Spread Your Wings – English Lyrics

• By: Queen
• Album: News Of The World

Lyrics & Translation

Immerse yourself in Queen's 'Spread Your Wings' to explore English narrative songwriting at its finest. This power ballad's clear storytelling and empowering message make it a special song for understanding expressions of hope and liberation in English.

[English]

Sammy was low, just watching the show

Over and over again

Knew it was time, he'd made up his mind

To leave his dead life behind

His boss said to him, "Boy, you'd better begin

To get those crazy notions right out of your head

Sammy, who do you think that you are?

You should've been sweeping up the Emerald Bar"

Spread your wings and fly away

Fly away, far away

Spread your little wings and fly away

Fly away, far away

Pull yourself together

'Cause you know you should do better

That's because you're a free man

He spends his evenings alone in his hotel room

Keeping his thoughts to himself, he'd be leaving soon

Wishing he was miles and miles away

Nothing in this world, nothing would make him stay

...

Since he was small, had no luck at all

Nothing came easy to him

Now it was time, he'd made up his mind

"This could be my last chance"

His boss said to him, "Now listen, boy! You're always dreaming

You've got no real ambition, you won't get very far

Sammy boy, don't you know who you are?

Why can't you be happy at the Emerald Bar?"

So honey, spread your wings and fly away

Fly away, far away

Spread your little wings and fly away

Fly away, far away

Pull yourself together

'Cause you know you should do better

That's because you're a free man

Come on, honey, fly with me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
spread /spred/ A2	verb - to extend over a large area
wings /wɪŋz/ A1	noun - the part of a bird or insect that is used for flying
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - to travel through the air
away /əˈweɪ/ A1	adverb - to or at a distance from a place
pull /pʊl/ A1	verb - to move something toward oneself
together /təˈɡeθər/ A1	adverb - in or into one place
free /friː/ A1	adjective - not imprisoned or enslaved
man /mæn/ A1	noun - an adult human male
spend /spɛnd/ A2	verb - to pay out money
evenings /ˈiːvənɪŋz/ A1	noun - the time of day between afternoon and night
alone /əˈloʊn/ A1	adjective - without others
wishing /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/ A2	verb - to want something that is not likely to happen
miles /maɪlz/ A1	noun - a unit of distance
chance /tʃæns/ A2	noun - an opportunity to do something
dreaming /ˈdriːmɪŋ/ A2	verb - to have a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
ambition /æmˈbɪʃən/ B1	noun - a strong desire to do or achieve something
happy /ˈhæpi/ A1	adjective - feeling or showing pleasure or contentment
better /ˈbɛtər/ A1	adjective - of a higher quality or more desirable
notions /ˈnoʊʃənz/ B1	noun - a general understanding or vague idea

Key Grammar Structures

• Knew it was time, he'd made up his mind

  ➔ Past Perfect (had + past participle)

  ➔ The phrase "he'd made up his mind" uses the past perfect to indicate an action completed before another past action (knowing it was time).

• His boss said to him, 'Boy, you'd better begin...'

  ➔ Modal Verb (had better)

  ➔ The phrase "you'd better begin" uses the modal verb construction "had better" to give strong advice or a warning.

• Spread your wings and fly away

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ The phrase "Spread your wings" is in the imperative mood, used to give a direct command or instruction.

• That's because you're a free man

  ➔ Present Continuous (be + -ing)

  ➔ The phrase "you're a free man" uses the present continuous to emphasize a current state or condition.

• Nothing in this world, nothing would make him stay

  ➔ Conditional Mood (would + infinitive)

  ➔ The phrase "nothing would make him stay" uses the conditional mood to express a hypothetical situation or result.