Turn the Beat Around – English Lyrics

• By: Vicki Sue Robinson

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the infectious energy of Vicki Sue Robinson's "Turn the Beat Around"! This disco classic isn't just a phenomenal dance track; its lyrics offer a unique window into the English language by playfully describing musical instruments and rhythms. You can learn vocabulary related to music, movement, and expression, while appreciating how the song's vivid imagery enhances its driving beat. Its clear pronunciation and repetitive, yet engaging, structure make it an excellent choice for language learners to pick up rhythm-related phrases and expand their auditory comprehension in English.

[English]

Turn the beat around

Love to hear percussion

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion

Love to hear it

Blow horns, you sure sound pretty

Your violins keep movin' to the nitty gritty

When you hear the scratch of the guitars scratchin'

Then you'll know that rhythm carries all the action, woah

Turn the beat around (turn it around)

Love to hear percussion

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion

Love to hear it (got to hear it)

Turn the beat around

Love to hear percussion

(Move your feet when you feel the beat, yeah)

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion

Love to hear it

Flute player play your flute 'cause

I know that you wanna get your thing off

But you see I've made up my mind 'bout it

It's got to be the rhythm, no doubt about it, woah, woah

'Cause when the guitar player start playing

With the syncopated rhythm, with the scratch, scratch, scratch

Makes me wanna move my body, yeah, yeah, yeah

And when the drummer starts beating that beat

He nails that beat with the syncopated rhythm

With the rat, tat, tat, tat, tat, tat on the drums, hey

Turn the beat around (ooh, I'm talking 'bout the beat)

Love to hear percussion

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion (love to hear the beat, na, na)

Love to hear it

Love to hear it

Love to hear it

Love to hear it

...

Turn the beat around

Love to hear percussion

Turn it upside down (turn it upside down)

Love to hear percussion

Love to hear it

Turn the beat around

Love to hear percussion (got to hear it)

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion

Turn the beat around (turn it around, yeah)

Love to hear percussion (love to hear it)

Turn it upside down

Love to hear percussion

Turn the beat around

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
turn /tɜːrn/ A2	verb - to move in a circular direction; to rotate.
beat /biːt/ A1	noun - a main accent or rhythmic unit in music. verb - to strike (something) repeatedly.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong feeling of affection for (someone).
hear /hɪr/ A1	verb - perceive with the ear the sound.
percussion /pərˈkʌʃən/ B2	noun - musical instruments played by striking, shaking, or scraping.
upside down /ˌʌpsaɪd ˈdaʊn/ B1	adjective - with the upper side turned toward the lower side; inverted.
blow /bloʊ/ A2	verb - to expel air through the mouth or nose.
horns /hɔːrnz/ A2	noun - brass musical instruments such as trumpets and trombones.
sound /saʊnd/ A1	verb - to emit or cause to emit sound.
pretty /ˈprɪti/ A1	adjective - attractive in a delicate way without being truly beautiful.
violins /ˌvaɪəˈlɪnz/ A2	noun - a stringed musical instrument of the violin family.
movin' /ˈmuːvɪn/ A1	verb - Moving (present continuous form of move).
rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/ B1	noun - a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
guitars /ɡɪˈtɑːrz/ A1	noun - a stringed musical instrument with a long neck and a flat body.
action /ˈækʃən/ A2	noun - the fact or process of doing something, typically to achieve an aim.
flute /fluːt/ A2	noun - a high-pitched wind instrument