Planting Tomatoes – English Lyrics

• By: Lucy Dacus

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the poetic and grounded world of Lucy Dacus with 'Planting Tomatoes.' This song is a perfect tool for learners to practice English through its clear, narrative-driven storytelling and evocative, everyday vocabulary. Its gentle pace and meaningful metaphors make it a special way to connect language learning with deep emotional resonance.

[English]

♪♪♪

♪ PLANTING TOMATOES IN THE EMPTY LOT ♪

♪ SOMEONE PRACTICING SAXOPHONE ♪

♪ DOWN THE BLOCK ♪

♪ AND THEY ARE NOT GOOD ♪

♪ YET ♪

♪ THEY ARE NOT ♪

♪ GOOD ♪

♪ YET ♪

♪ PICKING FLOWERS OFF ♪

♪ THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD ♪

♪ 18-WHEELERS RUSHING BY ♪

♪ A LITTLE TOO CLOSE ♪

♪ LIFE IS JUST A SERIES ♪

♪ OF CLOSE CALLS ♪

♪ ONE DAY ONE WILL COME ♪

♪ TO END THEM ALL ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ COMING TOGETHER ♪

♪ IN A CIRCLE OF HANDS ♪

♪ GENTLY PRESSING PALMS ♪

♪ WHEN THE PRAYER ENDS ♪

♪ WE ALL SAY ♪

♪ AMEN ♪

♪ SAY ♪

♪ AMEN ♪

♪ SUBTLE PIXELATION OF THE WORLD ♪

♪ THROUGH THE SCREENED IN PORCH ♪

♪ I COULD SIT HERE FOR HOURS ♪

♪ YOU’VE GOTTA LIVE THE LIFE ♪

♪ YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR ♪

♪ YOU’VE GOTTA LIVE A LIFE ♪

♪ YOU WOULD DIE FOR ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ HEARING MY FRIENDS ♪

♪ LAUGHING IN THE DISTANCE ♪

♪ I CAN’T HELP BUT LAUGH ALONG ♪

♪ WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE JOKE IS ♪

♪ CAN’T HELP THINKING ♪

♪ THAT I AM GONNA MISS THIS ♪

♪ LIVING IN THE MOMENT ♪

♪ I CAN FEEL THE MOMENT PASSING ♪

♪ NOW I’M OLDER THAN YOU’LL ♪

♪ EVER BE ♪

♪ ON A DAY YOU WILL ♪

♪ NEVER SEE ♪

♪ THERE IS SO MUCH THAT ♪

♪ I HAVE NOT LOST ♪

♪ SOMEDAY I KNOW ♪

♪ I WILL PAY THE COST ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

♪ BUT BEFORE THEN ♪

♪ I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS ♪

[MUSIC FADES]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
planting /ˈplæntɪŋ/ A2	verb - placing a plant in the ground to grow
tomatoes /təˈmeɪtoʊz/ A1	noun - a glossy red or yellow pulpy edible fruit
practicing /ˈpræktɪsɪŋ/ B1	verb - performing an activity repeatedly to improve skill
saxophone /ˈsæksəfoʊn/ B2	noun - a woodwind instrument with a conical metal tube
shoulder /ˈʃoʊldər/ A2	noun - the side of a road
rushing /ˈrʌʃɪŋ/ B1	verb - moving with great speed
series /ˈsɪriz/ B1	noun - a number of related events coming one after another
gently /ˈdʒɛntli/ B1	adjective - in a kind or tender manner
palms /pɑmz/ A2	noun - the inner surface of the hand
prayer /prɛər/ B1	noun - a solemn request for help or expression of thanks to a deity
subtle /ˈsʌtəl/ B2	adjective - delicate or precise as to be difficult to analyze
pixelation /ˌpɪksəˈleɪʃən/ C1	noun - the display of an image as distinct pixels
porch /pɔːrtʃ/ B1	noun - a covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a house
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ A2	noun - an amount of space between two things
moment /ˈmoʊmənt/ A2	noun - a very brief period of time

Key Grammar Structures

• AND THEY ARE NOT GOOD YET

  ➔ Adverb 'yet' in negative sentences

  ➔ 'Yet' is used here to indicate that the expected action or state has not happened up to this point.

• ONE DAY ONE WILL COME TO END THEM ALL

  ➔ Future Simple (will)

  ➔ 'Will come' expresses a prediction about a future event.

• GENTLY PRESSING PALMS WHEN THE PRAYER ENDS

  ➔ Adverbial clause of time with 'when'

  ➔ The clause 'when the prayer ends' indicates the specific moment at which the main action occurs.

• YOU’VE GOTTA LIVE THE LIFE YOU’RE FIGHTING FOR

  ➔ Modal verb 'have got to' (gotta) for obligation

  ➔ 'Gotta' is a colloquial form of 'have got to', expressing a strong necessity or moral obligation.

• I CAN’T HELP BUT LAUGH ALONG

  ➔ Idiomatic expression 'can't help but'

  ➔ This structure means to be unable to prevent oneself from doing something.

• NOW I’M OLDER THAN YOU’LL EVER BE

  ➔ Comparative adjective with future reference

  ➔ The phrase compares current age with a future hypothetical state ('you'll ever be').

• THERE IS SO MUCH THAT I HAVE NOT LOST

  ➔ Present Perfect in a relative clause

  ➔ 'Have not lost' (Present Perfect) describes a state continuing from the past to the present.

• BUT BEFORE THEN I’VE GOT SOME IDEAS

  ➔ Temporal conjunction 'before' used as a preposition

  ➔ 'Before then' refers back to a specific time mentioned earlier in the lyrics.