San Francisco – English Lyrics

• By: Village People
• Album: San Francisco Macho Man

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the vibrant world of 1970s disco with Village People's "San Francisco"! This iconic song offers a fantastic opportunity to learn English through its catchy, straightforward lyrics celebrating freedom and self-expression. You can explore vocabulary related to cities, liberation, and personal enjoyment, all while grooving to its infectious beat. Its simple structure and clear pronunciation make it perfect for understanding core English phrases and cultural references to a significant era and place.

[English]

(Folsom), Folsom Street, on the way to (Polk and Castro)

(You don't find them finer)

(Freedom), freedom is in the air, yeah

(Searching for what we all treasure: pleasure)

(Cycles), cycles in the night shining bright

(Brightly on nights tell a glory story)

(Leather), leather, leather, leather baby

(Levi's and T's are the best now all right)

Dress the way you please and put your mind at ease

It's a city known for its freedom, (freedom)

Cycles shining bright break the silence of the night

Inhibitions, no, you don't need them, (no), no,(no)

(San Francisco), San Francisco

(San Francisco), City by the Bay yeah

(San Francisco), he he he he hey

(You've got me)

(San Francisco), San Francisco

(San Francisco), take me to the water

(San Francisco), he he he he hey

(You've got me), ['got me got me, baby]

(Folsom), Folsom Street on the way to (Polk and Castro)

(You don't find them finer)

(Freedom), Freedom, freedom, freedom

(Searching for what we all treasure: pleasure)

(Cycles), cycles shining bright

(Brightly on nights tell a glory story)

(Disco), Disco, disco party baby

(- music that sets you on fire, higher)

Love the way I please, don't put no chains on me

If you got the time, you can do it,

What I need is love, that's all I'm thinking of

Take me to the Bay, lead me to it, (now) now (now)

(San Francisco), San Francisco

(San Francisco), oh I love ya yeah...

(San Francisco), he he he he hey

(You've got me) Aau Aau

(San Francisco), San Francisco

(San Francisco), City by the Bay y'all

(San Francisco), he he he he hey

(You've got me), got me, got me, got me baby

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
freedom /ˈfriːdəm/ A2	noun - the state of being free to do what you want
pleasure /ˈpleʒər/ A2	noun - a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment
shining /ˈʃaɪnɪŋ/ A2	verb - to emit light
bright /braɪt/ A1	adjective - giving out a lot of light; intelligent
leather /ˈleðər/ A1	noun - a material made from the skin of an animal
dress /dres/ A1	verb - to put on clothes noun - a piece of clothing for a woman or girl
ease /iːz/ B1	noun - freedom from worry or pain verb - to make something less severe or difficult
city /ˈsɪti/ A1	noun - a large town
break /breɪk/ A1	verb - to separate into pieces
silence /ˈsaɪləns/ A2	noun - a lack of sound
inhibitions /ɪnˌhɪbɪʃənz/ B2	noun - a feeling that makes one hesitant to do something
disco /ˈdɪskoʊ/ A2	noun - a style of dance music
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection verb - to care deeply about someone
chains /tʃeɪnz/ A2	noun - a series of metal links
lead /led/ A2	verb - to guide or direct someone

Key Grammar Structures

• Dress the way you please and put your mind at ease

  ➔ Imperative mood + relative clause (the way you please)

  ➔ The verb **"Dress"** is used as an imperative, giving a command. The phrase **"the way you please"** is a relative clause modifying *way*.

• You don't need them, (no), no,(no)

  ➔ Negative contraction with auxiliary verb (don't) + simple present

  ➔ The auxiliary **"don't"** is a contraction of *do not*, forming a negative present‑simple statement: **"You don't need"**.

• If you got the time, you can do it,

  ➔ First conditional with simple past in the if‑clause (got) + modal verb (can) + infinitive

  ➔ The **"if"** clause uses the simple past **"got"** to talk about a possible situation, and the main clause uses the modal **"can"** + base verb **"do"** to express ability.

• What I need is love, that's all I'm thinking of

  ➔ Cleft sentence (What I need is…) + present progressive (I'm thinking)

  ➔ The structure **"What I need is…"** is a cleft sentence that places focus on *love*. The clause **"I'm thinking"** uses the present progressive to show an ongoing thought.

• Cycles shining bright break the silence of the night

  ➔ Present participle phrase (shining bright) used as adjective + simple present verb (break)

  ➔ The participle **"shining"** modifies *Cycles* like an adjective, while the main verb **"break"** is in the simple present, indicating a regular action.

• Love the way I please, don't put no chains on me

  ➔ Imperative + double negative (don't put no) + object pronoun (me)

  ➔ The sentence starts with an imperative **"Love"** and **"don't put"**, while **"no"** creates a double negative, intensifying the prohibition: *don't put no chains on me*.

• Freedom is in the air, yeah

  ➔ Simple present copular verb (is) + prepositional phrase (in the air)

  ➔ The subject **"Freedom"** is linked to the location **"in the air"** by the copular verb **"is"**, indicating a state or condition.

• Disco, disco party baby

  ➔ Noun phrase used as a vocative/exclamation; repetition for emphasis

  ➔ The repeated noun **"Disco"** functions as an exclamation, creating a rhythmic chant that draws attention to the **"party"**.

• Take me to the Bay, lead me to it, (now) now (now)

  ➔ Imperative + phrasal verb (lead) + direct object pronoun (me) + temporal adverb (now)

  ➔ The imperative **"Take"** commands the listener, while **"lead me"** uses the phrasal verb **"lead"** with the object pronoun **"me"**; the repeated **"now"** adds urgency.

• You've got me

  ➔ Present perfect contracted (You've) + verb phrase (got) + object pronoun (me)

  ➔ The contraction **"You've"** stands for *you have*, forming the present perfect with **"got"**, which together mean *you have captured my attention*; **"me"** is the object.