Hollywood – English Lyrics

• By: Madonna
• Album: American Life

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Everybody comes to Hollywood

They wanna make it in the neighbourhood

They like the smell of it in Hollywood

How could it hurt you when it looks so good?

Shine your light now

This time it's got to be good

You get it right now

'Cause you're in Hollywood

There's something in the air in Hollywood

The sun is shining like you knew it would

You're riding in your car in Hollywood

You got the top down and it feels so good

Everybody comes to Hollywood

They wanna make it in the neighbourhood

They like the smell of it in Hollywood

How could it hurt you when it looks so good?

I lost my memory in Hollywood

I've had a million visions bad and good

There's something in the air in Hollywood

I tried to leave it but I never could

Shine your light now

This time it's got to be good

You get it right now yeah

'Cause you're in Hollywood

There's something in the air in Hollywood

I've lost my reputation bad and good

You're riding in your car in Hollywood

You got the top down and it feels so good

Music stations always play the same songs

I'm bored with the concept of right and wrong

Everybody comes to Hollywood

They wanna make it in the neighbourhood

They like the smell of it in Hollywood

How could it hurt you when it looks so good?

Shine your light now

This time it's got to be good

You get it right now yeah

'Cause you're in Hollywood

'Cause you're in Hollywood

'Cause you're in Hollywood

In Hollywood

In Hollywood

In Hollywood

Check it out

This bird has flown

Shine your light now

This time it's got to be good

You get it right now yeah

'Cause you're in Hollywood

'Cause you're in Hollywood

'Cause you're in Hollywood

In Hollywood

In Hollywood

In Hollywood

Push the button

Don't push the button

Trip the station

Change channel

Push the button

Don't push the button

Trip the station

Change channel

Push the button

Don't push the button

Trip the station

Change channel

Push the button

Don't push the button

Trip the station

Change channel

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
shine /ʃaɪn/ A2	verb - to emit light
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - brightness from the sun or a lamp adjective - not heavy or dark
Hollywood /ˈhɒlɪwʊd/ A1	noun - a district in Los Angeles known for the film industry
neighbourhood /ˈneɪbərhʊd/ A2	noun - a district or community
smell /smɛl/ A1	noun - a scent or odor verb - to perceive a scent
hurt /hɜrt/ A1	verb - to cause pain or injury
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of a high quality or standard
sun /sʌn/ A1	noun - the star at the center of the solar system
shining /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/ A2	verb - emitting light
riding /ˈraɪdɪŋ/ A2	verb - traveling on a vehicle
car /kɑr/ A1	noun - a road vehicle
memory /ˈmɛməri/ A2	noun - the faculty of retaining and recalling past experiences
vision /ˈvɪʒən/ B1	noun - the ability to think about or plan the future
reputation /ˌrɛpjuˈteɪʃən/ B1	noun - the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone
bored /bɔrd/ A2	adjective - feeling tired and impatient
concept /ˈkɒnsept/ B1	noun - an idea or notion

Key Grammar Structures

• Everybody comes to Hollywood

  ➔ Present Simple with 'Everybody'

  ➔ The sentence uses the present simple tense with 'Everybody' to generalize about people coming to Hollywood.

• They wanna make it in the neighbourhood

  ➔ Informal contraction 'wanna'

  ➔ The word 'wanna' is an informal contraction of 'want to', commonly used in spoken English.

• How could it hurt you when it looks so good?

  ➔ Indirect question with 'How'

  ➔ The sentence is an indirect question using 'How' to express doubt or surprise.

• Shine your light now

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The sentence is in the imperative mood, used to give a command or instruction.

• I lost my memory in Hollywood

  ➔ Simple past tense

  ➔ The sentence uses the simple past tense to describe a completed action in the past.

• There's something in the air in Hollywood

  ➔ Present tense with 'There's'

  ➔ The sentence uses 'There's' to indicate the existence of something in the present tense.

• I tried to leave it but I never could

  ➔ Past tense with 'tried' and modal 'could'

  ➔ The sentence combines the past tense with 'tried' and the modal verb 'could' to express an unsuccessful attempt.

• 'Cause you're in Hollywood

  ➔ Contraction 'Cause' for 'Because'

  ➔ The word 'Cause' is a common contraction of 'Because', used informally in spoken and written English.