Reach Out I'll Be There – English Lyrics

• By: Four Tops

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the heartfelt world of “Reach Out I'll Be There” by the Four Tops, a song that teaches us the importance of being there for others. Discover how its unique sound and passionate delivery made it a Motown classic, offering a timeless message of hope and solidarity.

[English]

Now if you feel that you can't go on (can't go on)

Because all of your hope is gone (all your hope is gone)

And your life is filled with much confusion (much confusion)

Until happiness is just an illusion (happiness is just an illusion)

And your world around is crumbling down, darlin'

(Reach out) Come on girl reach on out for me

(Reach out) Reach out for me

Hah, I'll be there with a love that will shelter you

I'll be there with a love that will see you through

When you feel lost and about to give up (to give up)

'Cause your best just ain't good enough (just ain't good enough)

And you feel the world has grown cold (has grown cold)

And you're drifting out all on your own (drifting out on your own)

And you need a hand to hold, darlin'

(Reach out) Come on girl, reach out for me

(Reach out) Reach out for me

Hah, I'll be there to love and comfort you

And I'll be there to cherish and care for you

I'll be there to always see you through

I'll be there to love and comfort you

I can tell the way you hang your head (hang your head)

You're not in love now, now you're afraid (you're afraid)

And through your tears you look around (look around)

But there's no peace of mind to be found

(No peace of mind to be found)

I know what you're thinking

You're a loner, no love of your own, but darling

(Reach out) Come on girl reach out for me

Reach out... just look over your shoulder

I'll be there to give you all the love you need

And I'll be there, you can always depend on me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
feel /fiːl/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation
hope /hoʊp/ A1	noun - a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
gone /ɡɔːn/ A1	adjective - having left or disappeared
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
confusion /kənˈfjuːʒən/ B2	noun - the state of being bewildered or unclear in one's mind about something
happiness /ˈhæpinəs/ B1	noun - the state of being happy
illusion /ɪˈluːʒən/ B2	noun - a false idea or belief
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, people, and natural features
crumbling /ˈkrʌmblɪŋ/ B2	verb - breaking or falling apart into small fragments, especially as part of deterioration
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - feel deep affection for (someone)
shelter /ˈʃeltər/ B1	verb - protect or shield from something harmful noun - a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger
lost /lɒst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; not knowing one's whereabouts
cold /koʊld/ A1	adjective - of or at a low or relatively low temperature
drifting /ˈdrɪftɪŋ/ B2	verb - carried slowly by a current of air or water
hand /hænd/ A1	noun - the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the fingers and thumb
comfort /ˈkʌmfərt/ B1	verb - ease the grief or distress of noun - a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint
tears /tɪərz/ A1	noun - a drop of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye as a result of strong emotion
peace /piːs/ A2	noun - freedom from disturbance; tranquility
loner /ˈloʊnər/ B2	noun - a person who prefers their own company and does not seek out social interaction
depend /dɪˈpend/ B1	verb - rely on

Key Grammar Structures

• Now if you feel that you *can't go on*

  ➔ Modal verb "can't" + bare infinitive

  ➔ "can't go on" expresses an inability to continue, a very common and useful construction for expressing limitations or lack of capacity. The bare infinitive "go on" is used after modal verbs.

• Because *all of your hope is gone*

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (singular verb with singular collective noun)

  ➔ Although "hope" can seem abstract, here it is treated as a singular concept, hence "*is* gone". This is a common, but sometimes tricky, element of English grammar.

• Until happiness *is just an illusion*

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (singular subject, singular verb)

  ➔ "happiness" is an uncountable noun, treated as singular, so it takes the singular verb "*is*". Understanding uncountable nouns is crucial for accurate grammar.

• And your world around *is crumbling down*, darlin'

  ➔ Present continuous tense (describing an ongoing process)

  ➔ "is crumbling down" describes a process that is currently happening and unfolding. The present continuous effectively conveys a sense of immediacy and ongoing change.

• When you feel lost and *about to give up*

  ➔ "be about to" + infinitive (expressing immediate future)

  ➔ "about to give up" indicates that the action of giving up is imminent. It's a more emphatic way of expressing the immediate future than simply using "will" or "going to."

• And you're *drifting out all on your own*

  ➔ Phrasal verb "drifting out"

  ➔ "drifting out" means to gradually become separated or isolated from something or someone. Understanding phrasal verbs is important to comprehending nuances in English.

• You're *not in love now*, now you're afraid

  ➔ Negation with "not" and use of "now" for emphasis

  ➔ The phrase "not in love now" expresses a lack of current feeling, and repeating "now" reinforces the present state of the subject, drawing a contrast with a previous, possibly loved, state. Placement and repetition of "now" can be very effective.

• Reach out... *just look over your shoulder*

  ➔ Imperative sentence + adverb "just" for encouragement.

  ➔ The imperative "look over your shoulder" gives a direct command, while "just" softens the command and provides a sense of reassurance or ease. Using "just" with imperatives is a nuanced way to make them more appealing and less forceful.