Try a Little Tenderness – English Lyrics

• By: Otis Redding
• Album: The Dictionary Of Soul

Lyrics & Translation

"Try a Little Tenderness" by Otis Redding is a masterclass in emotional delivery, offering a rich vocabulary of feeling and expression. Learning this song in its original English allows you to experience the raw power and nuanced sensitivity of Otis Redding's iconic vocals, making it a perfect piece to understand how deep emotion can be conveyed through language and music. The dynamic shifts and powerful ad-libs provide excellent examples of expressive English in a musical context.

[English]

Oh, she may be weary

And young girls they do get wearied

Wearing that same old shaggy dress, yeah, yeah

But when she gets weary

Try a little tenderness, yeah, yeah

You know she's waiting

Just anticipating

For things that she'll never, never, never, never possess, yeah, yeah

But while she's there waiting, without them

Try a little tenderness

That's all you gotta do

It's not just sentimental, no, no, no

She has her grief and care, yeah, yeah-yeah

But the soft words, they are spoke so gentle, yeah

It makes it easier, easier to bear, yeah

You won't regret it, no, no

Some girls they don't forget it

Love is their own happiness, yeah

But it's all so easy

All you gotta do is try

Try a little tenderness, yeah

All you gotta do is, man

Hold her where you want her

Squeeze her

Don't tease her

Never leave her

Get to her, try, try

Just try a little tenderness, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah

Don't bruise her, no no

You've got to love her, tease her, don't squeeze her

Gotta try nah, nah, nah, try

Try a little tenderness, ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah

You've gotta to know what to do, man

Take this advice

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
weary /ˈwɪəri/ B2	adjective - feeling or showing tiredness, especially as a result of excessive exertion.
tenderness /ˈtendərnəs/ B2	noun - gentleness and kindness.
waiting /ˈweɪtɪŋ/ A1	verb - staying where one is or delaying action until a particular time or event.
anticipating /ænˈtɪsɪpeɪtɪŋ/ B2	verb - look forward to; expect or predict.
possess /pəˈzes/ B2	verb - have as belonging to one; own.
grief /ɡriːf/ B2	noun - intense sorrow, especially caused by someone's death.
care /keər/ A2	noun - the provision of what is necessary for the health, welfare, maintenance, and protection of someone or something.
soft /sɒft/ A2	adjective - easy to mold, cut, compress, or fold; not hard or firm to the touch.
gentle /ˈdʒentl/ B1	adjective - having or showing a mild, kind, or tender temperament or character.
bear /beər/ B1	verb - endure an ordeal or difficulty.
regret /rɪˈɡret/ B1	verb - feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that one has done or failed to do).
happiness /ˈhæpinəs/ A2	noun - the state of being happy.
hold /hoʊld/ A1	verb - to grasp, carry, or support with one's hands.
squeeze /skwiːz/ B1	verb - firmly press (something soft or yielding), typically with one's fingers.
tease /tiːz/ B1	verb - make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way.
bruise /bruːz/ B2	verb - inflict a bruise on (someone or something).
advice /ədˈvaɪs/ B1	noun - guidance or recommendations offered concerning prudent future action.

Key Grammar Structures

• Oh, she may be weary

  ➔ Modal verb "may" expressing possibility/uncertainty

  ➔ The modal verb "may" indicates that it's possible or probable that she is "weary", but it's not a definite statement.

• And young girls they do get wearied

  ➔ Emphatic "do" + verb

  ➔ The word "do" is used to emphasize the verb "get wearied." It adds emotional weight and affirms the statement.

• Wearing that same old shaggy dress, yeah, yeah

  ➔ Present participle "Wearing" functioning as an adjective modifying "girls"

  ➔ "Wearing" describes the girls, indicating that they are the ones in the "shaggy dress". The phrase shortens the sentence.

• Just anticipating For things that she'll never possess, yeah, yeah

  ➔ Future tense with "will" (she'll) expressing a prediction.

  ➔ "She'll never possess" uses the future tense to indicate that the speaker believes she will not own or have these things at any point in the future.

• It's not just sentimental, no, no, no

  ➔ Use of "not just" to limit the scope of a description.

  ➔ "Not just sentimental" suggests that there's more to the situation than simply emotional feelings. There are other factors involved.

• But the soft words, they are spoke so gentle, yeah

  ➔ Passive voice ("are spoke") used unconventionally for emphasis

  ➔ The phrase "are spoke" is grammatically incorrect, but it's used here for artistic effect and to draw attention to how gently the words are spoken. The more typical phrasing would be "are spoken."

• Hold her where you want her

  ➔ Imperative mood with an adverbial clause of place.

  ➔ "Hold her" is a command. "Where you want her" is a clause that tells you *where* to hold her.

• Don't tease her

  ➔ Negative imperative.

  ➔ The word "don't" makes the imperative "tease her" negative, meaning you should not do that action.