16 Dollars – English Lyrics

• By: Volbeat

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the energetic fusion of rockabilly and metal in Volbeat's "16 Dollars." This song is a fantastic and fun way to practice with its fast-paced English lyrics. Its unique style, inspired by 50s and 60s rock and roll, makes learning the lyrics an exciting challenge for any language learner.

[English]

(rock music starts)

♪ 16 dollars in a back street corner ♪

♪ is enough for a beautiful day ♪

♪ I see a window open hearing Aerosmith rocking ♪

♪ with Dick Brave "Walk This Way" ♪

♪ I need a quick drink, more volume for the beat ♪

♪ I see the cats are playing dice ♪

♪ It's 7 in the morning and you lost all your money ♪

♪ To a fat lady singing "Boogie Woogie Chili Honey" ♪

♪ I've been walking the streets again ♪

♪ But it's the same old thing I'll do it again ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Just to see what the day will bring ♪

♪ But it's the same old song I'll do it again ♪

♪ I'll bring you home my baby I will ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ 16 songs in the back in a corner and an empty bottle ♪

♪ of Jack and a bitch ♪

♪ Well I'm sorry to inform you that the poison ♪

♪ in my body guiding you to walk away from this mess ♪

♪ I need a quick drink, more volume for the beat ♪

♪ I see the cats are playing dice ♪

♪ It's 7 in the morning and you lost all your money ♪

♪ To a fat lady singing "Boogie Woogie Chili Honey" ♪

♪ I've been walking the streets again ♪

♪ But it's the same old thing I'll do it again ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Just to see what the day will bring ♪

♪ But it's the same old song I'll do it again ♪

♪ I'll bring you home my baby I will ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whey-oh ♪

♪ 16 dollars in a back street corner ♪

♪ is enough for a beautiful day ♪

♪ I see a window open hearing Aerosmith rocking ♪

♪ with Dick Brave "Walk This Way" ♪

♪ I need a quick drink, more volume for the beat ♪

♪ I see the cats are playing dice ♪

♪ It's 7 in the morning and you lost all your money ♪

♪ To a fat lady singing "Boogie Woogie Chili Honey" ♪

♪ I've been walking the streets again ♪

♪ But it's the same old thing I'll do it again ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Just to see what the day will bring ♪

♪ But it's the same old song I'll do it again ♪

♪ I'll bring you home my baby I will ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ I would love to bring you home ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whoa-oh-a-oh ♪

♪ Whey-oh ♪

♪ Oh ♪

(music fades out)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dollars /ˈdɑːlər/ A1	noun - unit of currency used in the United States, Canada, Australia, and other countries.
street /striːt/ A1	noun - a public road in a city or town, typically with houses and buildings on one or both sides.
corner /ˈkɔːrnər/ A2	noun - the place where two streets or roads meet
day /deɪ/ A1	noun - the period of 24 hours as a unit of time, reckoned from one midnight to the next.
beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfl/ A2	adjective - pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically.
window /ˈwɪndoʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in the wall or roof of a building or vehicle that is fitted with glass or other transparent material in a frame to admit light or air and allow people to see out.
drink /drɪŋk/ A1	noun - a liquid that is swallowed as refreshment or nourishment. verb - to swallow (liquid).
volume /ˈvɑːljuːm/ B1	noun - the loudness of a sound.
beat /biːt/ A2	noun - a main accent or rhythmic unit in music verb - to strike (someone or something) repeatedly and hard.
cats /kæts/ A1	noun - a small domesticated carnivorous mammal with soft fur, a short snout, and retractable claws.
playing /ˈpleɪɪŋ/ A1	verb - engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.
dice /daɪs/ A2	noun - small cubes with each side having a different number of spots on it, used in games of chance.
morning /ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the period of time between sunrise and noon.
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes.
lady /ˈleɪdi/ A2	noun - a woman.
singing /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ A2	verb - to make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune.
streets /striːts/ A1	noun - pl. of street; a public road in a city or town, typically with houses and buildings on one or both sides.
song /sɔːŋ/ A1	noun - a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household. adverb - to or at one's home.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child.
bottle /ˈbɑːtl/ A1	noun - a container, typically made of glass or plastic and with a narrow neck, used for storing liquids.
poison /ˈpɔɪzn/ B2	noun - a substance that causes death or injury when swallowed or absorbed into the body.
body /ˈbɑːdi/ A1	noun - the physical structure, including the bones, flesh, and organs, of a person or an animal.

Key Grammar Structures

• 16 dollars in a back street corner is enough for a beautiful day

  ➔ Subject-Verb Agreement, Use of 'enough'

  ➔ "16 dollars" is the subject (treated as singular here due to the concept of money as a unit) and "is" is the verb. "Enough" modifies the sentence, indicating sufficiency for a beautiful day.

• hearing Aerosmith rocking with Dick Brave "Walk This Way"

  ➔ Present Participle as Adjective, Embedded Quotation

  ➔ "Hearing" is a present participle acting as an adjective modifying the implied subject "I". "Rocking" is also a present participle describing Aerosmith. The song title "Walk This Way" is an embedded quotation, hence the double quotes.

• I need a quick drink, more volume for the beat

  ➔ Simple Sentence Structure, Comparative Adjective (implied)

  ➔ Two simple independent clauses connected by a comma. "More" implies a comparison, wanting a higher volume than the current level.

• It's 7 in the morning and you lost all your money

  ➔ Past Simple Tense, Contraction

  ➔ "It's" is a contraction of "It is". "Lost" is the past simple tense of "lose", indicating a completed action in the past.

• To a fat lady singing "Boogie Woogie Chili Honey"

  ➔ Present Participle as Adjective

  ➔ "Singing" is a present participle acting as an adjective, modifying "lady."

• I've been walking the streets again

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous Tense

  ➔ "I've been walking" uses the present perfect continuous tense, indicating an action that started in the past and is continuing or has recently finished. It emphasizes the duration of the walking.

• Just to see what the day will bring

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose, Future Tense

  ➔ "To see" is an infinitive of purpose, explaining the reason for the action (walking the streets). "Will bring" is the future tense, indicating what the day is expected to offer.

• I would love to bring you home

  ➔ Conditional Mood (Polite Request/Desire)

  ➔ "Would love" expresses a polite and less direct way of expressing a desire. It indicates a hypothetical situation (if circumstances allowed).

• Well I'm sorry to inform you that the poison in my body guiding you to walk away from this mess

  ➔ Complex Sentence, "to" + Infinitive (expressing reason), Present Participle (guiding)

  ➔ It's a complex sentence with multiple clauses. "To inform" is an infinitive expressing the reason for being sorry. The present participle "guiding" acts as an adjective describing the poison.