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 Danny Gokey

an American country music singer who became known on the 8th season of American Idol.  The song is from his 2010 debut album, “My Best Days.”

Blowing out the candles on another birthday cake
Old enough to look back and laugh at my mistakes
Young enough to look at the future and like what I see

My best days are ahead of me

Life hasn’t always been a party, but mostly it’s been good
There’s only one or two things that I’d change if I could
I don’t get lost in the past or get stuck in some sad memory, yeah

My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
But hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better
If I keep getting better, I can be whatever I want to be

My best days are ahead of me

Age ain’t nothing but a number
Sometimes I have to wonder what does it really mean
Hey, I’m still putting it together
I keep getting better
If I keep getting better, I can be whatever I want to be

My best days are ahead of me

I got sunsets to witness, dreams to dance with
Beaches to walk on, and lovers to kiss
There’s a whole lot of world out there that I can’t wait to see

My best days are ahead of me

My best days are ahead of me

Vocabulary:

look back – look into my past
party –  a lot of fun
get lost in – think too much about
stuck – not able to come out
memory – something I remember
ahead of me – in my future
ain’t nothing – isn’t anything
wonder – think about
putting it together – trying to find the meaning
whatever – anything
witness – see

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only