Lyrics & Translation
Dive into Childish Gambino's "Feels Like Summer" to not only enjoy its smooth, captivating sound but also to explore rich English vocabulary and nuanced expressions. The song's brilliant juxtaposition of a relaxed melody with deeply critical lyrics offers a unique linguistic challenge, allowing learners to grasp how tone can subtly alter meaning and how everyday phrases can carry profound social commentary. Discover new words related to environmental issues and societal observations, all while appreciating Donald Glover's masterful storytelling.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meanings |
---|---|
feel /fiːl/ A1 |
|
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1 |
|
streets /striːts/ A1 |
|
heat /hiːt/ A2 |
|
souls /soʊlz/ B1 |
|
sun /sʌn/ A1 |
|
move /muːv/ A1 |
|
fast /fæst/ A1 |
|
slow /sloʊ/ A2 |
|
machines /məˈʃiːnz/ A2 |
|
children /ˈtʃɪldrən/ A1 |
|
pain /peɪn/ A2 |
|
world /wɜːrld/ A1 |
|
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1 |
|
hotter /ˈhɑːtər/ A2 |
|
water /ˈwɔːtər/ A1 |
|
air /er/ A1 |
|
bees /biːz/ A2 |
|
birds /bɜːrdz/ A1 |
|
singing /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ A2 |
|
mind /maɪnd/ A2 |
|
What does “feel” mean in the song "Feels Like Summer"?
Learn fast – go deep – and remember longer with interactive exercises in the app!
Key Grammar Structures
-
You can feel it in the streets
➔ Modal verb "can" for ability/possibility
➔ "Can" indicates that it is possible to feel the heat. At B2/C1 level, students should be comfortable using modal verbs to express different degrees of certainty and possibility.
-
Men who made machines that want what they decide
➔ Relative clauses (who, that, what)
➔ The sentence uses relative clauses to provide extra information about the "men", "machines", and the "want". "Who" refers to "men", "that" modifies "machines", and "what" functions as a noun clause. At C1 level, learners should master the use of relative clauses for complex sentence construction.
-
Parents tryna tell their children please slow down
➔ Informal contraction "tryna" (trying to)
➔ "Tryna" is a very informal contraction of "trying to". Understanding and recognizing informal contractions is helpful for comprehending spoken and written English, especially in colloquial contexts. While not typically used in formal writing, it's common in songs and informal speech. At B2, students should recognise these informal usages
-
Running out of water, it's about to go down
➔ The phrase "about to" to express immediate future.
➔ "About to" indicates that something is going to happen very soon. Here, it suggests that the situation is deteriorating rapidly, and the water scarcity is reaching a critical point. This construction is important at B2/C1 level for expressing immediacy and anticipation.
-
Air that kill the bees that we depend upon
➔ Relative clauses with prepositions at the end
➔ The phrase "that we depend upon" is a relative clause modifying "bees". Notice the preposition "upon" at the end of the clause, which is a common stylistic choice in less formal contexts. At C1/C2, students should be comfortable using this construction in their writing and speech.
-
I'm hopin' that this world will change
➔ Present continuous with future meaning (hoping)
➔ Using the present continuous "I'm hopin'" implies a strong intention or expectation about the future. While often used for actions happening now, it can also describe future events that are planned or anticipated. This use requires a good understanding of context to differentiate from the literal meaning of an action happening at the moment of speaking. B2-C1 learners should understand that present continuous can describe actions that are happening now or future events.
-
But it just seems the same
➔ Use of "seems" as a linking verb expressing perception
➔ "Seems" links the subject "it" (the world) to the adjective "the same," indicating a perception or impression. The use of 'just' adds emphasis to the speaker's feeling that nothing has changed. At B2, students need to use linking verbs to show a subject's characteristic.
Album:
Same Singer

Feels Like Summer
Childish Gambino

3005
Childish Gambino

The Worst Guys
Childish Gambino, Chance The Rapper
Related Songs

White Walls
Macklemore, Ryan Lewis, ScHoolboy Q, Hollis

Life Has Changed
K Camp, PnB Rock

Cell Ready
Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa

Detox
Lil Baby

West Coast
G-Eazy, Blueface, ALLBLACK, YG

I GUESS IT'S LOVE?
The Kid LAROI

DRIP DROP
Jack Harlow, Cyhi The Prynce

I Need $
Afroman

Streets Made Me A King
Future, Metro Boomin

BEAUTIFUL
DJ Khaled, Future, SZA

EVERY CHANCE I GET
DJ Khaled, Lil Baby, Lil Durk

Type of Way
Rich Homie Quan

Roulette
Machine Gun Kelly

Let The Day Begin
Lil Pump, Ronny J

Light Show
DaBaby

Boss Up
Tyga

Outlet
Desiigner

Ex For A Reason
Summer Walker, City Girls

Clenching My Booty
Ryan Higa

Lesbian
Metro Boomin, Gunna, Young Thug