AMERIICAN REQUIEM
Lyrics:
[English]
Nothin' really ends
For things to stay the same, they have to change again
Hello, my old friend
...
You change your name, but not the ways you play pretend
American Requiem
Them big ideas (yeah), are buried here (yeah)
Amen
...
It's a lot of talkin' goin' on
While I sing my song
Can you hear me?
I said, "Do you hear me?"
Looker there, looker there, now
Looker there, looker there
Looker-looker, looker there, looker there
Looker-looker, looker there, looker there
Looker-looker, looker there, looker there (oh, yeah)
Looker-looker, looker there, looker there
It's a lot of chatter in here
But let me make myself clear (oh)
Can you hear me? (Huh)
Or do you fear me? (Ow)
Can we stand for somethin'?
Now is the time to face the wind (Ow)
Comin' in peace and love, y'all
Oh, a lot of takin' up space
Salty tears beyond my gaze
Can you stand me?
(Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?) Ooh, ah
(Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?) Can we stand?
(Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?) Can you stand with me?
Can we stand for somethin'?
Now is the time to face the wind
Now ain't the time to pretend
Now is the time to let love in
Thinkin' to myself (thinkin' to myself)
Oh, it's a lot of talkin' goin' on (oh)
While I sing my song (yeah)
Do you hear me when I say?
Do you hear me when I say? Ah
Looker there, looker there
Looker, look
Looker-looker-looker-looker-looker
Looker-looker there, looker there
L-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-looker there
Oh, looker there, looker there
Looker there, looker there
(Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?) L-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l
(Can you stand me? Can you stand me? Can you stand me?)
Can we stand for somethin'?
Now is the time to face the wind (now is the time to face the wind)
Now ain't the time to pretend
Now is the time to let love in (to let love in)
Together, can we stand?
Looker there, looker in my hand
The grand baby of a moonshine man
Gadsden, Alabama
Got folks down in Galveston, rooted in Louisiana
They used to say I spoke, "Too country"
And the rejection came, said I wasn't, "Country 'nough"
Said I wouldn't saddle up, but
If that ain't country, tell me, what is?
Plant my bare feet on solid ground for years
They don't, don't know how hard I had to fight for this
When I sing my song
(When I sing the song of Abraham)
(When the angels guide and take my hand)
(Oh, no)
Goodbye to what has been
Pretty house that we never settled in
A funeral for fair-weather friends
I am the one to cleanse me of my Father's sins
American Requiem
Them big ideas (yeah) are buried here (yeah)
Amen
...
Vocabulary in this song:
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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change /tʃeɪndʒ/ B1 |
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sound /saʊnd/ B2 |
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buried /ˈbɛr.id/ B2 |
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ideas /aɪˈdɪəz/ B1 |
|
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buried /ˈbɛr.id/ B2 |
|
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together /təˈɡɛðər/ A2 |
|
|
peace /piːs/ A2 |
|
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stand /stænd/ A1 |
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pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ B1 |
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face /feɪs/ A2 |
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fight /faɪt/ B1 |
|
Grammar:
-
For things to stay the same, they have to change again
➔ Conditional sentences type 0 (zero)
➔ This sentence expresses a general truth. "If" is implied: "If things are to stay the same, they have to change again."
-
You change your name, but not the ways you play pretend
➔ Contrast with 'but'
➔ The sentence uses "but" to show a contrast. The subject changes their name, implying a significant change, "but" their underlying behaviour remains the same.
-
It's a lot of talkin' goin' on
➔ Present continuous tense with a non-standard 'talkin'' and 'goin''
➔ "Talkin'" and "goin'" are informal contractions of "talking" and "going." It emphasizes that the action of talking is currently happening a lot.
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Do you hear me when I say?
➔ Interrogative sentence in the present simple tense with an embedded clause.
➔ The main question is "Do you hear me?", followed by a subordinate clause "when I say," indicating the specific moment the speaker wants to be heard.
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They used to say I spoke, "Too country"
➔ Used to + verb (past habit)
➔ "Used to say" indicates a past habit or repeated action that no longer occurs. It highlights a past criticism that the speaker received.
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If that ain't country, tell me, what is?
➔ Rhetorical question
➔ This is a rhetorical question, where the speaker isn't expecting an answer. It's used to emphasize the speaker's point that they embody what 'country' truly is.
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Goodbye to what has been
➔ Noun clause with 'what'
➔ "What has been" functions as a noun clause, referring to the past state or situation. It's the object of the preposition "to".
