Sentimental Journey – English Lyrics

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

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the joy of classic swing music and the English language with Rod Stewart and Jools Holland's "Sentimental Journey." The clear and expressive lyrics about returning home offer a wonderful opportunity to learn vocabulary related to travel and emotions. The song's special quality lies in its vibrant and lively arrangement, a departure from more traditional versions, making it an exciting and engaging way to experience a timeless classic.

[English]

Gonna take a sentimental journey

Gonna set my heart at ease

Gonna take a sentimental journey

To renew old memories

Got my back, got my reservation (woo-ooh)

Spent each dime that I could afford (woo-ooh)

Like a child in wild anticipation

I long to hear that all aboard

Seven

That's the time we leave at seven

I'll be waitin' up in heaven

Countin' every mile of every railroad track that takes me back

I never thought my heart could be so yearny (woo-ooh)

Why did I decide to roam? (Woo-ooh)

Gotta take that sentimental journey

Sentimental journey home

Oh, yeah

Come on, boys!

Oh, yeah!

Sentimental journey, people

I'm going home

Woo

Seven

That's the time we leave at seven

I'll be waitin' up in heaven

Countin' every mile of every railroad track

That takes me back

I never thought my heart could be so yearny (woo-ooh)

Why did I decide to roam? (Woo-ooh)

I'm gonna take that sentimental journey

Sentimental journey home

Sentimental journey home

All aboard

All aboard

...

Key Grammar Structures

• Gonna take a sentimental journey

  ➔ Future intention with "going to" (informal "gonna")

  ➔ The word "Gonna" is the informal contraction of "going to" and is used to talk about a future plan.

• Gonna set my heart at ease

  ➔ Infinitive after verb (set my heart at ease)

  ➔ After the verb "set", the infinitive phrase "my heart at ease" functions as the object of the verb.

• Got my back, got my reservation

  ➔ Present perfect simple with "got" meaning "have"

  ➔ The verb "got" is used as the present perfect of "have" – "I have got" = "I have".

• Spent each dime that I could afford

  ➔ Modal verb "could" + infinitive (could afford)

  ➔ "Could" expresses ability or possibility in the past; here it is followed by the infinitive "afford".

• Like a child in wild anticipation

  ➔ Simile with "like"

  ➔ "Like" introduces a comparison, showing the speaker feels "as a child" in anticipation.

• I long to hear that all aboard

  ➔ Verb + infinitive (long to hear)

  ➔ "Long" is a verb that is followed by an infinitive; here it expresses a strong desire "to hear".

• I'll be waitin' up in heaven

  ➔ Future progressive (will be + -ing)

  ➔ "Will be" + present participle "waitin'" indicates an action that will be ongoing at a future time.

• Countin' every mile of every railroad track that takes me back

  ➔ Relative clause with "that" (that takes me back)

  ➔ The clause "that takes me back" modifies "track" and uses the relative pronoun "that" to add information.

• I never thought my heart could be so yearny

  ➔ Past simple negative + modal (could be so yearning)

  ➔ "Never" negates the past simple verb "thought"; the modal "could" expresses possibility about the state "be so yearning".

• Why did I decide to roam?

  ➔ Question formation with auxiliary "did"

  ➔ In past‑tense questions, the auxiliary "did" precedes the subject "I" and the main verb appears in its base form "decide".