Tonight we meet Gladys Knight again, with her most famous song. Her man came to the big city to be a star, and it didn’t work.
Learn from Songs · Unit 9: Conditionals · B1–B2
Midnight Train to Georgia
A soul classic about choosing love over the big city: would rather and would prefer (I’d rather live in his world than live without him in mine), prefer… to…, and I’d rather you… + past, with Philo, Sophia, Marcos and Demetria.
SOPHIA
MARCOS
What does he do?
SOPHIA
He decides to go home, back to Georgia, on the midnight train. And she has a choice: stay in the city, or go with him.
DEMETRIA
And she would rather go with him.
Before you listen: the song
Atlanta and Los Angeles, 1973
Jim Weatherly, the songwriter of “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me”, first wrote this song as “Midnight Plane to Houston”, after a phone conversation with a friend who said she was taking a midnight plane to Houston. When the soul singer Cissy Houston recorded it, the plane became a train, and Houston became Georgia.
Gladys Knight & the Pips, from Atlanta, Georgia, recorded it in 1973. It went to number one in America and won a Grammy award. The Pips’ answers to her lines, including the sound of the train whistle, are famous.
In the song, her man went to Los Angeles to be a star, but he didn’t succeed. Now he is going back to Georgia, to the simpler place and time he knew. She would rather live in his world with him than live without him in hers. So she is going too.
Where would you rather be?
Listen: the choice
PHILO
Listen once. Why is he going home? What does she decide? What do the Pips sing?
SOPHIA
Then answer Section A. Listen for the train whistle.
🚂 Listen to the song: “Midnight Train to Georgia” (Jim Weatherly, 1973), sung by Gladys Knight & the Pips.Find the recording →
📜 Read the words while you listen: “Midnight Train to Georgia”, Gladys Knight & the Pips.Read the lyrics →
Would rather
MARCOS
I’d rather go with him. I’d rather not stay here alone.
SOPHIA
would rather + infinitive (no to) for preferences: I’d rather walk. Negative: I’d rather not. With than: I’d rather live with him than live without him.
Would prefer and prefer
DEMETRIA
I’d prefer to go home. I prefer trains to planes. I prefer walking to driving.
SOPHIA
would prefer + to-infinitive (a specific choice now). prefer + noun / -ing + to + noun / -ing (general preference). Careful: would rather go, but would prefer to go.
I’d rather you…
PHILO
I’d rather you stayed. I’d rather you didn’t go.
SOPHIA
When we want another person to do something: would rather + subject + past simple, but it means present or future: I’d rather you came tomorrow.
Sophia’s comparison: Ruth again, and Odysseus
PHILO
Ruth said to Naomi: where you go, I will go; where you stay, I will stay. She would rather be poor with Naomi than comfortable without her.
SOPHIA
And Odysseus would rather be home on rocky Ithaca with Penelope than live for ever on Calypso’s island as a god.
MARCOS
Everybody would rather go home.
Sophia’s summary
| Words and forms | Use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| would rather + infinitive | preference now | I’d rather go with him. |
| would rather… than… | choosing between two | I’d rather walk than drive. |
| would prefer + to-infinitive | specific preference | I’d prefer to stay. |
| prefer A to B | general preference | I prefer trains to planes. |
| would rather + person + past simple | what we want others to do | I’d rather you stayed. |
Practice
Listen to the song for Section A, then do the rest. Press “Check my answers” at the end. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Listen: the song
Listen to the song and choose the best answer.
1. Why is he going home?
2. Where is he going?
3. What does she decide?
4. What was the first title of the song?
5. Where were Gladys Knight & the Pips from?
6. What did the song win?
B · Grammar and vocabulary
Write the missing word or words.
7. I’d rather with him. (go)
8. I’d rather walk drive.
9. I’d prefer stay here. (to-infinitive)
10. I prefer trains planes.
11. I’d rather you tomorrow. (come)
12. I’d rather go out tonight. I’m tired.
C · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct English?
13. “I’d rather to stay at home.”
14. “I’d prefer to go by train.”
15. “I prefer tea than coffee.”
16. “I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone.”
Talk and write
Discussion and writing
Would you rather…? Ask a partner ten “Would you rather…?” questions (live in a city or a village, travel by train or plane, be famous or happy). Answer with I’d rather… than… and a reason.
Discuss. 1. Is it a failure to go home after a big dream doesn’t work? 2. Would you rather live in a big city or a small town? 3. Would you follow someone you love anywhere?
Write (120–150 words). The midnight train. Write about a choice between two places or two lives. Use would rather, would prefer, prefer… to and I’d rather you…
Now play the gamebook: two young actors, a failed dream, and the midnight boat home.Play the gamebook →