When – English Lyrics

• By: Shania Twain

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a lyrical journey with Shania Twain's "When," a captivating country-pop ballad that masterfully blends heartbreak with resilient hope. Through vivid imagery and relatable emotions, this song offers a fantastic opportunity to explore English idiomatic expressions and the nuanced ways we talk about love, loss, and the passage of time. Its conversational yet poetic lyrics, coupled with Twain's clear delivery, make it an accessible and engaging piece for language learners to delve into the heart of contemporary English songwriting.

[English]

♪♪♪

♪ ONE ♪

♪ TWO ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

♪ IF ELEPHANTS COULD FLY ♪

♪ I'D BE A LITTLE MORE OPTIMISTIC ♪

♪ BUT I DON'T SEE ♪

♪ THAT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON ♪

♪ I DON'T MEAN TO SOUND SO PESSIMISTIC ♪

♪ BUT I DON'T THINK THAT ♪

♪ COW REALLY JUMPED OVER THE MOON ♪

♪ WHEN WILL I WAKE UP ♪

♪ WHY DID WE BREAK UP ♪

♪ WHEN WILL WE MAKE UP ♪

♪ WHEN MONEY GROWS ON TREES ♪

♪ PEOPLE LIVE IN PEACE ♪

♪ EVERYONE AGREES ♪

♪ WHEN HAPPINESS IS FREE ♪

♪ LOVE CAN GUARANTEE ♪

♪ YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME ♪

♪ THAT'S WHEN, YEAH ♪

♪ THAT'S RIGHT ♪

♪ I'D LOVE TO WAKE UP SMILING ♪

♪ FULL OF THE JOYS OF SPRING ♪

♪ AND HEAR ON CNN THAT ELVIS LIVES AGAIN ♪

♪ AND THAT JOHN'S BACK WITH THE BEATLES ♪

♪ AND THEY'RE GOING OUT ON TOUR ♪

♪ I'LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE FOR TICKETS ♪

♪ GOTTA SEE THAT SHOW FOR SURE ♪

♪ WHEN WILL I WAKE UP ♪

♪ WHY DID WE BREAK UP ♪

♪ WHEN WILL WE MAKE UP ♪

♪ WHEN MONEY GROWS ON TREES ♪

♪ PEOPLE LIVE IN PEACE ♪

♪ EVERYONE AGREES ♪

♪ WHEN HAPPINESS IS FREE ♪

♪ LOVE CAN GUARANTEE ♪

♪ YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME ♪

♪ THAT'S WHEN, YEAH ♪

♪♪♪

♪ OH YEAH ♪

♪ WHEN WILL I WAKE UP ♪

♪ WHY DID WE BREAK UP ♪

♪ WHEN WILL WE MAKE UP ♪

♪ WHEN MONEY GROWS ON TREES ♪

♪ PEOPLE LIVE IN PEACE ♪

♪ EVERYONE AGREES ♪

♪ WHEN HAPPINESS IS FREE ♪

♪ LOVE CAN GUARANTEE ♪

♪ YOU'LL COME BACK TO ME ♪

♪ THAT'S WHEN ♪

♪ OH THAT'S WHEN ♪

♪ YEAH ♪

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a deep affection or strong feeling of attachment verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something
happiness /ˈhæpɪnəs/ B1	noun - the state of being happy; pleasure or contentment
peace /piːs/ B1	noun - a state of calm, freedom from war or conflict
money /ˈmʌni/ A2	noun - currency or cash used to buy goods and services
grow /ɡroʊ/ A2	verb - to increase in size, number, or importance
tree /triː/ A1	noun - a tall plant with a trunk and branches
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - to separate into pieces; to end a relationship
make /meɪk/ A1	verb - to create or produce something; to cause to happen
wake /weɪk/ A2	verb - to stop sleeping and become awake
optimistic /ˌɒptɪˈmɪstɪk/ B2	adjective - having a hopeful and positive outlook on the future
pessimistic /ˌpɛsɪˈmɪstɪk/ C1	adjective - tending to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen
guarantee /ˌɡærənˈtiː/ C1	verb - to promise something will definitely happen or be true
smile /smaɪl/ A1	verb - to form one's mouth into a smiling shape, showing happiness or amusement
spring /sprɪŋ/ A1	noun - the season between winter and summer, characterized by blooming flowers and warmer weather
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - to move through the air using wings or by being carried by the wind
elephant /ˈɛlɪfənt/ A2	noun - a large mammal with a trunk, known for its size and memory
moon /muːn/ A1	noun - the natural satellite that orbits the Earth, visible at night
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - to be alive; to exist; to reside in a place

Key Grammar Structures

• IF ELEPHANTS COULD FLY I'D BE A LITTLE MORE OPTIMISTIC

  ➔ Second Conditional

  ➔ Used for hypothetical or unlikely situations. Structure: If + past simple, ... would + base verb. Here: "If elephants could fly" (past simple) + "I'd be" (would + base verb).

• I DON'T SEE THAT HAPPENING ANYTIME SOON

  ➔ Verb + object + present participle

  ➔ The verb "see" is followed by an object ("that") and a present participle ("happening"). Structure: see + object + present participle. Here: "see" + "that" + "happening".

• WHEN WILL I WAKE UP

  ➔ Question with 'when' and future tense

  ➔ A question about the future using "when" with "will". Structure: When + will + subject + base verb. Here: "When" + "will" + "I" + "wake up".

• WHY DID WE BREAK UP

  ➔ Question with 'why' and past simple

  ➔ A question about the past using "why" with "did". Structure: Why + did + subject + base verb. Here: "Why" + "did" + "we" + "break up".

• WHEN MONEY GROWS ON TREES

  ➔ When + present simple for hypothetical conditions

  ➔ Uses "when" with present simple to express a hypothetical condition. Structure: When + subject + present simple. Here: "When" + "money" + "grows".

• I'D LOVE TO WAKE UP SMILING

  ➔ Would love to + base verb

  ➔ Expresses a strong desire or wish. Structure: would love to + base verb. Here: "would love to" + "wake up".

• AND THEY'RE GOING OUT ON TOUR

  ➔ Present continuous for future plans

  ➔ Uses present continuous to talk about future plans. Structure: subject + am/is/are + verb-ing. Here: "They're" (They are) + "going".

• I'LL BE THE FIRST IN LINE FOR TICKETS

  ➔ Future simple with 'will'

  ➔ Uses "will" to express a future action or decision. Structure: subject + will + base verb. Here: "I'll" (I will) + "be".

• GOTTA SEE THAT SHOW FOR SURE

  ➔ Informal 'gotta' for obligation/desire

  ➔ Informal contraction of "got to" expressing strong obligation or desire. Structure: gotta + base verb. Here: "gotta" + "see".