American Beautiful – English Lyrics

• By: The Henningsens

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey with The Henningsens' "American Beautiful," a heartfelt country anthem that captures the essence of American individuality and the beauty found in being "a little unusual." Through vivid storytelling and relatable themes rooted in small-town life, this song offers a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in authentic American English, particularly country music vocabulary and expressions related to everyday life and self-acceptance. Its engaging narrative and genuine emotion make it special for learners eager to connect with American culture and language.

[English]

She puts her boots and bandanna on

She has a hankering for Rolling Stones

She likes her vegetables home grown

A lot like the boy waiting out in the truck

She'll take a hill like Roosevelt

Holds up her pants with a Bible belt

She cracks 'em up like a liberty bell

A whole lot of tender and a little bit tough

Ooh, ooh, ooh

She's a little unusual

Ooh, ooh, ooh

She's American beautiful

Well, he is a mutt with a pedigree

Sinatra junkie in a pair of jeans

He pays his dues in the Land of the Free

Says, "Why walk; baby, we were born to run"

Ooh, ooh, ooh

He's a little unusual

Ooh, ooh, ooh

He's American beautiful

Yeah, yeah, yeah

I saw that girl in a mirror once

With a boy like that in a cloud of dust

I think they look a lot like us

'Cause we are, we are, we are

Ooh, ooh, ooh

We are a little unusual

Ooh, ooh, ooh

We are American beautiful

Yeah, ooh, ooh, ooh

We are a little unusual

Ooh, ooh, ooh

We are American, American, American beautiful

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
boots /buːts/ B1	noun - a type of footwear that covers the foot and ankle, sometimes the leg
bandanna /bænˈdænə/ B2	noun - a large colored handkerchief, often worn around the head or neck
hankering /ˈhaŋ.kər.ɪŋ/ C1	noun - a strong desire or craving
vegetables /ˈvɛdʒ.tə.bəlz/ A2	noun - plants grown for food, such as carrots, lettuce, etc.
truck /trʌk/ A2	noun - a large vehicle for transporting goods
hill /hɪl/ A2	noun - a naturally raised area of land, smaller than a mountain
Bible /ˈbaɪ.bəl/ A2	noun - the holy book of Christianity
pants /pænts/ A1	noun - clothing for the lower part of the body, covering each leg separately
liberty /ˈlɪb.ər.ti/ B2	noun - freedom from restrictions
pedigree /ˈpɛd.ɪ.ɡriː/ C1	noun - a recorded ancestry or lineage, especially of a purebred animal
jeans /dʒiːnz/ A2	noun - a type of trousers made from denim
dues /dʒuːz/ B1	noun - required payments or fees owed
pedestrian /pəˈdɛs.tri.ən/ B2	noun - a person walking along a road or street
mirror /ˈmɪr.ər/ A2	noun - a reflective surface that shows an image of the person before it

Key Grammar Structures

• She puts her boots and bandanna on

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The verb "puts" indicates a habitual action.

• He pays his dues in the Land of the Free

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "pays his dues" suggests fulfilling obligations.

• A whole lot of tender and a little bit tough

  ➔ Colloquial expressions

  ➔ The phrase "a whole lot of tender" uses informal language to convey emotion.

• She's a little unusual

  ➔ Adjective usage

  ➔ The adjective "unusual" describes a characteristic of the subject.

• We are a little unusual

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "We are" indicates a state of being.