When A Man Loves A Woman – English Lyrics

• By: Percy Sledge

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Percy Sledge's 'When a Man Loves a Woman' offers a masterclass in expressing raw emotion through simple, direct language. The song's clear and repetitive phrasing makes it an excellent choice for English learners to grasp the vocabulary of love and devotion. What makes this song special is its universal theme of passionate love, conveyed through Sledge's incredibly soulful and heartfelt delivery, making the language of emotion truly come alive.

[English]

- Two big hit records in a row,

Mr. Percy Sledge, "When A Man Loves A Woman."

(brass intro music)

♪ When a man love a woman ♪

♪ Can't keep his mind on nothin' else ♪

♪ He'll change the world ♪

♪ For the good thing he's found ♪

♪ If she is bad, he can't see it ♪

♪ She can do no wrong ♪

♪ And turn his back on his best friend ♪

♪ If he put her down ♪

♪ When a man love a woman ♪

♪ Spend his very last dime ♪

♪ Tryin' to hold on to what he needs ♪

♪ He'd give up all his comforts ♪

♪ And sleep out in the rain ♪

♪ If she said that's the way it ought to be ♪

♪ Well this man loves a woman ♪

♪ I give you everything I've got, yeah ♪

♪ Tryin' to hold on to your precious love ♪

♪ And baby please don't treat me bad ♪

♪ When a man love a woman ♪

♪ Down deep in his soul ♪

♪ She can bring him such misery ♪

♪ If she' plays him for a fool ♪

♪ He's the last one to know ♪

♪ Lovin' eyes can never see ♪

♪ Well this man loves a woman ♪

♪ I give you everything I've got, yeah ♪

♪ Tryin' to hold on to your precious love ♪

♪ And baby please don't treat me bad ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ Down deep in his soul ♪

♪ She can bring him such misery ♪

♪ If she plays him for a fool ♪

♪ He's the last one to know ♪

♪ Lovin' eyes can never see ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ He can do her no wrong ♪

♪ He can never walk some other day ♪

♪ Yes, when a man love a woman ♪

♪ I know exactly how he feel ♪

♪ 'Cause baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ You're my world ♪

♪ When a man love a woman ♪

♪ I know exactly how this feels ♪

♪ 'Cause baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ You're my world ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

♪ I know exactly how he feels ♪

♪ 'Cause baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ You're my world ♪

♪ When a man loves a woman ♪

(audience applauding and cheering)

♪ I know exactly how he feels ♪

♪ Baby, baby, baby ♪

(upbeat saxophone music)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong feeling of affection for someone noun - an intense feeling of affection
woman /ˈwʊmən/ A1	noun - an adult female human being
mind /maɪnd/ A2	noun - the element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - to be desired or approved of
bad /bæd/ A1	adjective - of poor quality or a low standard
friend /frend/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
dime /daɪm/ B1	noun - a US coin worth ten cents
needs /niːdz/ A2	noun - something required because it is essential or very important verb - require (something) because it is essential or very important
comforts /ˈkʌmfərts/ B2	noun - a state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint
rain /reɪn/ A1	noun - moisture condensed from the atmosphere that falls visibly in separate drops
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection verb - to have a strong feeling of affection for someone
precious /ˈpreʃəs/ B2	adjective - of great value; not to be wasted or treated carelessly
soul /soʊl/ B1	noun - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal
misery /ˈmɪzəri/ B2	noun - a state or feeling of great physical or mental distress or discomfort
fool /fuːl/ B1	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently; a silly person
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - organs that detect light

Key Grammar Structures

• When a man *love* a woman

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement (with a conditional nuance). While grammatically incorrect in standard English (should be "loves"), it's used for emphasis and to fit the song's rhythm and emotional tone.

  ➔ The verb "love" should be "loves" because the subject "a man" is singular. The usage here adds a folksy, more emotional feel. It's as if the conditional 'if' is implied: *if* a man loves a woman.

• Can't keep his mind on *nothin'* else

  ➔ Double negative. 'Nothin' ' is already a negative, so adding 'can't' makes it technically positive. However, it's used colloquially for emphasis.

  ➔ The sentence means he can't think about anything else. The double negative isn't grammatically correct but adds emphasis and a casual tone to the song. Correct grammar would be: 'Can't keep his mind on *anything* else', or 'Can keep his mind on *nothing* else'.

• If she *is* bad, he can't see it

  ➔ Conditional Clause Type 0/1. Simple present tense in the 'if' clause shows a general truth or a likely situation.

  ➔ This is a conditional sentence where the consequence is likely to happen if the condition is met. If the woman *is* bad, even then, the man cannot see it.

• He'd give up all his comforts

  ➔ Conditional 'would' ('d) + infinitive ('give'). Used to express a hypothetical situation or a willingness to do something under certain conditions.

  ➔ "He'd" is a contraction of "He would". It shows a strong willingness or hypothetical action. In this context, it describes the extreme measures a man in love is willing to take.

• If she *said* that's the way it ought to be

  ➔ Past subjunctive (implied). While "said" is past simple, the overall sentence construction creates a hypothetical scenario with "ought to be" adding to the hypothetical nature.

  ➔ The sentence implies 'If she *were to say*'. 'Ought to be' expresses an expectation or a moral obligation. The entire phrase sets up a hypothetical situation about what the woman desires.

• She can bring him such *misery*

  ➔ Use of 'such' as an intensifier. 'Such + adjective + noun' emphasizes the degree or extent of the misery.

  ➔ 'Such misery' implies a significant amount of misery, more than just a little. It highlights the potential depth of pain that a woman can cause a man who loves her.

• Lovi*n'* eyes can never see

  ➔ Gerund used as an adjective (participle adjective). The present participle 'loving' is used to describe 'eyes'.

  ➔ 'Loving eyes' are eyes that are full of love. The '-ing' form is acting as an adjective describing the eyes.