I Say A Little Prayer – English Lyrics

• By: Aretha Franklin

Lyrics & Translation

Aretha Franklin's "I Say A Little Prayer" offers a fantastic opportunity for English language learners to immerse themselves in the themes of love and daily routines. The song's clear narrative and use of the present simple tense make it an excellent tool for practicing everyday vocabulary and sentence structure. The call-and-response format between Franklin and her backing vocalists also provides a dynamic way to learn about conversational turn-taking and harmony in language and music.

[English]

The moment I wake up

Before I put on my makeup (makeup)

I say a little (prayer for you)

And while I'm combing my hair now

And wondering what dress to wear now (wear now)

I say a little (prayer for you)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) yeah

(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) ever

(We never will part, oh, how I love you)

(Together) Together (together) together

(That's how it must be to live without you)

(Would only mean heartbreak for me)

I run for the bus, dear

And while riding I think of us, dear (us, dear)

I say a little (prayer for you)

And at work I just take time

And all through my coffee break time (break time)

I say a little (prayer for you)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) and ever

(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) and ever

(We never will part, oh, how I love you)

(Together) together (together) together

(That's how it must be to live without you)

(Would only mean heartbreak for me)

Nobody but me

(Forever) Forever (and ever) ever

(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) ever

(We never will part, oh, how I love you)

(Together) together (together) together

(That's how it must be to live without you)

(Would only mean heartbreak for me)

My darling, believe me (believe me)

For me there is no one but you

Please love me true

I'm in love with you (Answer my prayer)

Answer my prayer, baby (Answer my prayer)

Say you'll love me true (Answer my prayer)

Answer my prayer, baby (Answer my prayer)

(Forever) Forever (and ever) ever

(You'll stay in my heart and I will love you) Ever

(Forever) Forever (and ever) ever

(We never will part, oh, how I love you)

(Together) together (together) together

(That's how it must be to live without you)

(Would only mean heartbreak for me)

Oh, nobody but me

My darling, believe me (Believe me)

For me there is no one but you

Please love me true

This is my prayer (Answer my prayer)

Answer my prayer now, baby (Answer my prayer, baby)

This is my prayer (Answer my prayer, baby)

Answer it right now, baby (Answer my prayer, baby)

Say you'll love me true (Answer my prayer, baby)

This is my prayer, baby (Answer my prayer, baby)

I'm in love with you (Answer my prayer)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
moment /ˈmoʊ.mənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time
makeup /ˈmeɪ.kʌp/ B1	noun - cosmetics applied to the face
prayer /ˈprɛɪ.ər/ B1	noun - a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ in your chest that sends the blood around your body
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong affection for someone noun - a strong feeling of affection
together /təˈɡɛð.ər/ A2	adverb - with each other; in a group
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and control the movement of a vehicle or animal
think /θɪŋk/ A1	verb - to have a particular opinion or belief
break /breɪk/ A2	noun - a short period of rest or pause
darling /ˈdɑːr.lɪŋ/ B2	noun - a beloved person
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept something as true
answer /ˈæn.sər/ A2	verb - to respond to a question or request
part /pɑːrt/ A2	verb - to separate or divide into pieces
mean /miːn/ B1	verb - to signify or represent

Key Grammar Structures

• The moment I wake up, before I put on my makeup

  ➔ Time clauses with 'before'

  ➔ This sentence uses 'before' to indicate that one action (putting on makeup) happens after another (waking up). 'Before' introduces a dependent clause that specifies the timing of the main clause action.

• And wondering what dress to wear now

  ➔ Indirect question (embedded question) with 'what + to + infinitive'

  ➔ This is an example of an indirect question. Instead of asking directly, 'What dress should I wear?', the sentence embeds the question within the larger clause 'And wondering...'. The structure 'what + to + wear' is a common way to express this.

• (That's how it must be) to live without you

  ➔ Use of 'to + infinitive' to express purpose or consequence

  ➔ Here, 'to live without you' explains the consequence or result of the previous statement ('That's how it must be'). The infinitive phrase functions as an adverbial modifier.

• Would only mean heartbreak for me

  ➔ Conditional sentence (implied condition)

  ➔ This sentence implies a conditional clause. The full thought is something like: 'If I were to live without you, it would only mean heartbreak for me.' The 'if' clause is omitted, but understood.

• I run for the bus, dear

  ➔ Simple Present Tense for habits or routines

  ➔ The verb 'run' in the simple present tense indicates a regular action or routine. It's something she does habitually.

• Say you'll love me true

  ➔ Future in the past (will -> would) in indirect speech.

  ➔ This phrase is a direct request/command that implies the future, but, viewed from a past perspective (i.e. if it were reported), 'will' would change to 'would'. However, in this context, the 'will' is used to make a firm request or plea.