You Got Me Singing – English Lyrics

• By: Leonard Cohen
• Album: Popular Problems

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the lyrical depth of Leonard Cohen's "You Got Me Singing" to explore English that beautifully marries profound despair with unwavering hope. This song offers a masterclass in expressing complex emotions through simple, evocative language, providing valuable insights into poetic phrasing and idiomatic expressions of resilience. Discover how a song can be a testament to enduring spirit, making it a powerful piece for any language learner.

[English]

You got me singing

Even though the news is bad

You got me singing

The only song I ever had

You got me singing

Ever since the river died

You got me thinking

Of all the places we could hide

You got me singing

(Singing) even though the world is gone

You got me thinking

(Thinking 'bout our live together) that I'd like to carry on, ohh

You got me singing

(Signing) even though it all looks grim

You got me singing

(Singing) the Hallelujah hymn

...

(Singing that Hallelujah hymn)

You got me singing

(Singing) like a prisoner in a jail

You got me singing

(Singing) like my pardon's in the mail

You got me wishing

Wishing our little love would last

You got me thinking like those people of the past

You got me singing

Even though the world is gone

You got me thinking

(Thinking that) I'd like to carry on, ohh

You got me singing

(Singing) even though it all went wrong

You got me singing

(Singing) the Hallelujah song

...

(Singing that Hallelujah song)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
singing /ˈsɪŋɪŋ/ A1	verb - to produce musical sounds with the voice
thinking /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/ A1	verb - to have ideas or thoughts in the mind
news /njuːz/ A1	noun - information about recent events
song /sɒŋ/ A1	noun - a musical composition with vocals
river /ˈrɪvər/ A1	noun - a large natural stream of water
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries and peoples
grim /ɡrɪm/ B1	adjective - very serious, harsh, or gloomy
Hallelujah /ˌhælɪˈluːjə/ B1	noun - an expression of praise or joy
prisoner /ˈprɪzənər/ A2	noun - a person who is confined in prison
pardon /ˈpɑːrdən/ B1	noun - forgiveness for a fault or offense
wishing /ˈwɪʃɪŋ/ A2	verb - to want something that cannot or may not happen
last /lɑːst/ A1	verb - to continue to exist or endure
hide /haɪd/ A1	verb - to put something in a place where it cannot be seen
carry /ˈkæri/ A1	verb - to hold and transport something
places /ˈpleɪsɪz/ A1	noun - a particular area or space