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.

by Colbie Caillat

an American pop singer-songwriter and acoustic guitarist from Malibu, California. This song is from her 5th album, Gypsy Heart, released in September, 2014.

Put your make-up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you,
Do they like you?

Get your sexy on,
Don’t be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want,
To belong so they like you
Do you like you?

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
You don’t have to try

Get your shopping on
At the mall
Max your credit cards
You don’t have to choose
Buy it all so they like you
Do they like you?

Wait a second
why should you care
what they think of you?
When you’re all alone by yourself
Do you like you?
Do you like you?

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
You don’t have to try

You don’t have to try so hard
You don’t have to give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don’t have to change a single thing

You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try, try, try, try
You don’t have to try
You don’t have to try

Take your make-up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror at yourself
Don’t you like you?
Cause I like you

Vocabulary

nails:  fingernails
curl:  make curly
the extra mile:  more than you think is necessary
slim:  with no fat, slender, thin
get your sexy on:  dress so that men look at you
give it all away:  lose your identity
max:  charge up to your maximum
credit cards:  Mastercard, Visa, etc.

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Michael Buble

a Canadian singer, songwriter and actor who has won several awards, including four Grammy Awards and many Juno Awards.  The song was written in 1964 by English songwriters Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse.  Buble recorded this song for his album “It’s Time,” released in April, 2005.

Birds flying high, you know how I feel
Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
Breeze drifting on by, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn; it’s a new day; it’s a new life for me
And I’m feeling good.  I’m feeling good

Fish in the sea, you know how I feel
River running free, you know how I feel
Blossom on a tree, you know how I feel
It’s a new dawn; it’s a new day; it’s a new life for me
And I’m feeling good

Dragonfly out in the sun, you know what I mean, don’t you know
Butterflies all having fun, you know what I mean
Sleep in peace when day is done, that’s what I mean
And this old world is a new world and a bold world for me
For me

Stars when you shine, you know how I feel
Scent of the pine, you know how I feel
Oh freedom is mine, and I know how I feel
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life
It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life
It’s a new life for me and I’m feeling good
I’m feeling good.  I feel so good
I feel so good

Vocabulary:

breeze:  soft wind
drifting:  moving slowly
dawn:  new beginning (of a day)
blossom:  flower on a tree
dragonfly:  insect with four wings
butterflies:  flying insects with beautiful colors on their wings
peace:  without problems
bold:  anything is possible
scent:  nice smell
pine:  an evergreen tree

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by John Denver

an American singer-songwriter and actor who was among the most beloved entertainers of his time.  He wrote over 200 songs in his career.  This song is from his 1971 album  entitled Poems, Prayers and Promises.

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a day that I could give you
I’d give to you a day just like today
If I had a song that I could sing for you
I’d sing a song to make you feel this way

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a tale that I could tell you
I’d tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I’d make a wish for sunshine all the while

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

Sunshine almost all the time makes me high
Sunshine almost always

Vocabulary:

lovely:  pretty, beautiful
high:  happy
tale:  story
while:  time

by John Denver

an American singer and songwriter who became one of the most popular artist of the 1970s.  He was a humanitarian and environmentalist who loved nature and the outdoors.  This is the title song from his 7th album entitled “Farewell Andromeda” released in 1973.

Welcome to my morning, welcome to my day.
I’m the one responsible, I made it just this way.
To make myself some pictures, see what they might bring.
I think I made it perfectly, I wouldn’t change a thing.

La la la, la la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la la.

Welcome to my happiness, you know it makes me smile.
It pleases me to have you here for just a little while.
While we open up the spaces and try to break some chains.
And if the truth is told they will never come again.

La la la, la la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la la.

Welcome to my evening, the closing of the day,
I could try a million times and never find a better way
to tell you that I love you and all the songs I play
are to thank you for allowing me inside this lovely day.

Welcome to my morning, welcome to my day.
I’m the one responsible, I made it just this way.
To make myself some pictures, see what they might bring.
I think I made it perfectly, I wouldn’t change a thing.

La la la, la la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la la.
La la la, la la la la la la. La la la, la la la la la la.

Vocabulary:

responsible:  the cause of something happening
perfectly:  with no mistakes
pleases me:  makes me happy
while:  time
chains:  things that keep you from freedom
allowing:  letting
lovely:  beautiful

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Anna Nalick

an American singer/songwriter born and raised in California.   This is the title song from her second album, which was released March 25, 2008.

Oh, the night makes you a star
And it holds you cold in its arms
You’re the one to whom nobody verses “I love you”
Unless you say it first
So you lie there, holding your breath
And it’s strange how soon you forget
That you’re like stars, they only show up when it’s dark
‘Cause they don’t know their worth

And I think you need to stop following misery‘s lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away

Isn’t it time you got over
How fragile you are
We’re all waiting, waiting on your supernova
‘Cause that’s who you are
And you’ve only begun to shine

There are times
When the poets and porn stars align
And you won’t know who to believe in
Well, that’s a good time to be leaving
And the past, he knocks on your door
And throws stones at your window at four in the morning
Well, maybe he thinks it’s romantic
He’s crazy, but you knew that before

And I think you need to stop following misery‘s lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away

Isn’t it time you got over
How fragile you are
We’re all waiting, waiting on your supernova
‘Cause that’s who you are
And you’ve only begun to shine
Yeah, you’ve only begun to shine

Won’t you shine, shine, shine
Shine over shadow, oh, oh
Shine, shine, shine
Shine over shadow, oh, oh
Shine, shine, shine, shine over

I think you need to stop following misery‘s lead
Shine away, shine away, shine away

Isn’t it time you got over
How fragile you are
We’re all waiting, waiting on your supernova
‘Cause that’s who you are
And you’ve only begun to shine
Yeah, you’ve only begun to shine
Yeah, you’ve only begun to shine

Vocabulary:

verses:  writes in a poem
strange:  odd, unusual
’cause:  because
worth:  importance, value
misery:  condition of pain or suffering
got over:  recovered from
fragile:  easily broken
supernova:  exploding star
poets:  the best people
porn stars:  the worst people
align:  come together
romantic:  a loving thing to do

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only 

by Carrie Underwood

an American country music singer, songwriter and actor.  Her career started when she won the fourth season of American Idol in 2005.  She has since won six Grammy Awards.  This song is from her second album, Carnival Ride, released in 2007.

What you got if you ain’t got love?
The kind that you just wanna give away
It’s okay to open up
Go ahead and let the light shine through

I know it’s hard on a rainy day
You wanna shut the world out
And just be left alone
But don’t run out on your faith

‘Cause sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you’ve been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands

And when you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

It’s so easy to get lost inside
A problem that seems so big at the time
It’s like a river that’s so wide
It swallows you whole

While you’re sitting around thinking about what you can’t change
And worrying about all the wrong things
Time’s flying by, moving so fast
You better make it count ’cause you can’t get it back

Sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you’ve been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands

Oh, and when you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing
Is just a grain of sand
And what you’ve been out there searching for forever
Is in your hands

And then you figure out
Love is all that matters after all
It sure makes everything else
Oh, it sure makes everything else
Seem so small

Vocabulary:

ain’t got:  don’t have
wanna:  want to
open up:  let your feelings out
run out:  stop believing
faith:  beliefs
grain:  one small piece
figure out:  discover
matters:  is important
lost inside:  not know what to do
make it count:  do something with it

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by Sara Bareilles

an American singer-songwriter.  This song is from her fourth album, released in 2013, entitled The Blessed Unrest.   She wrote it with Jack Antonoff  from the band Fun.

an American musician, singer-songwriter and pianist.  This song, released in 2013 on her album The Blessed Unrest, was written by Bareilles and Jack Antonoff.

You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do
When they settle ‘neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
Just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
Just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave

Everybody’s been there, everybody’s been stared down
By the enemy
Fallen for the fear and done some disappearing
Bow down to the mighty
Don’t run, stop holding your tongue
Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

And since your history of silence
Won’t do you any good
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I wanna see you be brave
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
See you be brave

I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you
I just wanna see you

Vocabulary:

phrase:  words that you say
weapon:  something that can hurt you
drug:  something that makes you feel good
outcast:  someone who doesn’t belong there
backlash:  reaction
lack:  not having any
speaking up:  saying what you think
gonna:  going to
settle ‘neath your skin:  stay in your mind for a long time
shadow:  bad thing
wanna:  want to
brave:  able to do something that scares you
been there:  had bad experiences
stared down:  looked at until you feel bad
the enemy:  people who are against you
fallen for the fear:  let your fear control you
done some disappearing:  not tried to solve the problem
bow down:  accept your low position
the mighty:  people who are powerful
holding your tongue:  not saying what you should say
cage:  prison
one of these days:  some time in the future
let the light in:  understand what the right thing to do is
your brave:  your braveness
empty:  meaningless

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

by The Alternate Routes

an American rock band formed in 2002 by Tim Warren and Eric Donnelly with drummer Kurt Leon and base player Mike Sembos.  This song was released as a single in 2013.

To be humble, to be kind.
It is the giving of the peace in your mind.
To a stranger, to a friend
To give in such a way that has no end.

We are love, we are one
We are how we treat each other when the day is done.
We are peace, we are war
We are how we treat each other and nothing more

To be bold, to be brave.
It is the thinking that the heart can still be saved
And the darkness can come quick
The danger’s in the anger and the hanging on to it.

We are love, we are one
We are how we treat each other when the day is done.
We are peace, we are war
We are how we treat each other and nothing more

Tell me what it is that you see
A world that’s filled with endless possibility?
Heroes don’t look like they used to, they look like you do.

We are love, we are one
We are how we treat each other when the day is done.
We are peace, we are war
We are how we treat each other and nothing more
We are how we treat each other and nothing more
We are how we treat each other

Vocabulary:

humble:  not thinking you’re important
peace: calmness
treat: interact with (others)
bold:  not afraid
brave:  fearless, courageous
hanging on:  keeping, not releasing
heroes:  people who do brave things
used to:  did in the past

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only  

by Simon & Garfunkel

an American duo who started recording songs in 1957.  They became popular with the younger generation in the 60s. Paul Simon wrote all the songs and Art Garfunkel sang the harmony.  This song was on their 1966 album “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme.”

Slow down, you’re moving too fast
You gotta make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy

Hello lamppost; what you knowing?
I’ve come to watch your flowers growing
Ain’t you got no rhymes for me?
Doo-it-in-doo doo, feeling groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feeling groovy

I got no deeds to do, no promises to keep
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life I love you, all is groovy

Ba da da da da da da …

Vocabulary:

gotta:  got to (have to)
kicking down:  walking slowly with no destination
cobblestones:  an old road made of stones
groovy:  wonderful, happy
lamppost:  street light
you:  pronounced “cha” after a word ending in “t”
ain’t you got no:  (slang) don’t you have any
rhymes:  inspiration for lyrics for a song
deeds:  tasks, little jobs
dappled:  lying under a tree with spots of sunlight on me
drowsy:  feeling sleepy
petals:  blossoms from the tree

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only