Say Say Say – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney
• Album: Say Say Say

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the art of the duet with 'Say Say Say.' This song is a fantastic way to learn conversational English, as the playful back-and-forth lyrics provide clear examples of persuasion, casual dialogue, and rhythmic phrasing.

[English]

Say say say what you want

But don't play games with my affection

Take take take what you need

But don't leave me here with no direction

All alone I sit home by the phone

Waiting for you, baby

Through the years

How can you stand to hear

My pleading for ya dear

You know I'm crying

Oo oo oo oo oo

(Now) go go go where you want

But don't leave me here forever

You you you stay away

So long girl, I see ya never

What can I do, girl to get through to you

'Cause I love you baby

Standing here

Baptized in all my tears

Baby through the years

You know I'm crying

Oo oo oo oo oo

You never ever worry

And ya never shed a tear

You're sayin that my love ain't real

Just look at my face these tears ain't dryin'

You you you can never say that I'm not the one

Who really loves you

I pray pray pray, everyday

That you'll see things, Girl like I do

What can I do, girl, to get through to you

'Cause I love you baby

Standing here

Baptized in all my tears

Baby through the year

You know I'm crying

Oo oo oo oo oo

Say say say

You never ever worry

And ya never shed a tear

You're sayin that my love ain't real

Just look at my face these tears ain't dryin'

You you you can never say that I'm not the one

Who really loves you

I pray pray pray, everyday

That you'll see things, Girl like I do

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
affection /əˈfekʃn/ B2	noun - A gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
direction /dəˈrekʃn/ A2	noun - Guidance or instruction; a course along which someone moves.
pleading /ˈpliːdɪŋ/ C1	noun - The action of making an emotional or earnest appeal to someone.
crying /ˈkraɪɪŋ/ A1	verb - Shedding tears, typically as an expression of distress, pain, or sorrow.
forever /fəˈrevər/ A2	adjective - Lasting or having the possibility of lasting for an indefinitely long time.
baptized /ˈbæptaɪzd/ C1	verb - To undergo the rite of baptism; metaphorically submerged or cleansed.
tears /tɪrz/ A2	noun - Drops of clear salty liquid secreted from the eyes.
worry /ˈwɜːri/ A2	verb - To feel or cause to feel anxious or troubled about actual or potential problems.
shed /ʃed/ B2	verb - To let something fall off or be lost; to allow to flow out.
real /riːəl/ A1	adjective - Actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact; not imagined.
pray /preɪ/ A2	verb - To address a solemn request or expression of thanks to a deity.
everyday /ˈevrideɪ/ A1	adjective - Happening or used every day; daily.
games /ɡeɪmz/ A1	noun - Activities or sports with rules; in this context: emotional manipulation.
stand /stænd/ A2	verb - To tolerate or endure something.
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - Having no one else present; on one's own.

Key Grammar Structures

• But don't play games with my affection

  ➔ Imperative (Negative)

  ➔ Use "don't" + base verb to give a strong command or instruction not to do something.

• All alone I sit home by the phone

  ➔ Adverbial phrase of state

  ➔ "All alone" functions as an adjective phrase describing the subject's state while performing the action.

• How can you stand to hear my pleading

  ➔ Verb pattern: Stand + to-infinitive

  ➔ "Stand" followed by an infinitive is used to express the ability to endure or tolerate a difficult situation.

• Baptized in all my tears

  ➔ Past Participle phrase

  ➔ "Baptized" is used as a past participle to describe the state of being completely covered or surrounded by tears.

• You're sayin that my love ain't real

  ➔ Non-standard contraction (Ain't)

  ➔ "Ain't" is used here as a colloquial substitution for "is not".

• These tears ain't dryin'

  ➔ Present Continuous (with colloquial drop of -g)

  ➔ Using the present continuous tense "are drying" but dropping the "g" to indicate casual speech or song rhythm.

• You can never say that I'm not the one

  ➔ Relative Clause (implied 'who')

  ➔ The relative pronoun 'who' is omitted before 'really loves you', which modifies 'the one'.

• I pray that you'll see things like I do

  ➔ Subordinate Clause of purpose/result

  ➔ The clause starting with "that" acts as the object of the verb "pray", describing the desired outcome.