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 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

by Vanessa Hudgens

an American actress and singer. She became famous playing Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series.  This song, originally sung by Tammin Sursock,  is from her album V , released in early October 2006.

Sometimes I feel like I’m a bird with broken wings
At times I dread my now and envy where I’ve been
But that’s when quiet wisdom takes control
At least I’ve got a story no one’s told

I finally learned to say whatever will be will be
I’ve learned to take the good, the bad and breathe
‘Cause although we like to know what life’s got planned
No one knows if shooting stars will land

These days it feels naïve to put your faith in hope
To imitate a child falling backwards on the snow
‘Cause that’s when fears will usually lead you blind
But now I try to under-analyze

I finally learned to say whatever will be will be
I’ve learned to take the good, the bad and breathe
‘Cause although we like to know what life’s got planned
No one knows if shooting stars will land

Is the rope I walk wearing thin
Is the life I love caving in?
Is the weight on your mind
A heavy black bird caged inside?

Say whatever will be will be
Take the good, the bad just breathe
‘Cause although we like to know what life’s got planned
No one knows if shooting stars will land

I finally learned to say whatever will be will be
I’ll learn to take the good, the bad and breathe
‘Cause although we like to know what life’s got planned
Things like that are never in your hands
No one knows if shooting stars will land

Vocabulary:

dread:  hate
envy:  want to have
wisdom:  good thinking
whatever:  anything, everything
’cause:  because
shooting stars:  meteorites
land:  hit the ground
naive:  stupid
faith:  belief
imitate:  copy, do the same as
blind:  not able to see
under-analyze:  not think about very much
wearing thin:  getting dangerous
caving in:  being destroyed
caged:  trapped
in your hands:  under your control

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Jordin Sparks

an American singer and actress.  In 2007, she rose to fame after winning the sixth season of American Idol at age 17.  She was the youngest winner ever on that TV show.

There was a time I packed my dreams away
Living in a shell, hiding from myself

There was a time when I was so afraid
I thought I’d reached the end
Baby that was then
But I am made of more than my yesterdays

This is my now, and I am breathing in the moment
As I look around, I can’t believe the love I see
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubt
That was then, this is my now.

And I have the courage like never before, yeah
I’ve settled for less, now I’m ready for more
Ready for more

This is my now, and I am breathing in the moment
As I look around, I can’t believe the love I see
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubt
That was then, this is my now

I can’t believe the love I see
My fears behind me, gone are the shadows and doubt
That was then, this is my now.

This is my now

Vocabulary:

in a shell:  without showing any emotions
behind me:  not effecting me anymore, in my past
shadows:  bad things that could happen
doubt:  not believing in herself
courage:  willingness to do something scary
settled for:  gotten comfortable with

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

sung by Dionne Warwick with Elton John, Gladys Knight & Stevie Wonder.

This song was written by Burt Bacharach and Carole Bayer Sager.  It was recorded in 1985 as a benefit song for the American Foundation for AIDS Research, which raised over $3 million dollars for that cause.