The River of Dreams by Billy Joel — ESL Song Worksheet | English Plans

The River of Dreams

Billy Joel · 1993

Listen carefully and fill in the missing words.

    Verse 1
In the middle of the (1)
I go walking in my (2)
From the mountains of faith
To the river so (3)
I must be (4) for something
Something (5) I lost
But the river is (6)
And it's too hard to (7)

Pre-Chorus
Even though I know the river is wide
I walk down every (8) and I stand on the shore
I try to cross to the opposite side
So I can finally find out what I've been looking for

Verse 2
In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep
Through the valley of fear
To a river so deep
I've been (9) for something
Taken out of my (10)
Something I'd never lose
Something somebody stole

Pre-Chorus 2
I don't know why I go walking at night
But now I'm (11) and I don't want to walk anymore
I hope it doesn't take the rest of my life
Until I find what it is that I've been looking for

Verse 3
In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep
Through the jungle of doubt
To a river so deep
I know I'm searching for something
Something so undefined
That it can only be seen
By the eyes of the blind

Bridge
In the middle of the night
I'm not sure about a life after this
God knows I've never been a (12) man
Baptized by the fire, I wade into the river
That runs to the promised land

Final Verse
In the middle of the night
I go walking in my sleep
Through the desert of (13)
To the river so deep
We all end in the ocean
We all start in the streams
We're all carried along
By the river of (14)
In the middle of the night
  

The River of Dreams

Billy Joel · 1993

ClassPlan.ai

Song Worksheets

Definition Match

Match each word (1-6) to its correct definition (A-F). Write the letter on the line.

1. sacred

2. wade

3. undefined

4. baptized

5. streams

6. opposite

A. small rivers or flows of water

B. not clearly described or explained

C. holy or having religious importance

D. to walk through water

E. completely different or contrary

F. blessed or purified in a religious ceremony

Rewrite a Line

Choose one line from each verse and rewrite it in your own words. Keep the same meaning but use different vocabulary. Try to maintain the rhythm and emotional tone.

Think about what each line means, then express that same idea using your own language choices.

Did you know?

Read these facts about the song. Which one surprises you most?

🎵Billy Joel wrote this song after experiencing vivid dreams and sleepwalking episodes in his own life.
⭐The song reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became Joel's last major hit single.
🎸The music video features Joel floating down an actual river on a bed, symbolizing the dream state.
📀Joel has said the river represents the subconscious mind and our search for meaning in life.
🎤The song's gospel-influenced backing vocals were performed by a choir to enhance its spiritual theme.

Discussion & analysis

Discuss each question with your partner.

1What do you think the 'river of dreams' symbolizes in this song?
2Have you ever had a recurring dream that seemed meaningful to you?

3Why might someone search for something 'undefined' or unclear?
4Do you believe our subconscious minds try to tell us important things through dreams?

🎨 Play It! — Draw It!

Student comes to the board and draws — no letters, words, or numbers. They must draw the song title or artist name. Class guesses. Set a 60-second timer for each turn.