When You Can Fly – English Lyrics

• By: John Legend
• Album: Crow: The Legend (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey of hope and overcoming challenges with John Legend's soulful "When You Can Fly." This inspiring track, from the acclaimed animated movie "Crow: The Legend," offers a rich vocabulary for expressing resilience and optimism. Learn how to articulate feelings of triumph over adversity and gain a fresh perspective on life's struggles, all while enjoying Legend's signature smooth vocals and meaningful songwriting.

[English]

FROGS GONNA LEAP, GATORS GONNA BITE

A GREY WOLF PACK IS GOING TO RULE THE NIGHT

A MOUNTAIN LION HAS NEVER BEEN AFRAID OF HEIGHTS

BUT IT'S BETTER WHEN YOU CAN FLY

BUNNIES GONNA HOP, OTTERS GONNA PLAY

THE ROOSTER CAN COCK-A-DOODLE-DO ALL DAY

CATFISH CAN SWIM BUT I BET THEY'D SAY

IT'S BETTER WHEN YOU CAN FLY

THE VIEW FROM THE BLUE SKY

IT LOOKS SO GOOD WHEN YOU'RE UP HIGH

THE BLUES COME 'ROUND THEY WON'T GET ME DOWN

I CAN MAKE MY ESCAPE

I AM NOT SLY LIKE A FOX, DON'T STING LIKE A BEE

A GRIZZLY WOULD NEVER RUN AWAY FROM ME

BUT THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THEY COULD NEVER SEE

IT'S BETTER WHEN YOU CAN FLY

OH, THE VIEW FROM THE BLUE SKY

IT LOOKS SO GOOD WHEN YOU'RE UP HIGH

THE BLUES COME 'ROUND THEY WON'T GET ME DOWN

I CAN MAKE MY ESCAPE

OH, EVERYBODY SINGS BUT NOT LIKE ME

THE AIR IS MUCH BETTER HERE ABOVE THE TREES

LOOK UP IN THE SKY I'M A SIGHT TO SEE

IT'S BETTER WHEN YOU CAN FLY

THE VIEW FROM THE BLUE SKY

IT LOOKS SO GOOD WHEN YOU'RE UP HIGH

THE BLUES COME 'ROUND THEY WON'T GET ME DOWN

I CAN MAKE MY ESCAPE

NO MATTER HOW HIGH A CROW CAN GO

THERE IS GONNA COME A TIME WHEN HE'S BROUGHT DOWN LOW

I'VE HIT ROCK BOTTOM AND I JUST DON'T KNOW

IF IT'S BETTER WHEN YOU CAN FLY

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - to move through the air using wings or an engine, or to travel by aircraft
leap /liːp/ B1	verb - to make a large jump or sudden movement
bite /baɪt/ A2	verb - to cut or grip something with the teeth
rule /ruːl/ B1	verb - to exercise ultimate power or authority over an area or group
pack /pæk/ B1	noun - a group of wild animals, especially wolves, hunting together
afraid /əˈfreɪd/ A2	adjective - feeling fear; frightened
heights /haɪts/ B2	noun - elevated places or positions; the state of being high
hop /hɒp/ B1	verb - to move by jumping on one foot or both feet at once
view /vjuː/ B1	noun - what can be seen from a particular place, especially a beautiful area of countryside or a city
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the area above the earth, in which clouds, the sun, moon, and stars can be seen
high /haɪ/ A2	adjective - extending a great distance from the bottom to the top or from the ground to a position above
blues /bluːz/ B2	noun - feelings of sadness or depression
escape /ɪˈskeɪp/ B1	verb - to get away from a place where you are being held or from a dangerous or unpleasant situation noun - an act of escaping or an instance of getting free
sly /slaɪ/ B2	adjective - clever in a dishonest or deceptive way; cunning
sting /stɪŋ/ B1	verb - to wound or pierce with a sharp-pointed organ, especially one that injects poison
air /eər/ A1	noun - the invisible gaseous substance surrounding the earth, a mixture mainly of oxygen and nitrogen
sight /saɪt/ B1	noun - the faculty or power of seeing; something that is seen
bottom /ˈbɒtəm/ B1	noun - the lowest part of something

Key Grammar Structures

• FROGS GONNA LEAP, GATORS GONNA BITE

  ➔ Informal future with 'gonna'

  ➔ "gonna" = colloquial contraction of "going to" for future actions

• THE BLUES COME 'ROUND THEY WON'T GET ME DOWN

  ➔ Future negative contraction + phrasal verb

  ➔ "won't" = future negative of "will not"; "get down" = phrasal verb meaning "depress"

• I AM NOT SLY LIKE A FOX, DON'T STING LIKE A BEE

  ➔ Negative comparisons with 'not'

  ➔ Parallel structure using "not" to deny characteristics ("not sly... don't sting")

• THINK OF ALL THE THINGS THEY COULD NEVER SEE

  ➔ Modal verb 'could' for hypothetical inability

  ➔ "could never" expresses permanent hypothetical inability in the past/present

• NO MATTER HOW HIGH A CROW CAN GO

  ➔ Concessive clause with 'no matter how'

  ➔ "No matter how" introduces a condition that doesn't change the outcome

• I'VE HIT ROCK BOTTOM AND I JUST DON'T KNOW

  ➔ Present perfect + present simple negation

  ➔ "I've hit" (completed action with present relevance) + "don't know" (current state)

• THE ROOSTER CAN COCK-A-DOODLE-DO ALL DAY

  ➔ Modal 'can' for inherent ability

  ➔ "can" expresses natural/biological capability (not learned skill)

• LOOK UP IN THE SKY I'M A SIGHT TO SEE

  ➔ Imperative + noun phrase complement

  ➔ Imperative "Look" followed by descriptive noun phrase "a sight to see"