Hitch Hikin' – English Lyrics

• By: Bruce Springsteen

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey with Bruce Springsteen's 'Hitch Hikin',' the evocative opener from his 'Western Stars' album. This song offers a rich vocabulary for travel and independence, immersing you in American road trip culture. Its narrative style and vivid imagery make it perfect for expanding your English vocabulary related to places, people, and emotions, all wrapped in a beautifully orchestrated soundscape.

[English]

作词 : Bruce Springsteen

作曲 : Bruce Springsteen

Thumb stuck out as I go

I'm just travelin' up the road

Maps don't do much for me, friend

I follow the weather and the wind

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

Got what I can carry and my song

I'm a rolling stone just rolling on

Catch me now 'cause tomorrow, I'll be gone

Family man gives me a ride

Got his pregnant Sally at his side

Yes indeed, sir, children are a gift

Thank you kindly for the lift

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

Trucker gears his engine down

Says, "Climb on up, son, I'm highway-bound"

Dashboard picture of a pretty girl

I'm ridin' high on top of the world

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

Gearhead in a souped-up '72

Wants to show a kid just what this thing'll do

Telephone poles and trees go whizzin' by

Thank you, pal, she sure can fly

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

I'm hitch hikin' all day long

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
travel /ˈtrævəl/ A2	verb - to go from one place to another
wind /wɪnd/ A2	noun - the movement of air
carry /ˈkæri/ A2	verb - to hold and transport something
stone /stoʊn/ A2	noun - a hard, solid mineral substance
gift /ɡɪft/ A2	noun - something given willingly
ride /raɪd/ A2	noun - an act of travelling in a vehicle verb - to sit on and control the movement of (a horse, bicycle, etc.)
engine /ˈendʒɪn/ B1	noun - a machine that converts energy into mechanical force
highway /ˈhaɪweɪ/ B1	noun - a main road for public travel
picture /ˈpɪktʃər/ B1	noun - a visual representation of something
world /wɜːld/ B1	noun - the earth and all life on it
gearhead /ˈɡɪərhed/ B2	noun - a person keenly interested in cars and their mechanics
souped-up /ˈsuːpʌp/ B2	adjective - modified to improve performance
poles /poʊlz/ B2	noun - long, cylindrical pieces of wood or metal
fly /flaɪ/ B2	verb - to move through the air using wings
kindly /ˈkaɪndli/ C1	adverb - in a kind and considerate way

Key Grammar Structures

• Thumb stuck out as I go

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase uses the present continuous tense with 'stuck out' to describe an action happening now, emphasizing the ongoing nature of hitchhiking.

• I'm just travelin' up the road

  ➔ Contraction and present continuous tense

  ➔ The contraction 'I'm' and the present continuous tense with 'travelin'' show an informal, ongoing action, typical in conversational English.

• Maps don't do much for me, friend

  ➔ Negative sentence with present simple

  ➔ The negative sentence uses 'don't' with the present simple to express a general truth or habit, indicating maps are not useful.

• I follow the weather and the wind

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The present simple tense with 'follow' indicates a habitual action, suggesting the speaker often relies on natural elements.

• Got what I can carry and my song

  ➔ Past simple tense with 'got'

  ➔ The past simple tense with 'got' describes a completed action, emphasizing possession or acquisition of items and a song.

• Thank you kindly for the lift

  ➔ Adverb placement

  ➔ The adverb 'kindly' is placed after the verb 'thank' to modify the manner of the action, showing politeness.

• I'm ridin' high on top of the world

  ➔ Present continuous tense with informal contraction

  ➔ The present continuous tense with 'ridin'' and the informal contraction 'I'm' convey a casual, ongoing feeling of elation.

• Thank you, pal, she sure can fly

  ➔ Modal auxiliary verb 'can'

  ➔ The modal verb 'can' is used to express ability, emphasizing the car's speed and performance.