Pennies from Heaven – English Lyrics

• By: Rod Stewart, Jools Holland
• Album: Swing Fever

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the uplifting spirit of American swing music with Rod Stewart and Jools Holland's 'Pennies from Heaven.' This classic song offers a wonderful opportunity to learn English through its optimistic and accessible lyrics. The vocabulary is straightforward, making it perfect for learners to pick up expressions of hope and positivity. The song's joyful and clear enunciation by Rod Stewart makes it easy to follow along and sing, turning your language learning into a delightful and musical experience.

[English]

Don't you want better, honey?

We're goin' out

Every time it rains, it rains pennies from Heaven

Don't you know each cloud contains pennies from Heaven?

You'll find your fortune falling all over town

Just make sure your umbrella is up, up, up, up, upside down

Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers

If you want the things you love, you must have showers, baby

So when you hear the thunder, don't go under the tree (ooh)

There'll be pennies from Heaven for you, for you and me

Pennies from Heaven now, come on (ah, yeah)

Pennies from Heaven

Pennies from Heaven (ah, yeah, ah, yeah)

Here comes the penny

Pennies from Heaven (woo)

(Ooh)

Every time it rains, it rains pennies from Heaven (shooby-dooby)

Don't you know each cloud contains pennies from Heaven? (Shooby-dooby)

You'll find your fortune falling all over town

Make sure your umbrella is up, up, up, up, upside down

Trade them for a package of sunshine and flowers (sunshine and flowers)

If you want the things you love, you gotta have showers, baby

So when you hear the thunder, don't go under a tree (ooh)

There'll be pennies from Heaven for you (for you)

Pennies from Heaven for you (for you)

Pennies from Heaven for you and me, ah, yeah

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rain /reɪn/ A1	verb - to fall from the clouds in drops of water noun - water that falls from the clouds
penny /ˈpɛni/ A1	noun - a coin of low value
heaven /ˈhɛvən/ A1	noun - the place where God and the gods live
cloud /klaʊd/ A1	noun - a white or grey mass in the sky
fortune /ˈfɔrtʃən/ A2	noun - a large amount of money or assets
fall /fɔl/ A1	verb - to come down by gravity
umbrella /ʌmˈbrɛlə/ A1	noun - a device used for protection against rain
upside /ˈʌpˌsaɪd/ A2	noun - the upper or top part
down /daʊn/ A1	adverb - towards a lower position
trade /treɪd/ A2	verb - to exchange goods or services
sunshine /ˈsʌnˌʃaɪn/ A1	noun - the light and heat from the sun
flower /ˈflaʊər/ A1	noun - the part of a plant that is often colorful and fragrant
thunder /ˈθʌndər/ A1	noun - a loud noise that follows lightning
tree /tri/ A1	noun - a large plant with a trunk and branches
package /ˈpækɪdʒ/ B1	noun - a container or wrapping for holding or carrying something
shower /ˈʃaʊər/ A1	noun - a brief fall of rain
contain /kənˈteɪn/ B1	verb - to have or hold something inside
hear /hɪr/ A1	verb - to perceive sound
come /kʌm/ A1	verb - to move towards someone or something

Key Grammar Structures

• Every time it rains, it rains pennies from Heaven

  ➔ Present simple for general truths

  ➔ The phrase uses "Every time it rains, it rains pennies from Heaven" to express a "general truth" or "habitual action" that always happens under certain conditions.

• Don't you know each cloud contains pennies from Heaven?

  ➔ Present simple passive

  ➔ The phrase "each cloud contains pennies from Heaven" uses the present simple in an active form, but implies a passive meaning - that pennies are "contained in" clouds rather than clouds actively containing them.

• You'll find your fortune falling all over town

  ➔ Future continuous

  ➔ The phrase "You'll find your fortune falling all over town" uses the future continuous (will + be + verb-ing) to describe an action that will be in progress at a particular time in the future.

• If you want the things you love, you must have showers, baby

  ➔ Conditional structure with modal verb 'must'

  ➔ The phrase "If you want the things you love, you must have showers, baby" demonstrates a conditional structure where "If" introduces the condition, and "must" expresses obligation or necessity in the result clause.

• So when you hear the thunder, don't go under the tree

  ➔ Negative imperative with 'don't'

  ➔ The phrase "don't go under the tree" uses the negative imperative form with "don't" + base verb to give a command or warning about what not to do.

• Just make sure your umbrella is up, up, up, up, upside down

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The phrase "Just make sure your umbrella is up, up, up, up, upside down" uses the imperative mood (base form of the verb) to give a command or instruction.

• We're goin' out

  ➔ Present continuous for future arrangements

  ➔ The phrase "We're goin' out" uses the present continuous tense (be + verb-ing) to talk about future plans or arrangements. Note the colloquial spelling "goin'" instead of "going".

• There'll be pennies from Heaven for you, for you and me

  ➔ Future with 'there will be'

  ➔ The phrase "There'll be pennies from Heaven for you, for you and me" uses the future form "There will be" (contracted as "There'll be") to express that something will exist or happen in the future.