Hungry Heart – English Lyrics

• By: Bruce Springsteen, The E Street Band
• Album: Letter to You, The River

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Bruce Springsteen's hit, "Hungry Heart," and discover how its catchy melody and relatable lyrics about the search for connection and meaning can help you grasp common English expressions and explore themes of desire and restlessness . Learn how Springsteen uses simple language to convey complex emotions, making it a great song for English learners .

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ride /raɪd/ A1	noun - an act of travelling on something verb - to sit on and control the movement of
river /ˈrɪvər/ A2	noun - a large natural stream of water
turn /tɜːrn/ A2	noun - a change of direction verb - to change direction
heart /hɑːrt/ A2	noun - the organ that pumps blood noun - the seat of feeling
love /lʌv/ A2	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to have a strong affection for
part /pɑːrt/ A2	noun - a portion or share verb - to divide or separate
place /pleɪs/ A2	noun - a particular position or location
rest /rest/ A2	noun - a period of relaxation verb - to cease work or movement
home /hoʊm/ A2	noun - the place where one lives
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - without any other people
rip /rɪp/ B1	verb - to tear or split apart
money /ˈmʌni/ B1	noun - a medium of exchange
difference /ˈdɪfərəns/ B1	noun - a contrast or distinction
hungry /ˈhʌŋɡri/ B1	adjective - feeling or displaying the need for food adjective - having a strong desire
bar /bɑːr/ B1	noun - a place serving alcoholic drinks
end /end/ B1	noun - the final part of something verb - to come to a stop

Key Grammar Structures

• Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack

  ➔ Present Simple for describing states and facts

  ➔ The verb 'Got' (a colloquial shortening of 'I have got' or 'I have') is used to indicate possession or the existence of something at the present time.

• I went out for a ride and I never went back

  ➔ Past Simple for describing completed actions in the past

  ➔ The verb 'went' is the past tense of 'go', used to narrate events that happened and concluded at specific points in the past.

• Like a river that don't know where it's flowing

  ➔ Use of 'like' for simile and contraction 'don't' for informal speech

  ➔ 'Like' introduces a comparison, and 'don't' is a common contraction of 'do not', often used in songs and informal contexts.

• I took a wrong turn and I just kept going

  ➔ Past Simple with adverbial phrases indicating continuation

  ➔ 'Kept going' is a phrasal verb in the past tense, meaning to continue an action or journey without stopping.

• Everybody's got a hungry heart

  ➔ Possessive 's' and contraction of 'is' (Everybody's)

  ➔ 'Everybody's' is a contraction for 'Everybody is' or 'Everybody has'. In this context, it implies 'Everybody has'. The possessive 's' is used to show belonging.

• Lay down your money and you play your part

  ➔ Imperative mood for instructions or commands

  ➔ The verb 'Lay' is used in its base form to instruct the listener to perform an action.

• Everybody needs a place to rest

  ➔ Third person singular present tense verb ('needs')

  ➔ When the subject is 'Everybody' (which is singular), the verb in the present tense takes an '-s' ending.

• Ain't nobody like to be alone, yeah

  ➔ Non-standard contraction 'ain't' for negation and informal style

  ➔ 'Ain't' is a versatile but non-standard contraction used in informal English to replace 'am not', 'is not', 'are not', 'has not', and 'have not'. Here, it means 'is not'.