Dippin My Feet – English Lyrics

• By: Rick Astley

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant sound of Rick Astley's 'Dippin My Feet'! This feel-good pop anthem, blending soul and Americana influences, offers a fantastic opportunity to explore English lyrics that are both relatable and optimistic. Discover how Astley's personal experiences shaped this catchy tune, making it a special track to learn and enjoy the nuances of the English language through music.

[English]

I'll keep on working (working)

Until the sun goes down

I'll keep on smiling (smiling)

I'll be your circus clown

I'll keep on smiling and working and smiling, or you

Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh

I'll keep on dreaming (dreaming)

Until the dreaming's gone

I'll keep believing (believing)

'Til something better comes

I'll keep on dreaming and smiling and dreaming of you

(Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh) just you

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh

I've seen those city boys

They dream in black and white

And all they ever wanna do is fight, fight, fight

I've seen those city boys

They dress and talk the same

I wouldn't trust them with the pouring rain

Someday you may find me by the Mississippi River

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water

Someday you may find me by the banks of the river

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water

...

I'll keep on dancing (dancing)

Until my feet they bleed

I'm shadowboxing (boxing)

Until your heart concedes

I'll keep on dancing and boxing and dancing for you

(Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh) just you

Ooh-ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh

I've seen those city boys

They dream in black and white

And all they ever wanna do is fight, fight, fight

I've seen those city boys

They dress and talk the same

I wouldn't trust them with the pouring rain

Someday you may find me by the Mississippi River

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water

Someday you may find me by the banks of the river

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water

Slide to the left

I'm gonna pick my moment when it feels the best

I'm gonna slide over to the right

I'm gonna find my space in the morning light

I'm gonna slide to the left

I'm gonna pick my moment when it feels the best

I'm gonna slide over to the right

I'm gonna find my space in the morning light

Someday you may find me by the Mississippi River

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water (Mississippi, Mississippi River)

Someday you may find me by the banks of the river (I'm gonna, I'm gonna)

Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water (river, river)

Whoo-hoo, yeah

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dipping /ˈdɪpɪŋ/ A2	verb - to put something into a liquid for a short time
feet /fiːt/ A1	noun - the part of the body at the bottom of the legs
cool /kuːl/ A2	adjective - slightly cold
Mississippi /ˌmɪsɪˈsɪpi/ B1	noun - a major river in the United States
river /ˈrɪvər/ A1	noun - a large natural stream of water flowing in a channel
dreaming /ˈdriːmɪŋ/ A2	verb - to have a series of thoughts, images, or emotions while sleeping
smiling /ˈsmaɪlɪŋ/ A1	verb - to have a smile on one's face
working /ˈwɜːrkɪŋ/ A1	verb - to do a job or tasks
believing /bɪˈliːvɪŋ/ A2	verb - to accept something as true
dancing /ˈdænsɪŋ/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music
boxing /ˈbɒksɪŋ/ A2	verb - to fight with gloved fists
shadowboxing /ˈʃædəʊˌbɒksɪŋ/ B1	verb - to practice boxing moves without an opponent
circus /ˈsɜːrkəs/ A2	noun - a traveling show with acrobats, clowns, and animals
clown /klaʊn/ A2	noun - a performer who entertains by joking and doing funny things
banks /bæŋks/ A2	noun - the land alongside a river
slide /slaɪd/ A1	verb - to move smoothly along a surface

Key Grammar Structures

• I'll keep on working (working)

  ➔ Future Simple with 'keep on + -ing'

  ➔ The structure "will + keep on + -ing" (e.g., "I'll keep on working") expresses a continuous and persistent action that will happen in the future.

• Until the sun goes down

  ➔ Time Clause with 'until' + Present Simple for future events

  ➔ In adverbial clauses of time (like those starting with "until"), we use the Present Simple tense ("goes down") to refer to future events.

• I've seen those city boys

  ➔ Present Perfect Simple

  ➔ The Present Perfect Simple ("I've seen") is used here to describe an experience that happened at an unspecified time before now, emphasizing the fact that the action has occurred.

• And all they ever wanna do is fight, fight, fight

  ➔ Complex Subject Clause with 'wanna' + Infinitive as Predicate Nominative

  ➔ The phrase "all they ever wanna do" acts as a complex subject, where "wanna" is an informal contraction of "want to." The infinitive "to fight" (or just "fight" in common usage after 'do') functions as the predicate nominative, defining what the subject is.

• I wouldn't trust them with the pouring rain

  ➔ Second Conditional (Hypothetical Situation)

  ➔ This sentence uses the implicit Second Conditional structure (would + base verb) to express an unreal or improbable situation and its hypothetical result in the present or future. It implies 'If I were in a situation where I had to trust them with something important like the pouring rain, I wouldn't.'

• Someday you may find me

  ➔ Modal Verb 'may' for Possibility

  ➔ The modal verb "may" is used here to indicate that there is a possibility that the action of finding will occur, but it is not certain.

• Dipping my feet in the cool, cool water

  ➔ Present Participle Phrase

  ➔ The present participle phrase "Dipping my feet..." acts as a descriptive complement, showing an action happening concurrently with the main verb's object ('me' from 'find me'). It describes the state or action of the subject at that moment.

• Until my feet they bleed

  ➔ Colloquial Redundant Pronoun 'they'

  ➔ The pronoun "they" is grammatically redundant here as "my feet" is already the subject. This is a colloquialism, often used for emphasis or to create a particular rhythm in informal speech or song lyrics.

• I'm gonna pick my moment

  ➔ Informal Future ('be going to')

  ➔ "I'm gonna" is an informal contraction of "I am going to." This structure expresses a future intention or plan, often with a sense of certainty or decision.