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A2.2·rock·3:48

Mandinka

Sinead O'Connor · 1987

Mandinka by Sinead O'Connor (1987) — selected for the English-through-music catalog. Use the sing-along prompts and exercises to drill pronunciation, vocabulary, and listening comprehension.

💡 Click the CC button on the player for synced captions.

⏱ Timestamps may not be synchronized — edit them via Personalize on the Songs menu.

Lyrics + translation · letras.mus.br

🎤 Sing along

Sing with the chorus

  • Soon I can give you my heart
  • Uh, uh-ah
  • Ih, ji
  • I don't know no shame, I feel no pain

Echo the hook

  • I do know Mandinka
  • I do know Mandinka
  • I do, uh-uh-uh
  • They're throwing it all this way
knowmandinkasoon

Definitions: Cambridge Dictionary · Translation: MyMemory

Exercises

Exercise 1

Fill the blank in this line:

I'mthe seven veils

Exercise 2

Fill the blank in this line:

See how themoon fades

Exercise 3

Fill the blank in this line:

I don't know noI feel no pain

Exercise 4

Fill the blank in this line:

And they say "see how theis raised?"

Exercise 5

Fill the blank in this line:

I haveto take part

Exercise 6

Fill the blank in this line:

I've told themsomething new"

Exercise 7

Translate this line to Portuguese:

I'm dancing the seven veils

Exercise 8

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Soon I can give you my heart

Exercise 9

Translate this line to Portuguese:

But I do know Mandinka

Exercise 10

Translate this line to Portuguese:

I do, uh-uh-uh

Exercise 11

Translate this line to Portuguese:

I have refused to take part

Exercise 12

Choose the missing word:

I'm ? the seven veils

Exercise 13

Choose the missing word:

See how the ? moon fades

Exercise 14

Choose the missing word:

I ? see the flame

Exercise 15

Choose the missing word:

They're ? it all this way

Exercise 16

Choose the missing word:

I've ? them "drink something new"

Exercise 17

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 18

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 19

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 20

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 21

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

Exercise 22

How many times do you hear the word "know" in the whole song?

"know"

Exercise 23

How many times do you hear the word "mandinka" in the whole song?

"mandinka"

Exercise 24

Put these three lines in the order they appear in the song:

  • I can't see the flame
  • I do know Mandinka
  • I'm dancing the seven veils

Exercise 25

And these three — put them in the order they appear in the song:

  • But I do know Mandinka
  • Dragging it back to the start
  • Want you to pick up my scarf

Exercise 26

Who in your life would you dedicate "Mandinka" to, and what line captures what you want to say to them?

knowmandinkasoongive

Exercise 27

Compare "Mandinka" with a Brazilian song you know. Do they share a theme? How do their styles differ?

knowmandinkasoongive

Exercise 28

If you could change the ending of the story told in "Mandinka", what would happen instead?

knowmandinkasoongive

Exercise 29

Write the full form of each contraction:

  • i'm→
  • don't→
  • can't→
  • they're→
  • i've→

Exercise 30

The singer makes a claim or statement in this song. Do you agree with it? Use evidence from the lyrics to support your answer.

knowmandinkasoongive