by Pink

whose real name is Alecia Beth Moore, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress.  Pink has sold over 47 million albums worldwide.  She has won 3 Grammy Awards and 7 MTV Video Music Awards.  In 2009, Billboard named her the Pop Songs Artist of the Decade.

Vocabulary:

by Whitney Houston

an American singer, actress, producer, and model. In 2009, she was the most awarded female act of all-time according to the Guinness World Records.  Houston is one of pop music’s best-selling artists ever with between 170 and 200 million records sold worldwide.  This song was written by composers Michael Masser (music) and Linda Creed (lyrics).  It was originally recorded in 1977 by  American singer and guitarist George Benson.  It was re-recorded in 1985 by Whitney Houston.

I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody’s searching for a hero
People need someone to look up to
I never found anyone who fulfilled my needs
A lonely place to be
And so I learned to depend on me

I decided long ago never to walk in anyone’s shadows
If I fail, if I succeed at least I’ll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all inside of me
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all

I believe the children are our future
Teach them well and let them lead the way
Show them all the beauty they possess inside
Give them a sense of pride to make it easier
Let the children’s laughter remind us how we used to be

I decided long ago never to walk in anyone’s shadows
If I fail, if I succeed at least I’ll live as I believe
No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity
Because the greatest love of all is happening to me
I found the greatest love of all inside of me
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself
It is the greatest love of all

And if, by chance, that special place
That you’ve been dreaming of
Leads you to a lonely place
Find your strength in love

Vocabulary:

lead the way: be the leaders
possess:  have
sense of pride:  feeling of being proud
used to be:  were when we were young
searching for:  trying to find
look up to:  admire
fulfilled my needs:  gave me what I needed
depend on me:  do things for myself
walk in anyone’s shadows:  think of myself as being less than anyone else
dignity:  feeling of being equal to anyone
achieve:  get
strength:  power

by Des’ree, whose full name is Desiree Annette Weeks, a British singer and songwriter of the 1990s and early 2000s.  This song, which was cowritten with her producer Ashley Ingram, is from her second album I Ain’t Movin’, released in 1994.

Listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears, go ahead release your fears
Stand up and be counted, don’t be ashamed to cry

You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Herald what your mother said, read the books your father read
Try to solve the puzzles in your own sweet time
Some may have more cash than you, others take a different view
My oh my, heh, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Life asks no questions, it goes on without you
Leaving you behind if you can’t stand the pace
The world keeps on spinning, you can’t stop it, if you try to
This time it’s danger staring you in the face

Remember, listen as your day unfolds, challenge what the future holds
Try and keep your head up to the sky
Lovers, they may cause you tears, go ahead release your fears
My oh my, heh, hey, hey

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day

Got to be bold, got to be bad
Got to be wise, not ever sad
Got to be hard, not too too hard
All I know love will save the day

You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together

Vocabulary:

unfolds:  happens over time
challenge:  don’t accept
release:  let go of, don’t keep
be counted:  be known for who you are
ashamed:  embarrassed
gotta:  have got to, must
bold:  brave
wiser:  smarter
tough:  unable to be hurt
cool:  unemotional, not letting things bother you
stay together:  not become crazy
herald:  repeat
puzzles:  problems, difficulties
cash:  money
goes on:  continues (idiom)
pace:  speed, quickness
spinning:  turning round and round
staring:  looking at for a long time

by Alessia Cara

She just wants to be beautiful
She goes unnoticed; she knows no limits
She craves attention; she praises an image
She prays to be sculpted by the sculptor
Oh, she don’t see the light that’s shining
Deeper than the eyes can find it
Maybe we have made her blind
So she tries to cover up her pain
And cut her woes away
‘Cause covergirls don’t cry
After their face is made

But there’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh

And you don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful

Now she has dreams to be an envy, so she’s starving
You know, “covergirls eat nothing”
She says “beauty is pain and there’s beauty in everything”
“What’s a little bit of hunger?”
“I could go a little while longer”, she fades away
And she don’t see her perfect, she don’t understand she’s worth it
Or that beauty goes deeper than the surface
Ah oh, ah ah oh
So to every girl that’s hurting
Let me be your mirror, help you see a little bit clearer
The light that shines within

There’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh

And you don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful

[Repeat after me, ready]
No better you than the you that you are
(No better you than the you that you are)
No better life than the life we’re living
(No better life than the life we’re living)
No better time for your shine, you’re a star
(No better time for your shine, you’re a star)
Oh, you’re beautiful, oh, you’re beautiful

There’s a hope that’s waiting for you in the dark
You should know you’re beautiful just the way you are
And you don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh
You don’t have to change a thing
The world could change it’s heart
No scars to your beautiful
We’re stars and we’re beautiful

Vocabulary:

unnoticed:  without anyone seeing her
craves:  really wants and needs
attention:  other people looking at her
praises: admires, says good things about
image:  a picture (of her perfect self)
prays:  asks God
sculpted:  formed, changed
sculptor:  plastic surgeon (doctor who changes your body)
deeper:  more inside the body
cover up:  hide
woes:  sad feelings, troubles
’cause:  because
covergirls:  beautiful women whose pictures are in magazines
made:  created by makeup
heart:  feelings
scars:  permanent marks on the body where there’s been a cut
envy:  someone people want to look like
starving:  not eating much
pain:  something that hurts
fades away:  gets smaller and smaller
worth it:  deserves a good life

by Suzie McNeil

a Canadian pop star singer and songwriter. In 2005 she began pursuing a musical career and released her debut album, Broken& Beautiful, on April 10, 2007.  Its second single, “Believe”was re-recorded with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in support of Canada’s Own the Podium campaign, and served as the official anthem of the Canadian team for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

One minute’s fading, one minute’s past
But I’ve got this moment to make it all last
I’m standing before you taking my chance
On everything
I never thought that I could be
‘Cause you can do almost anything

If you just believe
You can move mountains with dreams
The higher you climb, the better it gets
‘Cause you will see things you’ll never forget
If you just believe

It’s like I’m falling through my own fears
They used to haunt me, but now they’re not here
There’s no looking back, my future is clear
No giving up
And I’m holding on when it gets rough
‘Cause you can get through most anything

If you just believe
You can move mountains with dreams
The higher you climb, the better it gets
‘Cause you will see things you’ll never forget
If you just believe

No one says it’s easy
And no one says you have to be perfect
But as long as you try
You’re always gonna find it was worth it

If you just believe
You can move mountains with dreams
The higher you climb, the better it gets
‘Cause you will see things you’ll never forget

If you just believe
You can move mountains with dreams
If you just believe
You can move mountains with dreams
If you just believe

Vocabulary:

fading:  coming to an end
last:  continue
’cause:  because
haunt:  be with constantly
looking back:  remembering the past  (idiom)
giving up:  quitting  (idiom)
holding on:  continuing
rough:  difficult
as long as:  if
gonna:  going to
worth it:  valuable

by Nico & Vinz

an African-Norwegian singing and songwriting pair composed of Kahouly Nicolay “Nico” Sereba and Vincent “Vinz” Dery. They formed the group Envy in 2009 in Oslo, Norway, but changed their name to Nico & Vinz in January, 2014, after the international success of this song.

Am I wrong for thinking out the box from where I stay?
Am I wrong for saying that I choose another way?
I ain’t trying to do what everybody else * doing
Just cause everybody * doing what they all do
If one thing I know, I’ll fall but I’ll grow
I’m walking down this road of mine, this road that I call home

So am I wrong?
For thinking that we could be something for real?
Now am I wrong?
For trying to reach the things that I can’t see?
But that’s just how I feel,
That’s just how I feel
That’s just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can’t see

Am I tripping for having a vision?
My prediction: I’ma be on the top of the world
Walk your walk and don’t look back, always do what you decide
Don’t let them control your life, that’s just how I feel
Fight for yours and don’t let go, don’t let them compare you, no
Don’t worry, you’re not alone, that’s just how we feel

Am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For thinking that we could be something for real?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah oh)
Now am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For trying to reach the things that I can’t see?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah)
That’s just how I feel,
That’s just how I feel
That’s just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can’t see

If you tell me I’m wrong, wrong
I don’t wanna be right, right
If you tell me I’m wrong, wrong
I don’t wanna be right

Now if you tell me I’m wrong, wrong
I don’t wanna be right, right
If you tell me I’m wrong, wrong
I don’t wanna be right

Am I wrong?
For thinking that we could be something for real?
Now am I wrong?
For trying to reach the things that I can’t see?
But that’s just how I feel,
That’s just how I feel
That’s just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can’t see

So am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For thinking that we could be something for real?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah oh)
Now am I wrong? (Am I wrong?)
For trying to reach the things that I can’t see?
(Oh yeah yeah yeah)
That’s just how I feel,
That’s just how I feel
That’s just how I feel
Trying to reach the things that I can’t see

Vocabulary:

out the box:  different from what is normal (outside of the box)
ain’t:  am not (slang)
* :    “is” is missing
for real:  that’s true
reach:  get
tripping:  having unreal expectations (slang)
vision:  dream of what could be
prediction:  guess for the future
I’ma:  I’m gonna (I’m going to) (slang)
Walk your walk:  make your own life
compare you:  say you’re worse than others

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Elvis Presley

an American singer and actor (1935 – 1977), regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century.  He is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll.”  This song was written by Walter Earl Brown for the grand finale on NBC’s Comeback Special “Elvis,” which aired in June, 1968.  Although Elvis didn’t write the song, it reflected his discouragement over the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can’t my dream come true
Oh why?

There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why won’t that sun appear

We’re lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We’re trapped in a world
That’s troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart there’s a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer’s (answer’s) gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there’s a beckoning candle, yeah
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah

Vocabulary:

got to:  there’s got to
strong winds:  a large movement for change
doubt:  disbelief
warmer sun:  better time
cloud:   a place where we can’t see
rain:  bad things happening
trapped:  unable to escape
as long as:  while
redeem his soul:  make things right with himself
trembling:  frightening
gonna:  going to
somehow:  in some way
beckoning:  attracting, inviting

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Nickelback

a Canadian rock band which formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta.  The band is lead by vocalist Chad Kroeger and includes vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair, who replaced Ryan Vikedal in 2005.  Nickelback is one of the most successful Canadian bands, selling more than 50 million albums worldwide.

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day’s a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try
So live like you’ll never live it twice
Don’t take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
And would you call old friends you never see
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life
Let nothing stand in your way
‘Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
And would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day

Vocabulary:

given right:  something that’s yours and no one can take away
Leave no stone unturned:  look at all the possibilitie
path less traveled:  a way of life that’s all yours
stride:  step
like:  as if it was
donate:  give away
dime:  piece of money
against the grain:  not doing what everyone else is doing
what’s worth the prize is always worth the fight:  if the reward is good, then you should fight for it
counts:  is important
free ride:  the kind of life where you don’t have to try very hard
reminisce:  remember and talk about
forgive:  release bad feelings
enemies:  people who have hurt you
one:  one person
swear up and down:  sincerely promise
make your mark:  do something important and be remembered
mending:  fixing
shoot for the stars:  try to do something that you don’t think you can do
regardless of:  it doesn’t matter
whatever it takes:  everything that’s necessary to do
rewind:  go back and do again

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

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