hurt.

To me, reading will always be the single best way to pass time.

Excuse me, but I’m gonna go now. 

There are reports of severe tailbacks in both directions.

Leave the motorway at the next exit.

There was an accident on the freeway.

The place is considered holy by the people who live there.

As soon as my father was out of the way she became a holy terror.

I can still remember, even though it was so long ago.

Let’s start—there’s a lot to get through.

I am so proud of you. Thank you for doing this. I know you do it for yourself but I’m happy for you, thank you for that. You make me happy. 

Homework. You have two things to do now. First think what’s your favourite Christmas song and why and tell me in the comments at teacherola.com/71. 

The second homework, my dear nothing new, the worksheet. Download it. If you don’t have it in your inbox, it means you’re not in my newsletter. Which is a shame. 

Get over to teacherola.com/71 download the worksheet just once, and then every Wednesday I’ll deliver it right into your inbox. Please don’t forget to mark my email as important. It’ll help me get through right into your inbox, no to spam. Because my letters are not spam. 

Beata, Kasia and Lucy thank so much for being here with us today, you’ve made it really special. I’m your fan, I admire your work and I follow you daily. Thank you! And thank you for tuning in to this episode. 

If you know someone who likes learning English with music let them know about this podcast. 

And next Wednesday, grammar. Please don’t miss it! Till then, take care. See you really soon, happy learning. Bye bye!