Summertime – English Lyrics

• By: DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Fresh Prince
• Album: Greatest Hits

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the laid-back grooves of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's "Summertime," a quintessential hip-hop anthem that paints a vibrant picture of summer bliss. Through its smooth rhymes and catchy chorus, you'll not only enjoy a timeless classic but also gain insight into American urban culture and vernacular, making it a fantastic entry point for understanding the English language in a fun and relatable context. The song's clear, storytelling lyrics and its universal theme of summer fun make it special and accessible for language learners.

[English]

- Drums please

(energetic hip-hop music)

(energetic hip-hop music continues)

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

♪ Summertime ♪

♪ Here it is the groove slightly transformed ♪

♪ Just a bit of a break from the norm ♪

♪ Just a little somethin' to break the monotony ♪

♪ Of all that hardcore dance that has gotten to be ♪

♪ A little bit out of control it's cool to dance ♪

♪ But what about the groove that soothes that moves romance ♪

♪ Give me a soft subtle mix ♪

♪ And if ain't broke then don't try to fix it ♪

♪ And think of the summers of the past ♪

♪ Adjust the base and let the alpine blast ♪

♪ Pop in my CD and let me run a rhyme ♪

♪ And put your car on cruise ♪

♪ And lay back 'cause this is summertime ♪

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Ooh, summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

(time to sit back and unwind)

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

(time to sit back and unwind)

♪ School is out and it's a sort of a buzz ♪

♪ But back then I didn't really know what it was ♪

♪ But now I see what have of this ♪

♪ The way that people respond to summer madness ♪

♪ The weather is hot and girls are dressing less ♪

♪ And checking out the fellas to tell 'em who's best ♪

♪ Ridin' around in your jeep or your Benzos ♪

♪ Or in your Nissan sitting on Lorenzos ♪

♪ Back in Philly we be out in the park ♪

♪ A place called "The Plateau" is where everybody go ♪

♪ Guys out hunting and girls doing likewise ♪

♪ Honking at the honey in front of you with the light eyes ♪

♪ She turn around to see what you beeping at ♪

♪ It's like the summer's a natural aphrodisiac ♪

♪ And with a pen and pad I composed this rhyme ♪

♪ To hit you and get you equipped for the summer time ♪

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

(time to sit back and unwind)

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

(Time to sit back and unwind)

♪ It's late in the day and I ain't been on the court yet ♪

♪ Hustle to the mall to get me a short set ♪

♪ Yeah, I gotta on sneaks but I need a new pair ♪

♪ 'Cause basketball courts in the summer got girls there ♪

♪ The temperature's about 88 ♪

♪ Hop in the water plug just for old times sake ♪

♪ Break to ya crib, change your clothes once more ♪

♪ 'Cause you're invited to a barbecue that's starting at 4 ♪

♪ Sitting with your friends as y'all reminisce ♪

♪ About the days growing up and the first person you kissed ♪

♪ And as I think back, makes me wonder how ♪

♪ The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia ♪

♪ All the kids playing out front ♪

♪ Little boys messin' round with the girls ♪

♪ Playing double-dutch ♪

♪ While the DJ's spinning a tune ♪

♪ As the old folks dance at your family reunion ♪

♪ Then six o'clock rolls around ♪

♪ You just finished wiping your car down ♪

♪ It's time to cruise so you go to the summertime hangout ♪

♪ It looks like a car show ♪

♪ Everybody come lookin' real fine ♪

♪ Fresh from the barber shop or fly from the beauty salon ♪

♪ Every moment frontin' and maxin' ♪

♪ Chillin' in the car, they spent all day waxin' ♪

♪ Leanin' to the side but you can't speed through ♪

♪ Two miles an hour so everybody sees you ♪

♪ There's an air of love and of happiness ♪

♪ And this is the Fresh Prince's ♪

♪ New definition of summer madness ♪

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

♪ And unwind ♪

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

♪ Time to sit back and unwind ♪

♪ Sit back and unwind ♪

♪ Summer, summer, summertime ♪

(music fading out)_

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A1	noun - the warmest season of the year
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music noun - a series of rhythmic movements to music
groove /ɡruːv/ B1	noun - a rhythmic pattern in music
control /kənˈtroʊl/ B2	verb - to direct or manage noun - the power to influence or direct people's behavior
romance /roʊˈmæns/ B2	noun - a relationship between people that involves love
nostalgia /nəˈstældʒə/ C1	noun - a sentimental longing for the past
hustle /ˈhʌsəl/ B2	verb - to move quickly or energetically
friends /frɛndz/ A1	noun - people whom one knows and has a bond of mutual affection
barbecue /ˈbɑːrbɪkjuː/ B1	noun - a meal or gathering where food is cooked outdoors
cruise /kruːz/ B2	verb - to travel smoothly at a moderate speed
reminisce /ˌrɛmɪˈnɪs/ B2	verb - to recall past experiences or events
temperature /ˈtɛmpərətʃər/ B1	noun - the degree of heat present in a substance
madness /ˈmædnəs/ B2	noun - the state of being mentally ill or extremely foolish
fine /faɪn/ B1	adjective - of high quality

Key Grammar Structures

• Here it is the groove *slightly transformed*

  ➔ Past participle as adjective

  ➔ The past participle "transformed" describes the noun "groove". It indicates a state of being changed.

• And if *ain't broke* then don't try to fix it

  ➔ Informal contraction (ain't) and conditional clause

  ➔ "Ain't" is a non-standard contraction for "is not/are not/am not/has not/have not". This sentence uses a common idiom expressing that if something is functioning correctly, one should not attempt to repair or improve it.

• School *is out* and it's a sort of a buzz

  ➔ Phrasal verb (*is out*)

  ➔ "Is out" in this context means that school has ended for a period of time, such as summer vacation.

• The weather *is hot and girls are dressing less*

  ➔ Comparative adjective (*less*) implied

  ➔ "Dressing less" implies that girls are wearing fewer clothes compared to other times of the year. It is a comparative statement without using "than".

• Back *in Philly* we be out in the park

  ➔ Preposition of place (*in Philly*) and non-standard use of "be"

  ➔ "In Philly" indicates the location. The use of "be" instead of "are" is a feature of African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and is used to indicate a habitual action or state.

• It's like the summer's *a natural aphrodisiac*

  ➔ Simile using "like" and indefinite article "a"

  ➔ This sentence compares summer to an aphrodisiac, suggesting that it has a stimulating or exciting effect. The indefinite article "a" is used because it's not referring to a specific aphrodisiac, but rather the general idea.

• It's late in the day and I *ain't been* on the court yet

  ➔ Present perfect negative with informal contraction (*ain't been*)

  ➔ "Ain't been" is a non-standard contraction of "have not been." This sentence uses the present perfect to indicate an action that hasn't happened up to the present moment.

• As the old folks *dance* at your family reunion

  ➔ Simple present tense (habitual action)

  ➔ The simple present tense "dance" is used here to describe a typical or recurring activity that happens at family reunions. It's not necessarily happening at this exact moment but represents a general truth or repeated event.