Where Do The Children Play? – English Lyrics

• By: Yusuf / Cat Stevens
• Album: Tea For The Tillerman²

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the timeless environmental message of Yusuf/Cat Stevens' "Where Do The Children Play?" This folk-rock classic encourages listeners to reflect on the impact of technology on our planet and to consider the importance of preserving natural spaces for future generations. Explore the lyrics and uncover the deeper meaning behind this iconic song.

[English]

Well I think it's fine, building jumbo planes

Or taking a ride on a cosmic train

Switch on summer from a slot machine

Yes, get what you want to if you want, 'cause you can get anything

I know we've come a long way

We're changing day to day

But tell me, where do the children play?

...

Well, you roll on roads

Over fresh green grass

For your lorry loads

Pumping petrol gas

And you make them long

And you make them tough

But they just go on and on

And it seems that you can't get off

Oh, I know we've come a long way

We're changing day to day

But tell me, where do the children play?

...

Well you've cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air

But will you keep on building higher

'Til there's no more room up there?

Will you make us laugh?

Will you make us cry?

Will you tell us when to live?

Will you tell us when to die?

I know we've come a long way

We're changing day to day

But tell me, where do the children play?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
play /pleɪ/ A1	verb - to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation noun - activity done for enjoyment and recreation
building /ˈbɪldɪŋ/ A2	noun - a structure with a roof and walls, such as a house or factory verb - to construct
planes /pleɪnz/ A1	noun - an airplane
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of (an animal or vehicle) noun - a journey on an animal or vehicle
machine /məˈʃiːn/ A2	noun - an apparatus using mechanical power and having parts each with a definite function
want /wɒnt/ A1	verb - to have a desire to possess or do (something); wish for.
changing /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/ A1	verb - to make or become different
roads /roʊdz/ A1	noun - a way or course for traveling from one place to another, especially one made or used by traffic
grass /ɡræs/ A1	noun - vegetation consisting of typically short plants with long, narrow leaves, growing wild or cultivated on lawns and pasture, and as a fodder crop
loads /loʊdz/ B1	noun - a thing or quantity of things carried
petrol /ˈpetrəl/ B1	noun - gasoline
tough /tʌf/ B1	adjective - strong enough to withstand adverse conditions or rough handling
cracked /krækt/ B2	verb - to break or cause to break without a complete separation of parts
skyscrapers /ˈskaɪˌskreɪpərz/ B1	noun - a very tall building of many stories
room /ruːm/ A1	noun - space that can be occupied
laugh /læf/ A2	verb - make sounds and movements of the face and body showing amusement or happiness
cry /kraɪ/ A2	verb - shed tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow
die /daɪ/ A2	verb - stop living

Key Grammar Structures

• Or taking a ride on a cosmic train

  ➔ Gerund (verb + ing) as a noun

  ➔ The phrase uses a **gerund** to function as the subject of the clause.

• Will you keep on building higher

  ➔ Use of 'will' for future intention and 'keep on' for continuous action

  ➔ The phrase **will** indicates a future action or intention, while **keep on** emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.

• Changing day to day

  ➔ Present participle used to describe ongoing change or process

  ➔ The phrase **Changing** is a present participle indicating an ongoing process of transformation.

• Will you tell us when to live?

  ➔ Use of 'will' to form questions about future intentions or directives

  ➔ The question uses **will** to inquire about future guidance or instructions concerning **when to live**.

• We're changing day to day

  ➔ Present continuous tense to describe ongoing, habitual change

  ➔ The phrase **We're changing** uses the present continuous tense to indicate an ongoing process of change happening regularly.

• Yes, get what you want to if you want

  ➔ Inversion in conditional clauses and use of second conditional structure

  ➔ The phrase emphasizes the idea of **getting what you want** if the condition of **wanting** is fulfilled, often implying a hypothetical or conditional situation.