Lyrics & Translation
Dive into the rhythm of Richie Campbell's "SWEET LIKE SUGAR"! This track is a perfect introduction to the vibrant fusion of dancehall, R&B, and hip-hop, showcasing how artists blend diverse musical traditions. Its catchy Patois phrases and energetic beat offer a fun and engaging way to experience modern Portuguese music with strong Caribbean influences, making it special for its fresh sound and cross-cultural appeal.
Key Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meanings |
---|---|
Gyal /ɡjaːl/ C1 |
|
sweet /swiːt/ A1 |
|
sugar /ˈʃʊɡər/ A1 |
|
love /lʌv/ A1 |
|
aroma /əˈroʊmə/ B1 |
|
wine /waɪn/ B2 |
|
bend /bɛnd/ A2 |
|
twerk /twɜːrk/ C1 |
|
knees /niːz/ A1 |
|
toes /toʊz/ A1 |
|
floor /flɔːr/ A1 |
|
need /niːd/ A1 |
|
innocent /ˈɪnəsənt/ B1 |
|
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ B1 |
|
world /wɜːrld/ A1 |
|
carnival /ˈkɑːrnɪvl/ B1 |
|
wide /waɪd/ A2 |
|
stop /stɒp/ A1 |
|
What does “Gyal” mean in the song "SWEET LIKE SUGAR"?
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Key Grammar Structures
-
Gyal you're sweet like sugar
➔ Simile (using "like"), linking verb "be" (contracted form)
➔ A "simile" is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things using "like" or "as". "You're" is the contraction of "you are", where "are" is a "linking verb" connecting the subject "you" to the adjective "sweet".
-
Love your sweet aroma
➔ Implied subject (omitted "I" or imperative), possessive adjective
➔ In songs, the subject "I" is often "implied" or omitted for rhythm and flow, meaning "I love your sweet aroma". "Your" is a "possessive adjective" showing that the "aroma" belongs to "you".
-
Why your wine all over
➔ Imperative mood, colloquial spelling/language
➔ This phrase uses the "imperative mood", which gives a direct command or instruction. "Why" is a colloquial or phonetic spelling of "whine", a dance movement. So, it means "Dance your dance all over".
-
Out of this world where we living in
➔ Prepositional phrase, colloquial relative clause (omitted auxiliary, misplaced preposition)
➔ "Out of this world" is a "prepositional phrase" used idiomatically to mean exceptional or amazing. "where we living in" is a "colloquial relative clause", omitting the auxiliary "are" (should be "where we are living") and ending with the preposition "in" which is often moved to the end in informal English.
-
Baby gyal stop acting innocent
➔ Imperative mood, verb + gerund
➔ This is an "imperative" sentence giving a direct command. The verb "stop" is followed by a "gerund" ("acting"), which is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun, indicating that the action should cease.
-
Gyal say she ready she want me but me no feel nobody like I'm crazy, man
➔ Colloquial subject pronoun ("me" for "I"), double negative ("no feel nobody")
➔ "Me" is used as a "subject pronoun" instead of the standard "I", common in informal English dialects like Patois. "No feel nobody" is a "double negative", where two negative words ("no", "nobody") are used in the same clause to emphasize the negation, which is non-standard in formal English but common in some dialects.
-
Gyal come whine up on me like a carnival
➔ Imperative, phrasal verb, simile
➔ "Come whine up" is an "imperative" command. "Whine up" is a "phrasal verb" meaning to dance or move provocatively. The phrase "like a carnival" is a "simile", comparing the dancing to the energetic atmosphere of a carnival.
-
Whine up on me like you never f**ked
➔ Imperative, colloquial present perfect (omitted auxiliary "have")
➔ This line is an "imperative" command. "like you never f**ked" is a colloquial usage of the "present perfect" tense. Standard English would be "like you have never f**ked" or "like you've never f**ked", where the auxiliary verb "have" is omitted for brevity and informal tone.
-
You too wide and the place will f**k you right up
➔ Adverb "too" for excessive degree, simple future tense ("will"), phrasal verb
➔ "Too" is an "adverb" used before an adjective ("wide") to mean excessively or more than is desirable. "Will f**k you up" uses the "simple future tense" to predict a consequence. "F**k up" is a "phrasal verb" meaning to damage, spoil, or cause trouble.
-
Bend your knees touch your toes / Make it twerk pon the floor
➔ Sequence of imperative verbs, colloquial preposition ("pon")
➔ This line features a "sequence of imperative verbs" ("Bend", "touch", "Make"), giving a series of direct commands. "Pon" is a "colloquial preposition", a common variant of "on" found in Caribbean English and other informal dialects.
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