Songs are a fun and enjoyable way to study a foreign language.
By listening several times and following the lyrics, you will get used to your ears, learning new words and better understanding the correct pronunciation.
It is important to have a dictionary on your side, as any expression or word that is not known may appear.
1. Radio Ga Ga (Queen)
With a relatively easy vocabulary, this Queen band classic is great to start studying English and better understand the verb conjugations (past and present) and the abbreviations used, such as like:
- I'd = I would (I would)
- 'em = them (they)
- You've = You have
- don't = do not
- You're = You are
- What's = What is
- 'cause = because (because)
Letter:
I'd sit alone and watch your light
My only friend through teenage nights
And everything I had to know
I heard it on my radio
You gave them all those old time stars
Through wars of worlds invaded by Mars
You made 'em laugh, you made 'em cry
You made us feel like we could fly (radio)
So don't become some background noise
The backdrop for the girls and boys
Who just don't know or just don't care
And just complain when you're not there
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio (radio)
All we hear is radio ga ga
radio goo goo
radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
radio blah blah
Radio, what's new?
radio, someone still loves you
We watch the shows, we watch the stars
On videos for hours and hours
We hardly need to use our ears
How music changes through the years
Let's hope you never leave old friend
Like all good things on you we depend
So stick around 'cause we might miss you
When we grow tired of all this look
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio (radio)
All we hear is radio ga ga
radio goo goo
radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
radio goo goo
radio ga ga
All we hear is radio ga ga
radio blah blah
Radio, what's new?
someone still loves you
radio ga ga
radio ga ga
radio ga ga
You had your time, you had the power
You've yet to have your finest hour
Radio (radio)
Vocabulary:
- Through: through
- mars: mars
- laugh: laugh
- background noise: background noise
- Backdrop: scenery; Background
- Complain: complain
- Finest: best
- hear: listen
- hardly: hardly
- Ears: ears
- stick around: stay around
- grow tired: tired
2. Yellow submarine (Beatles)
A Beatles classic with a relaxed rhythm that allows you to understand the vocabulary well. This song is very interesting to study the formation of verbs in the past, such as:
- was: was
- Lived: lived
- sailed: sailed
- Told: told
Letter:
In the town where I was born
Lived a man who sailed the sea
And he told us of his life
In the land of submarines
So we sailed up to the sun
'Till we found the sea of green
And we lived beneath the waves
In our yellow submarine
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
And our friends are all aboard
Many more of them live next door
And the band begins to play!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
(Full steam ahead, Mr. Boatswain!
Full steam ahead!
Full steam ahead it is, Sgt!
Cut the cable! Drop the cable!
aye-aye sir, aye-aye
Captain! Captain!)
As we live a life of ease!
Everyone of us (everyone of us!) has all we need
(has all we need!)
Sky of blue (sky of blue!) and sea of green (sea of green!)
In our yellow (In our yellow!) submarine!
(Submarine, ha, ha!)
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
We all live in a yellow submarine!
Yellow submarine! Yellow submarine!
Vocabulary:
- town: city
- i was born: i was born
- Land of submarines: land of submarines
- Till: until
- Beneath: below
- waves: waves
- Aboard: on board
- easy: easy
- Everyone: Everyone
- sky: sky
Read more about the English verbs
3. Can't stop the feeling (Justin Timberlake)
With a more frenetic pace, this song is a good choice to better understand the correct pronunciation of some words and even the vocabulary that is a little more elaborate.
Pay attention to the verbs used that may have different translations depending on the context, such as the case of the verb “Get” and “Can”. In music, we have:
- I got this feeling: I got this feeling
- I got that sunshine: I got this sunshine
- Got that good soul: Got that good soul
- I'm getting you close: I'm getting close
- I can't take my eyes up off it: I can't take my eyes off this
Letter:
I got this feeling inside my bones
It goes electric, wavey when I turn it on
All through my city, all through my home
We're flying up, on the ceiling, when we in our zone
I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet
I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops
I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally
Room on lock, the way we rock it, so don't stop
And under the lights when everything goes
Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close
When we move, well, you already know
just imagine, just imagine, just imagine
Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance
A feeling good, good, creeping up on you
Just dance, dance, dance, come on
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance dance dance
And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing
I can't stop the feeling
just dance dance dance
I can't stop the feeling
Just dance, dance, dance, come on
Ooh, it's something magical
It's in the air, it's in my blood, it's rushing on
I don't need no reason, don't need control
I fly so high, no ceiling, when I'm in my zone
'Cause I got that sunshine in my pocket
Got that good soul in my feet
I feel that hot blood in my body when it drops
I can't take my eyes up off it, moving so phenomenally
Room on lock, the way we rock it, so don't stop
And under the lights when everything goes
Nowhere to hide when I'm getting you close
When we move, well, you already know
just imagine, just imagine, just imagine
Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance
feeling good, good, creeping up on you
Just dance, dance, dance, come on
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance dance dance
And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing
I can't stop the feeling
just dance dance dance
I can't stop the feeling
just dance dance dance
I can't stop the feeling
just dance dance dance
I can't stop the feeling
Just keep dancing, come on
I can't stop the, I can't stop the
I can't stop the, I can't stop the
I can't stop the feeling
Nothing I can see but you when you dance, dance, dance
(I can't stop the feeling)
feeling good, good, creeping up on you
Just dance, dance, dance, come on
(I can't stop the feeling)
All those things I shouldn't do
But you dance dance dance
(I can't stop the feeling)
And ain't nobody leaving soon, so keep dancing
everybody sing
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Wanna see you move your body
(I can't stop the feeling)
Got this feeling in my body
break it down
Got this feeling in my body
Can't stop the feeling
Got this feeling in my body
Can't stop the feeling
Got this feeling in my body, come on
Vocabulary:
- inside: inside
- bones: bones
- It goes electric: it goes electric
- wavey: wavy
- turn it on: turn it on
- Flying up: flying high; flying up
- No ceiling: no ceiling
- soul: soul
- Feet: feet
- blood: blood
- it drops: drops
- under: under; under
- nowhere: nowhere
- hide: hide
- Already: already
- Creeping: crawling
- Rushing: running
Learn more about verbs can and get.
4. Viva la vida (Coldplay)
This song by the band Coldplay is a great exercise to improve the pronunciation of some words and understand the use of the expression "used to", used in English to talk about regular actions in the past that do not happen more. In music, we have:
- I used to rule the world: I used to rule the world
- Sweep the streets I used to own: Sweep the streets I owned (which were already mine)
- I used to roll the dice: I used to roll the dice
Letter:
I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own
I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listened as the crowd would sing
Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!
One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry Choirs Are Singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you'd gone there was never
never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world
It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become
revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?
I hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry Choirs Are Singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Hear Jerusalem bells are ringing
Roman Cavalry Choirs Are Singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world
Vocabulary:
- seas: seas
- Rise: rise
- Fear: fear
- crowd: crowd
- Stand: support; stand
- Upon: about
- salt: salt
- sand: sand
- hear: listen
- bells: bells
- Ringing: ringing
- Choirs: choirs
- mirror: mirror
- sword: sword
- Shield: shield
- Foreign: foreign
- Wicked: perverse
- wild wind: wild wind
- Blew down: dropped; exploded
- let me in: let me in
- Shattered: shattered
- Drums: drums
- puppet: puppet
Learn more how to use Used to.
5. I Don't Care (Ed Sheeran & Justin Bieber)
This pop song contains a more elaborate vocabulary, being interesting to know the conjugation of several verbs widely used in English, such as:
- I don’t wanna: I dont wanna
- I don’t ever wear: I never wear
- Wondering: thinking, wondering
- Shall we dance?: Shall we dance?
- I fit: I fit
- I don’t care: I dont care
- Trying to talk: trying to talk
- I'm crippled: I'm crazy
- we should stay: we should stay
Letter:
I’m at a party I don’t wanna be at
And I don’t ever wear a suit and tie
Wondering if I can sneak out the back
Nobody's even looking at me in my eyes
And then you take my hand
Finish my drink, say: Shall we dance? Hell yeah!
Y’know I love you, did I ever tell you?
You make it better like that
Don’t think I fit in at this party
Everyone's got so much to say, yeah
I always feel like I'm nobody
Who wants to fit in anyway?
'Cause I don't care
When I’m with my baby, yeah
All the bad things disappear
And you making me feel that maybe I am somebody
I can deal with the bad nights
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh)
'Cause I don't care
as long as you just hold me near
you can take me anywhere
And you making me feel like I’m loved by somebody
I can deal with the bad nights
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh)
We at a party we don’t wanna be at
Trying to talk, but we can't hear ourselves
Read your lips, I’d rather kiss ‘em right back
With all these people all around, I'm crippled with anxiety
But I'm told it's where I'm supposed to be
Do you know what?
It’s kind of crazy coz I really don’t mind
When you make it better like that
Don’t think we fit in at this party
Everyone's got so much to say, oh, yeah, yeah
When we walked in, I said: I'm sorry
But now I think that we should stay
'Cause I don't care
When I’m with my baby, yeah
All the bad things disappear
And you making me feel that maybe I am somebody
I can deal with the bad nights
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh)
oh yeah yeah yeah
'Cause I don't care
as long as you just hold me near
you can take me anywhere
And you making me feel like I’m loved by somebody
I can deal with the bad nights
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh) (no)
I don’t like nobody but you
It’s like you’re the only one here
I don’t like nobody but you
Baby I don’t care
I don’t like nobody but you
I hate everyone here
I don’t like nobody but you
baby yeah
'Cause I don't care
When I’m with my baby, yeah (oh, yeah)
All the bad things disappear
And you making me feel that maybe I am somebody (maybe I’m somebody)
I can deal with the bad nights (with the bad nights)
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh) (oh, yeah, yeah, yeah)
'Cause I don't care
As long as you just hold me near
You can take me anywhere (anywhere, anywhere)
And you making me feel like I’m loved by somebody
I can deal with the bad nights
When I’m with my baby, yeah (ooh, ooh, ooh)
Vocabulary:
- party: party
- suit: suit
- tie: tie
- better: better
- everyone: everyone
- nobody: nobody
- Anyway: anyway
- near: near
- Anywhere: Anywhere
- somebody: somebody
- lips: lips
- anxiety: anxiety
6. Every Breath You Take (The Police)
This classic by The Police is a very calm song that allows you to understand the words well, in addition to having a simple vocabulary.
We have the repetition of the term "every" which means all, all, each, each. In addition, there are a large number of verbs used in English, such as:
- take: take; to give
- make: make
- break: break
- watch: watch
- say: say
- play: play
- stay: stay
- see: see
- belong: belong
- fake: pretend
- stake: bet
- dream: dream
- look: look
- feel: feel
- keep: keep; Continue
Letter:
every breath you take
every move you make
every bond you break
every step you take
I'll be watching you
every single day
Every word you say
every game you play
every night you stay
I'll be watching you
Oh, can't you see?
you belong to me
how my poor heart aches
With every step you take
every move you make
every vow you break
Every smile you fake
every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
Since you've gone, I've been lost without a trace
I dream at night I can only see your face
I look around, but it's you I can't replace
I feel so cold and I long for your embrace
I keep crying, baby, baby, please
Oh, can't you see?
you belong to me
how my poor heart aches
With every step you take
every move you make
every vow you break
Every smile you fake
every claim you stake
I'll be watching you
every move you make
every step you take
I'll be watching you
I'll be watching you
(Every breath you take
every move you make
every bond you break
every step you take)
I'll be watching you
(every single day
Every word you say
every game you play
every night you stay)
I'll be watching you
(Every move you make
every vow you break
Every smile you fake
Every claim you stake)
I'll be watching you
(every single day
Every word you say
every game you play
every night you stay)
I'll be watching you
(Every breath you take
every move you make
every bond you break
every step you take)
I'll be watching you
(every single day
Every word you say
every game you play
every night you stay)
Vocabulary:
- Breath: sigh; breathing
- Bond: bond; link
- step: step
- poor: poor
- Aches: pains
- Vow: promise
- Claim: claim
- trace: course
- hug: hug
7. How deep is your love (Bee Gees)
This classic from the 70's is very interesting for practicing English as it is a calm song. It allows you to increase vocabulary and improve the pronunciation of words.
It can be a good possibility to understand better about some prepositions that cause a lot of doubts, such as the “in” and the “on”. In music, we have:
- I know your eyes in the morning Sun (I know your eyes in a morning sun)
- I feel you touch me in the pouring rain (I feel it touches me in a heavy rain)
- i wanna feel you in my arms again (I want to feel you in my arms again)
- keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave (Keeps me warm with your love, then gently leaves)
- 'Cause we're living in a world of fools (Because we live in a world of fools)
- you're the light in my deepest darkest hour (You are the light in my darkest and deepest hours)
- And you eat me on a summer breeze (And you come to me in a summer breeze)
Letter:
I know your eyes in the morning Sun
I feel you touch me in the pouring rain
And the moment that you wander far from me
I wanna feel you in my arms again
And you come to me on a summer breeze
Keep me warm in your love, then you softly leave
And it's me you need to show
how deep is your love
Is your love, how deep is your love?
i really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
we belong to you and me
I believe you
You know the door to my very soul
You're the light in my deepest darkest hour
You're my savior when I fall
And you may not think that I care for you
When you know down inside that I really do
And it's me you need to show
how deep is your love
Is your love, how deep is your love?
i really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
we belong to you and me
And you come to me on a summer breeze
Keep me warm in your love and then you softly leave
And it's me you need to show
how deep is your love
Is your love, how deep is your love?
i really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
we belong to you and me
how deep is your love
Is your love, how deep is your love?
i really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
we belong to you and me
how deep is your love
Is your love, how deep is your love?
i really mean to learn
'Cause we're living in a world of fools
Breaking us down
When they all should let us be
we belong to you and me
Vocabulary:
- Wander: wander
- show: show
- deep: deep
- really: really
- learn: learn
- belong: belong
- door: door
- soul: soul
- Savior: savior
- inside: inside
Don't be in doubt about this content. Read too: When to use In, On and At.
8. Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd)
This song is one of Pink Floyd's greatest classics. With a calm rhythm and a simple vocabulary, this song makes it possible to improve the pronunciation of some words and also expand the knowledge of one of the inflections of the irregular verb to be: “were”.
In the song, we have: How I wish you were here.
Letter:
So, so you think you can tell
Heaven from hell?
Blue skies from pain?
Can you tell a green field
From the cold steel rail?
A smile from a veil?
Do you think you can tell?
Did they get you to trade
Your heroes are ghosts?
Hot ashes for trees?
Hot air for a cool breeze?
Cold comfort for change?
Did you exchange
A walk on part in the war
For a lead role in a cage?
How I wish
How I wish you were here
we're just two lost souls
swimming in a fish bowl
year after year
running over the same old ground
What have we found?
the same old fears
wish you were here
Vocabulary:
- Only then
- heaven: heaven
- hell: hell
- skies: heavens
- pain: pain
- field: field
- cold: ice cream
- Steel: steel
- rail: rail
- Veil: veil, mask
- To trade: trade; to exchange
- heroes: heroes
- ghosts: ghosts
- Ashes: Ashes
- Trees: trees
- cage: cell
- fish bowl: aquarium
- Ground: ground
- Fears: fears
Know how to use the Was and the Were.
9. I'm With You (Avril Lavigne)
With a richer vocabulary, this song by Canadian singer Avril Lavigne is a good choice to study English and increase the vocabulary of the language.
It is interesting to pay attention to the present continuous conjugation, a verb tense used to indicate actions that are in progress in the present, at the time of speech. In music, we have:
- I'm standing on the bridge
- I'm waiting in the dark (I'm waiting in the dark)
- I'm listening but there's no sound (I'm listening but there's no sound)
- I'm looking for a place (I'm looking for a place)
- I'm searching out the face (I'm looking for a face)
Letter:
I'm standing on the bridge
I'm waiting in the dark
I thought you'd be here by now
There's nothing but the rain
No footsteps on the ground
I'm listening but there's no sound
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home?
it's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand?
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm looking for a place
I'm searching for a face
Is anybody here I know?
'Cause nothing's going right
And everything's a mess
And no one likes to be alone
Isn't anyone trying to find me?
Won't somebody come take me home?
it's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand?
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm with you
I'm with you, yeah, yeah
Oh, why is everything so confusing?
Maybe I'm just out of my mind
yeah yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
Yeah yeah
yeah
it's a damn cold night
Trying to figure out this life
Won't you take me by the hand?
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm with you
I'm with you
take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm with you
I'm with you
take me by the hand
Take me somewhere new
I don't know who you are
But I'm with you
I'm with you
I'm with you
Vocabulary:
- Footsteps: footprints
- Damn: damn
- To figure: understand; to discover
- right: right
- mess: mess
- Alone: alone
- Confused: confused
- mind: mind
Know all about the Present Continuous.
10. Like a Stone (Audioslave)
This classic by the band Audioslave is a good tip to better understand the pronunciation of words and increase vocabulary in the English language.
Pay attention to the verb “to like” in English which means “to like”, however, in music it is used to make a comparison (like):
- like the stone (like a stone)
- like the pagan (like a pagan)
Letter:
On a cold wet afternoon
In a room full of emptiness
By a freeway, I confess
I was lost in the pages
of a book full of death
reading how we'll die alone
And if we're good, we'll lay to rest
Anywhere we wanna go
in your house
I long to be
room by room
patiently
I'll wait for you there
like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone
And on my deathbed, I will pray
To the gods and the angels
Like a pagan, to anyone
who will take me to heaven
To a place I recall
i was there so long ago
The sky was bruised, the wine was bled
And there you led me on
in your house
I long to be
room by room
patiently
I'll wait for you there
like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone
Alone
And on I read
until the day was gone
And I sat in regret
Of all the things I've done
For all that I've been blessed
And all that I've wronged
In dreams until my death
I will wonder on
in your house
I long to be
room by room
patiently
I'll wait for you there
like a stone
I'll wait for you there
Alone
Alone
Vocabulary:
- wet: wet
- Emptiness: empty
- Freeway: road
- To rest: rest
- patiently: patiently
- deathbed: deathbed
- pray: pray
- Recall: remember
- Bruised: wounded, bruised
- wine: wine
- Bled: Bleed
- Regret: sorry
- blessed: blessed
Keep studying about the topic:
- Idioms in English
- How to learn English on your own
- 40 tongue twisters in English for you to unroll the language
- The 5 best podcasts for learning English
- Top slang in American and British English
