sung by Louis Armstrong

an American jazz musician and singer who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  He recorded this song in 1967.  It was written by Bob Thiele and George David Weiss.

Louis gives the following introduction to this song:

Some of you young folks (have) been saying to me, “Hey Pops.  What do you mean ‘what a wonderful world?’  How about all them wars all over the place?  You call them wonderful?  And how about hunger and pollution?  They ain’t so wonderful either.”  But how about listening to old Pops for a minute?  Seems to me it ain’t the world that’s so bad but what we’re doing to it, and all I’m saying is see what a wonderful world it would be if only we’d give it a chance.  Love, baby, love.  That’s the secret.  Yeah.  If lots more of us loved each other, we’d solve lots more problems, and then this world would be a gasser.  That’s why old Pops keeps saying:

Pops:  a name for an old man
ain’t:  aren’t (slang)
gasser:  something extraordinarily pleasing (old slang)

I see trees of green, red roses too.
I see them bloom for me and you.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue and clouds of white,
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky.
Are also on the faces of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands, saying, “How do you do?”
They’re really saying, “I love you.”

I hear babies cry, I watch them grow.
They’ll learn much more than I’ll never know.
And I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.

Yes, I think to myself,
What a wonderful world.
Oh, yeah!

Vocabulary:

bloom – open, become flowers
blessed – special
sacred – special

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Katy Perry

an American singer-songwriter who wrote this song with Mikkel S. Eriksen, Tor Erik Hermansen, Sandy Wilhelm and Ester Dean.  It’s from her 2010 album, Teenage Dream.

Do you ever feel like a plastic bag,
Drifting through the wind
Wanting to start again?
Do you ever feel, feel so paper thin
Like a house of cards,
One blow from caving in?

Do you ever feel already buried deep?
6 feet under screams but no one seems to hear a thing
Do you know that there’s still a chance for you
‘Cause there’s a spark in you

You just gotta ignite the light, and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

‘Cause baby you’re a firework
Come on, show ’em what you’re worth
Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh”
You’re gonna leave ’em all in awe, awe, awe

You don’t have to feel like a wasted space
You’re original, cannot be replaced
If you only knew what the future holds
After a hurricane comes a rainbow

Maybe your reason why all the doors are closed
So you could open one that leads you to the perfect road
Like a lightning bolt, your heart will glow
And when it’s time, you’ll know

You just gotta ignite the light, and let it shine
Just own the night like the 4th of July

‘Cause baby you’re a firework
Come on, show ’em what you’re worth
Make ’em go “Oh, oh, oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make ’em go “Oh, Oh, Oh”
You’re gonna leave ’em all in awe, awe, awe“

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
It’s always been inside of you, you, you
And now it’s time to let it through-ough-ough

‘Cause baby you’re a firework
Come on, show ’em what you’re worth
Make ’em go “Oh, Oh, Oh”
As you shoot across the sky-y-y

Baby, you’re a firework
Come on, let your colors burst
Make ’em go “Oh, Oh, Oh”
You’re gonna leave ’em all in awe, awe, awe

Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon
Boom, boom, boom
Even brighter than the moon, moon, moon 

Vocabulary:

plastic –  a thin clear material
drifting – moving slowl
paper thin – very thin, thin as paper
house of cards – playing cards stacked to look like a house
caving in – falling down
buried – put under the ground
screams – loud yells
spark –  a small piece of fire
gotta – got to
ignite – set on fire
4th of July – U.S. celebration of independence
you’re worth – you deserve
shoot – fly fast
burst – explode
gonna – going to
in awe – very surprised
wasted space – someone who shouldn’t be here
original – the only one like you
replaced – put someone in your place
holds – will be
hurricane – strong windy storm
rainbow – beautiful arc of light
lightning bolt – electricity shooting across the sky
glow – shine brightly
brighter – with more light
boom – the sound of fireworks exploding

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by James Taylor

an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who has won 5 Grammy Awards.  This song is from his 1976 album, In the Pocket.

You can play the game; you can act out the part
Though you know it wasn’t written for you
Tell me how do you stand there with your broken heart
Ashamed of playing the fool

When one thing can lead to another
It doesn’t take any sacrifice
Oh father and mother and sister and brother
If it feels nice, don’t think twice, just

Shower the people you love with love
Show them the way that you feel
Things are gonna turn out fine
If we only will; what I mean to say tonight is

Shower the people you love with love
Show them the way you feel
Things are gonna be much better
If we only will

You can run but you cannot hide
This is widely known
And what do you plan to do with your foolish pride
When you’re all by yourself alone?

Once you tell somebody the way that you feel
You can feel it beginning to ease
I guess it’s true what they say about the squeaky wheel
Always getting the grease; it’s better to

Shower the people you love with love
Show them the way that you feel
Things are gonna be just fine
If you only will now; what I mean to say to you is to

Shower the people you love with love
Show them the way you feel
Things are gonna be much better
If you only will

Oh, shower the people you love with love
Show them the way that you feel    (repeat)
[Enjoy the rest of the song without any words]

Vocabulary:

act out – be like an actor
part – the character an actor plays
though – but
ashamed – feeing like you’ve done something bad
playing the fool – believing it was real love when it wasn’t
lead to – take you to
sacrifice – hard work
think twice – think that you are making the wrong decision
gonna – going to
turn out – become
Lord – God
widely – by most people
foolish pride – not wanting to think you’re wrong
by yourself – with no one else
once – when
ease – get easier
squeeky wheel – a wheel that makes a lot of noise when it’s used
damn – a word you say when something is giving you a problem
grease – an oil product used to stop squeeks

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Ash Koley

the lead singer in the Canadian band of the same name with guitarist and keyboardist Phil Deschambault.  This song was released in March of 2012.

Standing up straight; I’m ten feet tall
I like this look; I love you all 
A hundred feet off the ground it seems 
That a beautiful day is gracing me

Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh 
Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh

I pull my boots up to my knees 
No coats or hats, thank you please 
I dig up dirt and I find no wrong 
All while singing a silly song

Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh 
Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh

There are no mistakes 
Up in our secret place 
We’re not just getting by 
Everything is fine

Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh 
Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh

Don’t let your feet touch ground 
And don’t look down; Oh, Oh

Vocabulary:

off – above
gracing me – making my life better
boots – shoes that come up the legs
dig up dirt – find out something bad about someone
while – at the same time
silly – ridiculous, foolish
getting by – having just enough money but no more

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only  

by Patrick Norman

a Canadian country musician from Quebec.  This is the title song from his 2006 album of the same name.

So you say you feel your foolish heart is turning upside down,
And you see your love affairs keep right on going round and round.
Don’t be blue.  You’re not the only lover longing for a friend.
Keep your faith in love, look inside your heart and you will understand.

They say it’s hard to be
In love eternally
But all broken hearts agree
Only love sets you free.

You and I, we know down deep inside life’s not a fairy tale.
We get lost and feel so helpless on a ship without a sail. 
So take care.  Don’t let your right to happiness escape my friend
Keep your faith in love, look inside your heart and you will understand.

They say it’s hard to be
In love eternally, 
But all broken hearts agree
Only love sets you free.

Like a song that makes it to the top and then just fades away
Then again someone just comes along and brings it back someday
Every time it fills your heart with those unwanted memories
Keep your faith in love, look inside your heart and you will understand.

They say it’s hard to be
In love eternally
But all broken hearts agree
Only love sets you free.

They say it’s hard to be
In love eternally
But all broken hearts agree
Only love sets you free.  

Vocabulary:

foolish – not smart, not wise
turning upside down – not feeling right
affairs – relationships
going round and round – repeating themselves, going nowhere
blue – sad
longing – really wanting
faith – belief
eternally – forever, without end
broken hearts – people whose lovers have left them
fairy tale – children’s story that always has a happy ending
helpless – unable to do anything to help
without – not having
right – something you can do without anyone’s permission
escape – go away, get away
makes it to the top – becomes very popular
fades away – disappears slowly
memories – things you remember

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Boyzone

an Irish band consisting of Keith Duffy, Stephen Gately, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating, and Shane Lynch.  The song was written in 1996 by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jim Steinman.

No matter what they tell us
No matter what they do
No matter what they teach us
What we believe is true

No matter what they call us
However they attack
No matter where they take us
We’ll find our own way back

I can’t deny what I believe
I can’t be what I’m not
I know I’ll love forever
I know, no matter what

If only tears were laughter 
If only night was day 
If only prayers were answered 
Then we would hear God say

No matter what they tell you
No matter what they do 
No matter what they teach you
What you believe is true

And I will keep you safe and strong
And sheltered from the storm
No matter where it’s barren
A dream is being born

No matter who they follow
No matter where they lead
No matter how they judge us
I’ll be everyone you need

No matter if the sun don’t shine (sun don’t shine)
Or if the skies are blue (skies are blue)
No matter what the end is
My life began with you

I can’t deny what I believe (what I believe, yeah)
I can’t be what I’m not
(I know, I know) I know this love’s forever
That’s all that matters now no matter what
No, no matter what; no, no matter what

No, no matter what
That’s all that matters to me (x7)

Vocabulary:

no matter – it doesn’t matter, it isn’t important
they – everyone else, society
however – in whatever way,  in any way
deny – say it isn’t true
prayers – wishes
sheltered – protected
barren – lifeless
they lead – they are going
judge us – think that we’re bad
matters – is important

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Beyonce Knowles

an American superstar singer who recorded this song in 2008 for her third album, “I Am… Sasha Fierce.”  She wrote this song with Ryan Tedder and Evan Bogart.

Remember those walls I built
Well, baby they’re tumbling down
And they didn’t even put up a fight
They didn’t even make a sound

I found a way to let you in
But I never really had a doubt
Standing in the light of your halo
I got my angel now

It’s like I’ve been awakened
Every rule I had you breaking
It’s the risk that I’m taking
I ain’t never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and more
It’s written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Hit me like a ray of sun
Burning through my darkest night
You’re the only one that I want
Think I’m addicted to your light

I swore I’d never fall again
But this don’t even feel like falling
Gravity can’t forget
To pull me back to the ground again

It’s like I’ve been awakened
Every rule I had you breaking
The risk that I’m taking
I’m never gonna shut you out

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can feel your halo
Pray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
Halo, halo

Everywhere I’m looking now
I’m surrounded by your embrace
Baby I can see your halo
You know you’re my saving grace

You’re everything I need and more
It’s written all over your face
Baby I can feel your halo
I pray it won’t fade away

I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo
I can feel your halo halo halo
I can see your halo halo halo

Vocabulary:

walls – walls around my heart for protection
tumbling – falling
put up a fight – try to fight
let you in –  let you into my heart
had a doubt – believed that you were not the one for me
halo – the light around your head that shows you are a good person
angel – perfect lover
awakened – woken up
risk – danger
ain’t never gonna – am not ever going to
shut you out – not be open to your love
embrace – hug
my saving grace – the person who will save me
pray – hope
fade away – disappear over time
ray – piece of light
my darkest night – worst time of my life
I’m addicted – I must have it
swore – promised myself
fall – fall in love
gravity – the force that pulls me down

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only  

by Amanda Marshall

a Canadian singer-songwriter who wrote this song with Eric Bazilian for her second album, “Tuesday’s Child”, released in 1999.

Somewhere there’s a river, looking for a stream
Somewhere there’s a dreamer, looking for a dream
Somewhere there’s a drifter, trying to find his way
Somewhere someone’s waiting to hear somebody say

I believe in you,  I can’t even count the ways that
I believe in you, and all I want to do is help you to believe in you

Somewhere someone’s reaching, trying to grab that ring
Somewhere there’s a silent voice learning how to sing
Some of us can’t move ahead, we’re paralyzed with fear
And everybody’s listening, cause we all need to hear

I believe in you, and I can’t even count the ways that
I believe in you, and all I want to do is help you to believe in you

I will hold you up, I will help you stand
I will comfort you when you need a friend
I will be the voice that’s calling I …

I believe in you and there are just so many ways that
I believe in you, baby what else can I do but believe in you
I believe in you,  all I want to know is you believe yeah believe in you

Vocabulary:

stream – small moving water that feeds a river
dream – something you want in life
drifter – someone who travels and has no home
way – path through life
ring – prize, windfall, something you want
silent – quiet, not saying anything
ahead – forward, into the future
paralyzed – unable to move
cause – because
yeah – a form of ‘yes’ [something you say when you really believe something]

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Bon Jovi

an American rock band consisting of Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Hugh McDonald, David Bryan, and Tico Torres.  This song was written by Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora and Max Martin for their album, “Crush,” released in 2000.

This ain’t a song for the broken hearted
A silent prayer for faith departed
And I ain’t gonna be just a face in the crowd
You’re gonna hear my voice when I shout it out loud

It’s my life
It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frank, he said “I did it my way“
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life

This is for ones who stood their ground
For Tommy and Gina who never back down
Tomorrow’s getting harder make no mistake
Luck, it ain’t enough, you gotta make your own breaks

It’s my life
It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frank, he said “I did it my way“
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life

Better stand tall when it’s calling you out
Don’t bend, don’t break baby, don’t back down

It’s my life
It’s now or never
‘Cause I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frank, he said “I did it my way“
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life
It’s now or never
I ain’t gonna live forever
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life
My heart is like an open highway
Like Frank, he said “I did it my way“
I just want to live while I’m alive
It’s my life

Vocabulary:

ain’t – isn’t
broken hearted – people whose hearts have been broken by a love affair that ended
prayer – a communication with God
faith – belief in someone
departed – gone
gonna – going to
shout – say very loudly
out loud – so other people can hear
want to live – want to have a good life full of experience
Frank – Frank Sinatra, who say sang a song called “I Did It My Way”
I did it my way – I lived my life the way I wanted
ones – people
stood their ground – didn’t let other people tell them what to do
Tommy and Gina – a fictional, working-class couple
back down – refuse to fight
gotta – have got to
make your own breaks – do what’s necessary to be successful
better stand tall – you’d better get ready for action
it’s calling you out – the time comes to do something

Notes:

As Jon Bon Jovi later wrote:
When I was writing “It’s My Life,” I thought I was writing very self-indulgently about my own life and where I was in it.  I didn’t realize that the phrase “It’s My Life” would be taken as being about everyone–by teenagers, by older guys, mechanics, whatever.  “It’s my life, and I’m taking control”.  Everyone kind of feels that way from time to time.

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only  

by Natasha Bedingfield

a British singer and songwriter.  This song comes from her second album of the same title, published in 2008.  She wrote the song with American songwriters Danielle Brisebois and John Shanks.

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love and I know that it’s all mine, oh, oh oh oh
Do what you want but you’re never gonna break me
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, oh, oh oh oh

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love and I know that it’s all mine, oh, oh oh oh
Wish that you could but you ain’t gonna own me
Do anything you want, you can’t slow me down, oh no

Take me away, a secret place
A sweet escape, take me away
Take me away to better days
Take me away, a hiding place

I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine
I got a love and I know that it’s all mine, oh, oh oh oh
Do what you want but you’re never gonna break me
Sticks and stones are never gonna shake me, oh, oh oh oh

Take me away, a secret place
A sweet escape, take me away
Take me away to better days
Take me away, a hiding place

There’s a place that I go that nobody knows
Where the rivers flow and I call it home
And there’s no more lies, in the darkness there’s light
And nobody cries, there’s only butterflies

Take me away, a secret place
A sweet escape, take me away
Take me away to better days
Take me away, a hiding place

Take me away, a secret place
A sweet escape, take me away
Take me away to better days
Take me away, a hiding place

The sun is on my side and takes me for a ride
I smile up to the sky, I know I’ll be alright
The sun is on my side and takes me for a ride
I smile up to the sky, I know I’ll be alright

Vocabulary:

pocket – a bag or pouch sewn into your clothes where you carry small things
pocketful – a full pocket, a lot
gonna – going to
ain’t – are not
escape – a place that’s away from your usual life
lies – words that are not the truth
butterflies – beautiful insects, beauty in general
on my side – helping me, supporting me
alright – okay

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only