Cherry oh baby – English Lyrics

• By: Eric Donaldson

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the sweet sounds of Jamaican reggae with Eric Donaldson's timeless hit, "Cherry Oh Baby." This song offers a fantastic opportunity to explore themes of love and devotion while enjoying the infectious rhythm that made it a global favorite. Learn about Jamaican culture and music history through this classic tune .

[English]

Oh cherry, oh cherry, oh baby!

Don't you know I'm in need of thee?

If you don't believe it's true

What have you left for me to do?

Look how long I've been waiting

For you to come right in

And now that we are together

Please make all my joys come over

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

...

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

...

Oh cherry, oh cherry, oh baby!

Don't you see I'm in love with you?

If you don't believe, I do

Then why don't you try me?

I will never let you down

I will never make you wear no frown

If you say that you love me madly

Oh baby, I will accept you gladly

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

...

Oh cherry, oh cherry, oh baby!

...

Don't you see I'm in love with you?

If you don't believe, I do

Then why don't you try me?

I will never let you down

I will never make you wear no frown

If you say that you love me madly

Oh baby, I will accept you gladly

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

Yeah eh eh eh eh eh eh eh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cherry /ˈtʃeri/ A2	noun - a small, round stone fruit that is typically bright red.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child.
need /niːd/ A2	verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important. noun - a thing that is essential or very important.
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - accept (something) as true; feel sure of the truth of.
true /truː/ A2	adjective - in accordance with fact or reality.
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A1	verb - staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or event.
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - move or travel towards or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker.
together /təˈɡeðər/ A1	adverb - with or in proximity to another person or people.
joys /dʒɔɪz/ B1	noun - a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection. verb - feel deep affection for (someone).
try /traɪ/ A1	verb - make an attempt or effort to do something.
let /let/ A1	verb - not prevent or forbid; allow.
down /daʊn/ A1	adverb - towards or in a lower place or position.
frown /fraʊn/ B2	noun - a furrowed brow indicating displeasure, concern, etc. verb - to furrow one's brow in an expression of displeasure, concern, etc.
madly /ˈmædli/ B2	adverb - in a wildly uncontrolled manner.
accept /əkˈsept/ B1	verb - consent to receive or undertake (something offered).
gladly /ˈɡlædli/ B2	adverb - in a willing and cheerful way.

Key Grammar Structures

• Don't you know I'm in need of thee?

  ➔ Subject-Verb Inversion (Interrogative Form) with the verb 'to be'

  ➔ The typical order is "You don't know", but in a question, it's inverted to "Don't you know". The archaic use of "thee" represents "you".

• What have you left for me to do?

  ➔ Present Perfect with "what" question word and infinitive of purpose ('to do')

  ➔ The present perfect "have you left" implies an action completed recently that has relevance to the present. "to do" explains the purpose: what remains for him to do now?

• Look how long I've been waiting

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous with 'how long'

  ➔ "I've been waiting" shows an action that started in the past and is still continuing now. "How long" emphasizes the duration.

• For you to come right in

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose (to come)

  ➔ "To come right in" explains the purpose or reason for waiting. The preposition "for" clarifies who is doing the action.

• And now that we are together

  ➔ Subordinating Conjunction 'that' indicating reason or cause

  ➔ "Now that" introduces a clause that provides the reason or cause for the following statement. It means "because" or "since".

• Please make all my joys come over

  ➔ Causative 'make' + object + base form of verb

  ➔ The structure "make something happen" indicates causing or allowing something to happen. Here, he's asking for his joys to "come over", meaning to increase or affect him positively.

• Don't you see I'm in love with you?

  ➔ Subject-Verb Inversion (Interrogative Form) with the verb 'to be' and prepositional phrase 'in love with'

  ➔ Similar to the first example, "Don't you see" is the inverted form of "You don't see". "In love with" is a common prepositional phrase expressing romantic feelings.

• Then why don't you try me?

  ➔ Interrogative sentence with 'why don't you' (suggestion)

  ➔ "Why don't you try me?" is a common way to make a suggestion in English. It's a rhetorical question implying, "You should try me".