Lyrics & Translation
Ready to dive into English through music? Jimmy Eat World's "Sweetness" is a fantastic choice! This song is special for its incredibly catchy melodies and the iconic 'whoa-oh-ohs' that are instantly recognizable and fun to sing along to, even if you're just starting. It's a masterclass in emotional storytelling within rock music, offering a vibrant sonic landscape typical of early 2000s alternative rock. Learning the lyrics will help you grasp nuanced expressions of longing and unrequited feelings, common themes in English songs, and the energetic delivery will boost your pronunciation and rhythm. Listen closely to how Jim Adkins conveys deep emotion, making it a powerful tool for understanding English musical expression.
Key Vocabulary
| Vocabulary | Meanings |
|---|---|
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listening /ˈlɪsənɪŋ/ A2 |
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sweet /swiːt/ A1 |
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sweetness /ˈswiːtnəs/ B1 |
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spinning /ˈspɪnɪŋ/ B1 |
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free /friː/ A1 |
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words /wɜːdz/ A1 |
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meaning /ˈmiːnɪŋ/ B1 |
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stumble /ˈstʌmbl/ B2 |
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crawl /krɔːl/ B1 |
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uncertainty /ʌnˈsɜːtnti/ C1 |
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hide /haɪd/ A2 |
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seek /siːk/ B1 |
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game /ɡeɪm/ A2 |
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dance /dæns/ A2 |
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dizzy /ˈdɪzi/ B2 |
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tether /ˈtɛðər/ C1 |
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bind /baɪnd/ B2 |
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numbing /ˈnʌmɪŋ/ C1 |
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What does “listening” mean in the song "Sweetness"?
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Key Grammar Structures
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IF YOU'RE LISTENING
➔ Present Continuous (Progressive) in a conditional clause
➔ The verb "'re" (are) + "listening" shows an action happening now and is used to ask if the listener is currently doing it.
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SING IT BACK
➔ Imperative mood
➔ "SING" is a base‑form verb used to give a direct command or request.
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SO TELL ME WHAT DO I NEED
➔ Embedded (indirect) question
➔ The clause "WHAT DO I NEED" is an indirect question; note the inversion "DO I" inside the clause.
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WHEN WORDS LOSE THEIR MEANING
➔ Simple Present for general truth / zero conditional
➔ "LOSE" is in the simple present, indicating a habitual or timeless fact: words can lose meaning.
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I WAS SPINNING FREE
➔ Past Continuous (Progressive)
➔ "WAS SPINNING" combines the past of "be" (was) with the -ing form, showing an ongoing action in the past.
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I WON'T PLAY YOUR HIDE AND SEEK GAME
➔ Future Simple with modal "won't" (negative)
➔ "WON'T" = "will not" expresses a firm refusal or decision not to do something in the future.
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NO, THE SWEETNESS WILL NOT BE CONCERNED WITH ME
➔ Future Passive Voice
➔ "WILL NOT BE CONCERNED" combines the future auxiliary "will" with "be" and the past participle "concerned" to form a passive construction.
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I'M STILL RUNNING AWAY
➔ Present Continuous with adverb "still"
➔ "'M RUNNING" is the present progressive; the adverb "still" emphasizes that the action continues up to now.
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