How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously? – English Lyrics

• By: Pet Shop Boys

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the satirical world of Pet Shop Boys' 'How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?', a witty commentary on celebrity activism. This song offers a blend of sharp lyrics and synth-pop beats, perfect for understanding how music can critique social issues with style. Dive in to learn about satire, music production techniques, and the art of questioning fame.

[English]

You live upon a stage and everyone's agreed

You're the brightest hope by far that anyone can see

So when you take the limelight you can guarantee

You're gaining fame and claiming credibility

Tell me baby are you gonna get high as a kite?

Tell me baby are you gonna let it happen every night?

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

You live within the law, and everyone assumes

You must find this a bore and try something new

You're an intellectual giant, an authority

To preach and teach the whole world about ecology

Tell me baby are you gonna make any other claim?

Tell me baby are you gonna take any of the blame?

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

You live within the headlines, so everyone can see

You're supporting every new cause and meeting royalty

You're another major artist on a higher plane

Do you think they'll put you in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame?

Tell me baby how you generate longevity

Tell me baby how you really hate publicity

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

Seriously

Seriously

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

How can you expect to be taken seriously?

Seriously (seriously)

Seriously

Seriously

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
expect /ɪkˈspekt/ B1	verb - to believe something will happen
seriously /ˈsɪəriəsli/ B1	adverb - in a serious way
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to be alive
stage /steɪdʒ/ A2	noun - a raised platform, typically in a theater, on which actors, entertainers, or speakers perform.
brightest /ˈbraɪtɪst/ B1	adjective - giving out or reflecting a great deal of light; shining
hope /həʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen verb - to want something to happen or be true
fame /feɪm/ B1	noun - the state of being known or talked about by many people, especially because of an achievement
credibility /ˌkredɪˈbɪləti/ C1	noun - the quality of being trusted and believed in
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child
high /haɪ/ A1	adjective - extending a great distance upward from the ground or base
bore /bɔːr/ B1	verb - to make (someone) feel tired and uninterested noun - a person or thing that is tedious and uninteresting
authority /ɔːˈθɒrəti/ B2	noun - the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience
giant /ˈdʒaɪənt/ A2	noun - an imaginary or mythical being of human form but superhuman size adjective - of very great size or extent; huge
ecology /iːˈkɒlədʒi/ B2	noun - the branch of biology that deals with the relations of organisms to one another and to their physical surroundings
claim /kleɪm/ B1	verb - to state or assert that something is the case, typically without providing evidence noun - an assertion of something as a fact
blame /bleɪm/ B1	noun - responsibility for a fault or wrong; culpability verb - to hold (someone) responsible for a fault or wrong
headlines /ˈhedlaɪnz/ B2	noun - a heading at the top of an article or page in a newspaper or magazine
supporting /səˈpɔːtɪŋ/ B1	verb - to bear all or part of the weight of; hold up
artist /ˈɑːtɪst/ B1	noun - a person who creates art
plane /pleɪn/ B1	noun - a level surface
longevity /lɒnˈdʒevɪti/ C1	noun - long life
publicity /pʌbˈlɪsəti/ B2	noun - the attention given to someone or something by the media.