Tell Me Something Good – English Lyrics

• By: Rufus & Chaka Khan

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the magic behind Rufus & Chaka Khan's iconic hit, "Tell Me Something Good." Penned by Stevie Wonder, this funky, Grammy-winning song showcases Chaka Khan's dynamic vocals and a message of love and positivity. Explore the song's creation, meaning, and lasting impact, and learn how its infectious groove made it a timeless classic.

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
feeling /ˈfiːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - an emotional state or reaction.
fire /ˈfaɪər/ A2	noun - combustion or burning. verb - to discharge a firearm; to excite or arouse.
pride /praɪd/ B2	noun - a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction derived from one's own achievements.
love /lʌv/ A1	verb - to have a strong affection for someone. noun - a feeling of strong affection.
good /ɡʊd/ A1	adjective - to be desired or approved of. noun - that which is morally right; goodness.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.
wish /wɪʃ/ B1	verb - feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attainable. noun - a desire or hope for something to happen.
problem /ˈprɒbləm/ A2	noun - a matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with and overcome.
loved /lʌvd/ A1	verb - past tense of love: felt deep affection for.
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - freely transfer the possession of (something) to (someone).
knock /nɒk/ B1	verb - strike a surface noisily to attract attention, typically when trying to enter a room.
stuff /stʌf/ B1	noun - matter, material, articles, or activities of a specified or indeterminate kind that are being referred to
like /laɪk/ A1	verb - find agreeable or pleasurable.

Key Grammar Structures

• You ain't got no kind of feeling inside

  ➔ Double Negative

  ➔ This uses a double negative ("ain't" and "no") for emphasis, though grammatically incorrect in standard English. In conversational or AAVE, it strengthens the negation. "You don't have any feeling inside" would be the standard equivalent.

• I got something that'll sho' 'nuff set your stuff on fire

  ➔ Ellipsis, Informal Contractions, Idiomatic Expression

  ➔ "That'll" is a contraction of "that will." "Sho' 'nuff" is an informal phrase meaning "sure enough" or "certainly." "Set your stuff on fire" is an idiomatic expression meaning to excite or energize someone.

• You refuse to put anything before your pride

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The infinitive "to put" expresses the purpose or reason for the refusal.

• What I got will knock all your pride aside

  ➔ Relative Clause (Reduced)

  ➔ "What I got" functions as a noun clause, and could be expanded to "What I have got". The relative pronoun (that) has been omitted.

• Tell me something good

  ➔ Imperative Mood

  ➔ This is a direct command or request. The subject "you" is implied.

• Got no time is what you're known to say

  ➔ Cleft Sentence (Informal)

  ➔ This sentence is a variation of a cleft sentence. A more standard way of saying it would be "What you're known to say is that you have no time." This structure emphasizes the phrase "Got no time."

• I'll make you wish there was 48 hours to each day

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (Wish)

  ➔ The use of "was" instead of "were" after "wish" indicates a hypothetical situation. In formal English, "were" is preferred, but "was" is commonly used in informal speech. It expresses a desire for something that is not currently true.

• Your problem is you ain't been loved like you should

  ➔ Past Perfect Passive (Non-Standard)

  ➔ "Ain't been loved" is a non-standard contraction of "haven't been loved" or "hasn't been loved." It represents a past perfect passive construction, indicating that the action of being loved was not completed adequately in the past.