by Irene Cara

This song was co-written by Giorgio Moroder, Keith Forsey and Irene Cara for the 1983 movie Flashdance.  That year it won the Academy Award for Best Original Song, the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

First, when there’s nothing but a slow glowing dream
That your fear seems to hide deep inside your mind
All alone I have cried silent tears full of pride
In a world made of steel, made of stone

Well I hear the music, close my eyes, feel the rhythm
Wrap around, take a hold of my heart

What a feeling, being’s believing
I can have it all, now I’m dancing for my life
Take your passion, and make it happen
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life

Now I hear the music, close my eyes, I am rhythm
In a flash it takes hold of my heart

What a feeling, being’s believing
I can have it all, now I’m dancing for my life
What a feeling

What a feeling (I am music now), being’s believing (I am rhythm now)
Pictures come alive, you can dance right through your life
What a feeling (I can really have it all)
What a feeling (Pictures come alive when I call)
I can have it all (I can really have it all)
Have it all (Pictures come alive when I call)
(call, call, call, call)

Vocabulary:

glowing:  shining
pride:  a feeling of your own worth (adjective = proud)
steel:  a very hard metal
rhythm:  the beat of the music
wrap:  enclose, surround
passion:  the thing that you must do to have a complete life
flash:  a very short time, instant

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Serena Ryder

a Canadian singer and songwriter.  This song was the official song of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games.

Whoa, whoa, whoa
Yeah

We are one
We are beautiful
It’s undeniable
We are all the same
Who’s to say
What is right or wrong
Cause we all belong
United we stand

We’re strong when we walk together
Together we can sing much louder
Louder than any voice alone
With the strength of a thousand soldiers
We can climb any mountain higher
Higher, higher

Stand up
Together put your hands up
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Sing with me
To the rhythm of your heart beat
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one

It’s true
There is no obstacle
We are unstoppable
No power can divide
One foot in front of the other
One hand in another
The miracle of one

We’re strong when we walk together
Together we can sing much louder
Louder than any voice alone
With the strength of a thousand soldiers
We can climb any mountain higher
Higher, higher, higher

Stand up
Together put your hands up
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Sing with me
To the rhythm of your heart beat
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one

We are one
We are beautiful
We are strong
We are one
We are one
We are beautiful
We are strong
We are one

Stand up
Together put your hands up
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Sing with me
To the rhythm of your heart beat
You’re not alone
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one
Whoa, whoa, whoa
Together we are one

Vocabulary:

undeniable:  the truth
cause:  because
united:  together
strength:  power
rhythm:  beat
obstacle:  something that stops you
miracle:  an event you can’t explain

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Pink

an American singer and songwriter, whose non-stage name is Alecia Beth Moore.  This song is from her album “Greatest Hits…So Far,” released on December 14, 2010.  It was co-written by Max Martin and Shellback.

Made a wrong turn once or twice
Dug my way out blood and fire
Bad decisions, that’s alright
Welcome to my silly life

Mistreated, Misplaced, Misunderstood
Miss no way, it’s all good, it didn’t slow me down
Mistaken, always second guessing
Underestimated, look I’m still around

Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel
Like you’re less than, less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please if you ever, ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you are perfect to me

You’re so mean when you talk
About yourself, you are wrong
Change the voices in your head
Make them like you instead

So complicated, look how big you’ll make it
Filled with so much hatred, such a tired game
It’s enough, I’ve done all I can think of
Chased down all my demons, see you do the same

Oh, oh, pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever ever feel
Like you’re less than, less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you are perfect to me

The whole world stares so I swallow my fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in lying and we tried, tried, tried
But we tried to hard, it’s a waste of my time

Done looking for the critics ’cause they’re everywhere
They don’t like my jeans, they don’t get my hair
Strange ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that? Why do I do that? Why do I do that?

Yeah, oh, oh, pretty, pretty, pretty
Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel
Like you’re less than, less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you are perfect to me, yeah

You’re perfect, you’re perfect to me
Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel
Like you’re less than, less than perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever ever feel
Like you’re nothing, you are perfect to me

Vocabulary:

wrong turn:  bad choice in life
blood and fire:  very bad situations
silly:  imperfect
second guessing:  thinking your first decision was wrong
underestimated:  not thought by others that you’re good enough
mean:  not nice, nasty
hatred:  hating yourself
demons:  things that frighten her or make her feel bad
cool in:  okay with
critics:  people whose jobs are to say what they think is good or bad.
strange:  not knowing

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by John Legend

an American singer, songwriter and actor who has won nine Grammy Awards, one Golden Globe and one Academy Award.  This song was written in 1986 by Billy Sternberg and Tom Kelly.

You with the sad eyes don’t be discouraged
Oh I realize it’s hard to take courage
In a world full of people you can lose sight of it all
And the darkness inside you can make you feel so small

But I see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow

Show me a smile then don’t be unhappy
Can’t remember when I last saw you laughing
If this world makes you crazy and you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up ‘cause you know I’ll be there

And I’ll see your true colors shining through
I see your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow

If this world makes you crazy and you’ve taken all you can bear
You call me up ‘cause you know I’ll be there

And I’ll see your true colors shining through
See your true colors and that’s why I love you
So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors are beautiful like a rainbow

So don’t be afraid to let them show
True colors, true colors, true colors
True colors are beautiful like a rainbow

Vocabulary:

discouraged:  feeling like you can’t do something
courage:  braveness, ability to face danger
lose sight of it all:  forget your goals
all you can bear:  as much pain as you can handle

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by James Taylor

an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who has won five Grammy Awards.  He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000.  This song, written by Carole King, was recorded in 1971 on his album Mud Slide Slim and became his first #1 hit.

When you’re down and troubled
and you need a helping hand
and nothing whoa nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
and soon I will be there
to brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name
and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running oh yeah baby
to see you again
Winter spring summer or fall
all you have to do is call
and I’ll be there yeah yeah yeah.
You’ve got a friend.

If the sky above you
should turn dark and full of clouds
and that old north wind should begin to blow
Keep your head together
and call my name out loud
and soon I will be knocking upon your door

You just call out my name
and you know where ever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer or fall
all you got to do is call
and I’ll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Hey, ain’t it good to know that you’ve got a friend?
When people can be so cold.
They’ll hurt you and desert you.
Well, they’ll take your soul if you let them.
Oh yeah, but don’t you let them.

You just call out my name
and you know wherever I am
I’ll come running to see you again.
Oh babe, don’t you know that
Winter spring summer or fall,
Hey now, all you’ve got to do is call.
Lord, I’ll be there, yes I will.
You’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
Ain’t it good to know you’ve got a friend.
You’ve got a friend.

Vocabulary:

whoa:  [an expression of emphasis or importance]
brighten up:  make happier
keep your head together:  stay calm (old idiom)
ain’t:  isn’t (slang)
cold:  unfriendly
desert:  leave
soul:  spirit

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Neil Diamond

an American singer-songwriter and musician.   Since he started singing in the 1960s, Neil has sold over 100 million records worldwide.  Diamond was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1984 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.  This song was co-written in 1982 by Neil Diamond, Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.

Come back again
I want you to stay next time
‘Cause sometimes this world ain’t kind
When people get lost like you and me

I just made a friend
A friend is someone you need
But now that he had to go away
I still hear the words that he might say

Turn on your heartlight
Let it shine wherever you go
Just let it make a happy glow
For all the world to see

Turn on your heartlight
In the middle of a young boy’s dream
Don’t wake me up too soon
We’re gonna take a ride across the moon
You and me

He’s looking for home
Yea ’cause everyone needs a place
And home’s the most excellent place of all
And I’ll be right here if you should call me

Turn on your heartlight
Let it shine wherever you go
Just let it make a happy glow
For all the world to see

Turn on your heartlight
In the middle of a young boy’s dream
Don’t wake me up too soon
We’re gonna take a ride across the moon

Turn on you heartlight now
Turn on you heartlight now
Turn on you heartlight now

Vocabulary:

’cause:  because
ain’t:  isn’t (slang)
glow:  shine like a light
gonna:  going to

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Shawn Mendes

a Canadian singer-songwriter who was discovered online by artist manager Andrew Gertler in January 2014, signing him to Island Records.  He released this song as his first single in June 2014.  A month before his 16th birthday, this song debuted in the top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it to number 24 for the week ending July 12, 2014

I love it when you just don’t care
I love it when you dance like there’s nobody there
So when it gets hard, don’t be afraid
We don’t care what them people say
I love it when you don’t take no
I love it when you do what you want ’cause you just said so
Let them all go home, we out late
We don’t care what them people say

We don’t have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I’m telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party

Together we can just let go
Pretend like there’s no one else here that we know
Slow dance fall in love as the club track plays
We don’t care what them people say

We don’t have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I’m telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party

Come out tonight, come out tonight
There’s no one standing in your way
Come out tonight, come out tonight
We don’t care what them people say
We don’t care what them people say

We don’t have to be ordinary
Make your best mistakes
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party
I’m telling you to take your shot it might be scary
Hearts are gonna break
‘Cause we don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party

Yeah, yeah, yeah
Life of the party
So don’t let them keep you down
Oh you know you can’t give up
We don’t have the time to be sorry
So baby be the life of the party

Vocabulary:

them people:  those people [bad grammar]
don’t take no:  don’t stop when someone says no
’cause:  because [slang]
we out:  we are out [slang]
the life of the party:  someone who has fun
take your shot:  do what you want
gonna:  going to [slang]]
let go:  not care
track:  music
keep you down:  stop you from enjoying yourself
give up:  quit

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Bob Marley

a Jamaican singer-songwriter, musician, and guitarist who helped make reggae music popular around the world.  This song was released in 1977 on his album “Exodus.”  It was re-released in 1980 as a single and quickly became one of his most popular songs.

Don’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singing don’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

Rise up this morning, smile with the rising sun,
Three little birds, each by my doorstep
Singing sweet songs of melodies pure and true,
Saying this is my message to you-ou-ou

Singing don’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right.
Singing don’t worry (don’t worry) about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right!

Rise up this morning, smile with the rising sun,
Three little birds, each by my doorstep
Singin’ sweet songs of melodies pure and true,
Saying this is my message to you-ou-ou

Baby, don’t worry about a thing, (worry about a thing, oh)
Every little thing gonna be all right  (Don’t worry)
Singing don’t worry about a thing  (I won’t worry)
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right.

Baby, don’t worry about a thing,
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right  (Don’t worry)
Singing don’t worry about a thing  (I won’t worry)
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right  (gonna be all right)
Baby, don’t worry about a thing  (oh no)
‘Cause every little thing gonna be all right! (gonna be all right)

Vocabulary:

’cause:  because
gonna:  is going to
rise up:  get out of bed, get up
melodies:  groups of musical notes that form a unit of music

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Virginia to Vegas, featuring Alyssa Reid

Virginia To Vegas is Derik Baker, a 24-year old singer and songwriter from small-town Ontario, Canada.  Based in Toronto, Derik was discovered on YouTube by Canadian Indie label Wax Records in 2013.  This song was released in January of 2014 and features Alyssa Reid, who at age 15 first appeared on YTV’s 2008 singing competition “The Next Star.”  She is also a Toronto-based singer and songwriter.

Everything’s so small when you’re on top of the world
It’s hard to understand what’s still yet to unfold
Pretending to be who you’re not is a waste of what you’ve got
Keep dreaming, keep dreaming, keep dreaming
Keep on, keep believing

We are the kings and queens of hearts that break
We may fall in between the cracks
Living life like it’s just a game of blackjack
I don’t know how but we always find our way back

Looking back when I was just a little girl
With a big dream living in a lonely world
It seems life is impossible
So believe that you‘re unstoppable, hey!

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are into loving

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are built for loving

O-o-oh oh oh oh oh
O-o-oh oh oh oh oh oh [x4]

It’s hard to see the light when you’re caught up in your life
You’re scared and insecure ’cause now it’s fight or flight
Can’t think of giving up
You don’t know how much you’re loved
Keep dreaming, keep dreaming, keep dreaming
Keep on, keep believing

We are the kings and queens of hearts that break
We may fall in between the cracks
Living life like it’s just a game of blackjack
I don’t know how but we always find our way back

Looking back when I was just a little girl
With a big dream living in a lonely world
It seems life is impossible
So believe that you‘re unstoppable, hey!

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are into loving

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are built for loving

O-o-oh oh oh oh oh
O-o-oh oh oh oh oh oh [x4]

We are stars, we are stars, we are stars, we are stars

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are into loving

We are stars and
We are open-hearted
We are lovers
We are built for loving

O-o-oh oh oh oh oh
O-o-oh oh oh oh oh oh [x4]

Vocabulary:

unfold:  happen in the future
fall in between the cracks:  become hopeless
blackjack:  a game of chance
‘re unstoppable:  can’t be stopped by anything
caught up in:  concentrating too much on
insecure:  feeling unsafe
flight:  running away
giving up:  stopping trying to win

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Ben Lee

an Australian musician and actor.  He began his career as a musician at the age of 14 with the Sydney band Noise Addict, which broke up in 1995.  He has released nine solo studio albums since that time.  This song is from his fifth album, Awake is the New Sleep.

Woke up this morning, I suddenly realized
We’re all in this together
I started smiling ‘cause you were smiling
And we’re all in this together

I’m made of atoms, you’re made of atoms
And we’re all in this together
And long division just doesn’t matter
‘Cause we’re all in this together

I saw you walking in the city
We’re all in this together
The city’s changing ‘cause we are changing
And we’re all in this together

Every twelve seconds someone remembers
That we’re all in this together
In the kitchen of your rent-control apartment
We’re all in this together

C’mon baby
I don’t mean to rush you
I only wanted to reach out and touch you
I’ve got to start to open my heart

I know you think about jumping ship before it sinks
But we’re all in this together
Ask a scientist, it’s quantum physics
We’re all in this together

And on the subway we feel like strangers
But we’re all in this together
Yeah I love you, and you love her, and she loves him
But we’re all in this together

You know, baby
There’s never been protection
In all the history of human connection
Come on darling
It’s alright to show me
You don’t ever need to be lonely
Once you start to open your heart

I saw you crying, I started crying
‘Cause we’re all in this together
And then religion, it’s a big decision
But we’re all in this together, yeah

We are all in this together
We’re all in this together
We’re all in this together
We’re all in this together …

Vocabulary:

realized:  knew for the first time
this:  this life experience
‘cause:  because
atoms:  tiny, tiny particles that are in everything
long division:  an old way of dividing one number into another
doesn’t matter:  isn’t important
rent-control:  cheap rent controlled by the government
c’mon / come on:  do this
rush you:  make you go faster
jumping ship before it sinks:  getting out of something before it ends
quantum physics:  a science that tells us that everything is waves and possibilities
subway:  underground train
protection:  safety
once:  when

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only