B1.1·rock·4:37

Reelin' in the Years

Steely Dan · 1972

Reelin' in the Years by Steely Dan (1972) — 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

Are you reelin' in the years?
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears?
Have you had enough of mine

Sing it again — final chorus

Are you reelin' in the years?
Stowin' away the time
Are you gatherin' up the tears?
Have you had enough of mine

timereelin'years

Definitions: Cambridge Dictionary · Translation: MyMemory

Exercises

Exercise 1

Fill the blank in this line:

Theyou think are precious I can't understand

Exercise 2

Fill the blank in this line:

Are youin the years?

Exercise 3

Fill the blank in this line:

Are youup the tears?

Exercise 4

Fill the blank in this line:

Have you hadof mine

Exercise 5

Fill the blank in this line:

The things that pass forI can't understand

Exercise 6

Fill the blank in this line:

The things youare useless I can't understand

Exercise 7

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Are you reelin' in the years?

Exercise 8

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Are you gatherin' up the tears?

Exercise 9

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Have you had enough of mine

Exercise 10

Translate this line to Portuguese:

Stowin' away the time

Exercise 11

Choose the missing word:

The ? you think are precious I can't understand

Exercise 12

Choose the missing word:

Are you ? in the years?

Exercise 13

Choose the missing word:

Are you ? up the tears?

Exercise 14

Choose the missing word:

Have you had ? of mine

Exercise 15

Choose the missing word:

The things that ? for knowledge I can't understand

Exercise 16

Put the words in the right order:

Click the words below in the correct order…

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

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

"time"

Exercise 21

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

"reelin'"

Exercise 22

"Reelin' in the Years" was released in 1972. Do you think the themes in the song are timeless, or do they feel dated? Give one example from the lyrics.

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 23

Imagine you are making a short film with "Reelin' in the Years" as the soundtrack. What scene would you show while the chorus plays?

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 24

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

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 25

Write the full form of each contraction:

gonna→
wouldn't→
can't→
you've→
you're→
i've→

Exercise 26

If you could ask Steely Dan one question about "Reelin' in the Years", what would it be and why?

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 27

Describe the mood of "Reelin' in the Years" in three adjectives. What part of the song makes you feel that way?

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 28

Rewrite the chorus of "Reelin' in the Years" in your own words — keep the meaning but change the style (formal, slang, poetic, whatever you like).

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 29

Who in your life would you dedicate "Reelin' in the Years" to, and what line captures what you want to say to them?

timereelin'yearsstowin'

Exercise 30

If you had to summarize "Reelin' in the Years" in one sentence to someone who has never heard it, what would you say?

timereelin'yearsstowin'