Boys In The Street – English Lyrics

• By: A Great Big World
• Album: Particles

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt narrative of A Great Big World's "Boys In The Street," a song that beautifully articulates the complex emotions of acceptance and love. Through its simple yet profound English lyrics, you can explore nuanced vocabulary related to family relationships, emotional journeys, and expressions of identity. The song's clear storytelling and poignant language make it an exceptional piece for language learners to grasp not only English words but also the powerful cultural messages embedded within. What makes this song special is its ability to convey a universal message of love and acceptance, making it both a touching listen and a valuable language learning tool.

[English]

When I was younger

My daddy told me I would never

Never amount to nothing special

He'd come at me from every angle

He'd say

You're the last thing I wanted, the last thing I need

How am I gonna answer when my friends tell me

My son was kissing boys in the street?

He tried to change me

Said I'm embarrassing my country

How could I do this to my family?

Do I wanna grow up being lonely

He'd say

We've worked for our money, we put you in school

Is this how you repay us, do you think this is cool?

My son, stop kissing boys in the street

My son, stop kissing boys in the street

Now that I'm older

My daddy's heart's a little warmer

But he still won't hug me like my brother

And he still won't kiss me like my mother

He'd say

You're a part of this family, I made you myself

But the way that you act isn't good for your health

My son, stop kissing boys in the street

My son, stop kissing boys in the street

My daddy's dying

And he's finally realized I'm not lying

We sit in silence but we're smiling

Because for once we are not fighting

He says

There was no way of knowing 'cause all I was taught

Is men only love women, but now I'm not sure

My son, keep kissing boys in the street

My son, keep kissing boys in the street

When I'm gone, keep kissing boys in the street

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
daddy /ˈdædi/ A1	noun - Father (informal term of endearment)
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - In an early stage of life or development; not old.
old /oʊld/ A1	adjective - Having lived for a long time; no longer young.
special /ˈspeʃəl/ A2	adjective - Better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual.
angle /ˈæŋɡəl/ B1	noun - A particular way of thinking about or approaching a problem or situation; a point of view. noun - The space (usually measured in degrees) between two intersecting lines or surfaces at or close to the point where they meet.
kiss /kɪs/ A1	verb - To touch with the lips as a sign of love, sexual desire, or greeting. noun - An act or instance of kissing.
street /striːt/ A1	noun - A public road in a city or town.
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1	verb - To make or become different. noun - The act or result of something becoming different.
embarrass /ɪmˈbærəs/ B1	verb - To cause (someone) to feel awkward, self-conscious, or ashamed.
family /ˈfæməli/ A1	noun - A group of people related by blood or marriage.
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - Sad because one has no friends or company.
repay /rɪˈpeɪ/ B1	verb - To pay back (money) or to do something for someone in return for what they have done for you.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - A hollow muscular organ that pumps the blood through the circulatory system. noun - The emotional or moral nature of a human being; one's feelings or sentiments.
warm /wɔːrm/ A1	adjective - Having or giving out a moderate degree of heat; not cold. adjective - Friendly, kind, or affectionate.
hug /hʌɡ/ A2	verb - To squeeze (someone) tightly in one's arms, typically to express affection. noun - A tight embrace.
health /helθ/ A1	noun - The state of being free from illness or injury.
die /daɪ/ A1	verb - To stop living; to pass away.
realize /ˈriːəlaɪz/ A2	verb - To become fully aware of (something) as a fact; understand clearly.
lie /laɪ/ A1	verb - To make an untrue statement with intent to deceive. noun - An intentionally false statement.
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - To form one's features into a pleased, kind, or amused expression. noun - A pleased, kind, or amused facial expression.

Key Grammar Structures

• He'd come at me from every angle

  ➔ Contracted form of 'He would' (He'd) indicating a past habitual action or intention

  ➔ Uses a contraction to express **past habitual actions** or **intentions**.

• My son was kissing boys in the street

  ➔ Past continuous tense ('was kissing') indicating an ongoing action in the past

  ➔ Uses **past continuous tense** to show an **ongoing action** that was happening at a specific time in the past.

• My daddy's dying

  ➔ Present continuous tense ('is dying') used here to express an immediate or ongoing process

  ➔ Uses **present continuous tense** to indicate an **immediacy** or **ongoing process** happening now.

• We sit in silence but we're smiling

  ➔ Present simple tense ('sit', 'are smiling') showing routines and ongoing actions

  ➔ Uses **present simple tense** for **regular actions** and **present continuous** for **ongoing actions**.

• There was no way of knowing 'cause all I was taught

  ➔ Past simple tense ('was taught') in passive voice, indicating an action received in the past

  ➔ Uses **past simple tense** in the **passive voice** to express something that was learned or received in the past.

• My daddy's heart's a little warmer

  ➔ Possessive form ('daddy's', 'heart's') showing ownership or relation

  ➔ Uses **possessive forms** ('s) to show **ownership or relationship** between people and things.