Knock On Wood – English Lyrics

• By: Amii Stewart
• Album: Knock On Wood

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic journey, and Amii Stewart's "Knock On Wood" is a perfect place to start. The song's lyrics are repetitive and tell a simple, relatable story about love and superstition, making it easy to follow along and pick up new vocabulary. Its classic disco beat and powerful vocals make it an incredibly fun and memorable way to immerse yourself in the English language and the vibrant culture of the late 1970s.

[English]

I don't want to lose you

This good thing, that I got

'Cause if I do, I will surely

Surely lose a lot

'Cause your love, is better

Than any love I know

It's like thunder, lightning

The way you love me is frightening

Oh you better knock, knock

On wood, baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

I'm not superstitious, about ya

But I can't take no chance

You got me spinnin' baby

You know that I'm in a trance

'Cause your love, is better

Than any love I know

It's like thunder, lightning

The way you love me is frightenin'

Oh you better knock, knock, knock

On wood, baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock)

Ooh baby

It's no secret, about it

'Cause with his lovin' touch

He sees to it

That I get enough

Feel his touch, all over

You know it means so much

It's like thunder, first then lightnin'

The way you love me is frightenin'

You better knock, knock, knock

On wood, baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh baby

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

(Think I better knock, knock, knock on wood)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lose /luːz/ A2	verb - to be deprived of something
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - of high quality or a high standard noun - benefit or advantage to someone or something
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to feel deep affection for someone
better /ˈbetər/ A1	adjective - more excellent or effective than something else
thunder /ˈθʌndər/ B1	noun - a loud crash of sound that follows a lightning flash
lightning /ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/ B1	noun - a flash of bright light in the sky caused by electrical discharge
knock /nɒk/ A2	verb - to strike a surface sharply
wood /wʊd/ A1	noun - the hard fibrous material that forms the main substance of a tree
superstitious /ˌsuːpərˈstɪʃəs/ B2	adjective - having or showing a belief in superstitions
chance /tʃæns/ A2	noun - a possibility of something happening
spinnin' /ˈspɪnɪŋ/ B1	verb - to turn or cause to turn or whirl around quickly
trance /træns/ B2	noun - a half-conscious state
frightening /ˈfraɪtnɪŋ/ B2	adjective - causing fear
secret /ˈsiːkrət/ B1	noun - something kept hidden or unexplained adjective - not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others
touch /tʌtʃ/ A2	verb - come into or be in contact with something noun - the action of touching or the state of being touched

Key Grammar Structures

• I don't want to lose you / This good thing, that I got

  ➔ Relative Clause with omitted relative pronoun

  ➔ The phrase "that I got" is a relative clause modifying "this good thing". The relative pronoun "that" or "which" can be omitted when it functions as the object of the relative clause's verb. 'This is the good thing that/which I got' becomes 'This is the good thing I got'.

• Cause if I do, I will surely / Surely lose a lot

  ➔ Ellipsis and Conditional Sentence (Type 1 implied)

  ➔ "If I do" is an ellipsis, with the verb phrase "lose you" omitted. The complete clause would be "If I do lose you". It implies a conditional sentence: "If I lose you, I will surely lose a lot". This is similar to a Type 1 conditional, expressing a likely condition and result.

• Cause your love, is better / Than any love I know

  ➔ Comparative Adjective

  ➔ "Better" is the comparative form of the adjective "good". It's used to compare your love to all other loves the speaker knows.

• The way you love me is frightening

  ➔ Noun Clause as Subject Complement

  ➔ "The way you love me" functions as a noun clause and acts as the subject of the sentence. "Is frightening" is the verb phrase, with "frightening" being the subject complement describing the subject.

• I'm not superstitious, about ya

  ➔ Informal Contraction and Preposition Usage

  ➔ "I'm" is a contraction of "I am". "Ya" is an informal/slang version of "you". Using "about ya" is less formal than "about you", but grammatically acceptable in colloquial speech. The standard would be "I am not superstitious about you".

• You got me spinnin' baby

  ➔ Causative 'get' with participle

  ➔ The structure "get someone doing something" (You got me spinnin') means 'you caused me to spin'. "Spinnin'" is a present participle acting as an adjective, describing the state you are in as a result of the other person's actions. More formally, 'You have caused me to spin'.