Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) 

by Beyoncé

 This song came out in 2008 and became an instant classic.  It tells the story of a woman who has recently broken up (cortado) with her boyfriend.   She sees her ex at a club and he seems to regret (tener remordimientos) having broken up with her but she says, "too bad" (Qué lástima  but ironically) it´s too late (demasiado tarde).

This is a seriously catchy (pegadiza) song.  There is some colloquial English ("up in the club", "decided to dip and now you wanna trip", etc.) but in general the song is pretty simple.  

Single Ladies by Beyoncé Knowles

All the single ladies,( all the single ladies)

¡Todas las chicas solteras!
All the single ladies, (all the single ladies)

¡Todas las chicas solteras! 

All the single ladies, (all the single ladies)
¡Todas las chicas solteras!

All the single ladies Now put your hands up

¡Todas las chicas solteras!¡Ahora levantad los brazos!

Up in the club (club), we just broke up (up), I'm doing my own little thing.

Estoy en el club, acabamos de cortar, estoy haciendo mis cositas.
Decided to dip (dip) and now you wanna* trip (trip)

Decidiste dejarme y ahora quieres ir conmigo
'Cause another brother noticed me

Porque otro chico se ha fijado en mi.

I'm up on him, he up on me

Estoy cerca de él, está cerca de mi
Don't pay him any attention

Ignoro a mi ex
Just cried my tears, for three good years

Acabo de pasar tres años largos llorando
You can't get mad at me

No puedes enfadarte conmigo

'Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it

Porque si yo  te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo (puesto un anillo?)
If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Don't be mad once you see that he want it

No te enfades una vez que ves que otro me quiere
'Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh x2

'Cause** if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it

Porque si yo  te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo (puesto un anillo?)
If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Don't be mad once you see that he want it

No te enfades una vez que ves que otro me quiere
'Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

I got gloss on my lips, a man on my hips

Tengo brillo en los labios, un hombre en mis caderas
Hold me tighter than my Dereon jeans

Me coge más fuerte que mis vaqueros de Dereon
Acting up, drink in my cup

Jugando, una copa en mi vaso
I can care less what you think

No me importa nada lo que piensas tú

I need no permission, did I mention

No necesito ningún permiso ¿te lo mencioné?
Don't pay him any attention

No le hago caso
'Cause you had your turn, and now you gonna learn

Ya has tenido tu oportunidad, y ahora tienes que aprender
What it really feels like to miss me

Como se siente echarme de menos de verdad 

'Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it

Porque si yo  te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo (puesto un anillo?)
If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Don't be mad once you see that he want it

No te enfades una vez que ves que otro me quiere
'Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Don't treat me to these things of the world

No me regalas estas cosas del mundo
I'm not that kind of girl

No soy de esta clase de chica
Your love is what I prefer, what I deserve

Tu amor es lo que prefiero tener, lo que merezco
Is a man that makes me then takes me

Es un hombre que me hace, que me coge
And delivers me to a destiny, to infinity and beyond

Y me lleva a mi destino, hasta el infinito y más allá
Pull me into your arms

Coge me entre tus brazos
Say I'm the one you want

Dime que eres él que quiero
If you don't, you'll be alone

Si no lo haces, estarás solo
And like a ghost I'll be gone

Y yo, como una fantasma, desapareceré 

 

All the single ladies,( all the single ladies)

¡Todas las chicas solteras!
All the single ladies, (all the single ladies)

¡Todas las chicas solteras! 

All the single ladies, (all the single ladies)
¡Todas las chicas solteras!

All the single ladies Now put your hands up

¡Todas las chicas solteras!¡Ahora levantad los brazos!

oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

'Cause if you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it

Porque si yo  te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo (puesto un anillo?)
If you liked it, then you shoulda*** put a ring on it

Si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Don't be mad once you see that he want it

No te enfades una vez que ves que otro me quiere
'Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Oh, oh, oh.

If you liked it, then you should have put a ring on it

Si yo  te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo (puesto un anillo?)
If you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

Don't be mad once you see that he want it

No te enfades una vez que ves que otro me quiere
'Cause if you liked it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

Porque si yo te gustaba deberías haberme dado un anillo

oh oh oh

Colloquial English/connected speech - these words are not usually written this way except for in dialogues, song lyrics, etc.  In formal English the complete form would always be used.

 

*wanna = want to

**´cause = because

***shoulda = should have

"Excuse me while I kiss this guy." misheard lyrics / letras malentendidas

 Actual lyric: "Excuse me, while I kiss the sky." (Purple Haze by Jimi Hendrix)

This post is going to be a little different.    I want English learners to know that there are always going to be words of songs that they don´t understand.  Even native speakers misunderstand song lyrics, a lot.  There is even a special name for misheard lyrics, mondegreens and websites and videos specifically about this phenomena.   So it is important for people who are studying English to remember that the words to many songs are difficult, and sometimes almost impossible, to understand.    Don´t get frustrated.

Real lyric:   "No one wants to be defeated" . (Beat It by Michael Jackson)

The title of this post, excuse me while I kiss this guy, is one of the most famous misheard lyrics (letras malentendidas) from a song and also the name of a website that is dedicated to collecting all these funny and crazy things that people think they hear.  There is actually a story behind this line and it turns out that  (resulta que) Hendrix actually sang  "excuse me while I kiss this guy"  several times during concerts.    For the whole story (la historia completa) click here.http://kissthisguy.com/jimi.php

Actual lyric:  "It doesn´t matter if we make it or not".  (Living on a Prayer by Bon Jovi)

There are also many singers who are famous for being difficult to understand, including Michael Stipe (R.E.M), Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.    You can check out the complete list:            The Best Singers Who Kind Of Mumble  (mumble = mascullar)  

The Kingsmen's hit song Louie, Louie was the subject of an FBI investigation about the supposed (supuestos)  but nonexistent obscenity of the lyrics, an investigation that ended without prosecution.   The FBI said that it was impossible to understand the lyrics.    Ironically, the song notably includes the drummer yelling "Fuck!" after dropping his drumstick (baqeta)  at the 0:54 mark.

  Actual lyric:  "That´s me in the corner, that´s me in the spotlight (foco)"  (Losing My Religion by R.E.M.)

But sometimes hearing the lyrics to a song incorrectly can be a good thing.   The Ketchup Song" is the English title of the song "Aserejé recorded by the Spanish pop group Las Ketchup, which was an international hit in 2002.  The chorus is based on the 1979 rap hit "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang

I said a hip, hop, the hippie to the hippie

Aserejé ja de je de jebe

the hip-hip-hop, a you don't stop

tu de jebere sebiunouva (seibiunouva)

the rock it to the bang bang boogie say up jumped the boogie

majabi (majavi) an de bugui

to the rhythm of the boogie, the beat

an de buididipí" (Wikipedia)

The lyrics in Spanish don´t make sense (tener sentido) but, in spite of this (a pesar de eso) it was still a big hit (gran éxito).   

And here are some more images people have made to make fun of (burlarse de)  the crazy things people think they hear.

 Actual lyric: "Hold me closer  tiny dancer."  (Tiny Dancer by Elton John) [tiny= very, very small]

 Actual lyric:"There´s an old man sitting next to me making love to his tonic and gin." (Piano Man-Billy Joel)

 Actual lyric: "Shake it like a Polaroid picture." (Hey Ya by Outkast)

.  Real lyric: "Sweet dreams are made of this."  (Sweet Dreams by Eurythmics)

Finally, here is video with 

THE TOP 10 MISHEARD LYRICS:

Your Song by Elton John (importar - lesson 2)

It´s a little bit funny = "funny" is very commonly used to mean strange, out of the ordinary, suspicious, etc.

boy = used for emphasis:   "Oh boy" "¡Ay tio!"

I'd buy a big house where we both could live = Notice (presta atención a) the conditional: "I´d buy" = "I would buy" = "Compraría",   "could live" = podriamos vivir"

If I was a sculptor = It should be "If I were a sculptor", when saying "fuera" in English it should always be "were", "if I were you" = " si yo fuera él", "if he were rich" = "si él fuera rico". However (sin embargo), you will hear natives speakers saying "was" instead of "were" all the time (todo el tiempo)

but then again = literally "pero entonces otra vez" but what it really means is "pero pensándolo bien"

traveling - "traveling" is the common US spelling and "travelling" is the common British spelling

I hope you don't mind = "I hope this doesn´t bother you" = "espero que esto no te moleste"  "To mind" is commonly translated as "importar" which is correct but can easily be confused with "I don´t care." which is "No me importa" meaning "I do not have a preference."  or "It is all the same to me." = "Me da igual."

got me quite cross = "cruzado" meaning "angry".   However (sin embargo), it is not very commonly used today.   Remember also that Americans commonly use "mad" to mean "angry" while (mientras) "mad" usually means "crazy" in British English.

Anyway the thing is what I really mean = Here is a great example of colloquial English.  "Anyway" = "de todas formas", "the thing is" = "es que" (Spanish speakers love this expression so I suggest you learn it in English), "what I really mean" = "lo que realmente quiero decir" (this one is REALLY common in English and so (así que) I suggest you learn it too):

Your Song by Elton John

It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside  
Es un poco raro, lo que siento por dentro

I'm not one of those who can easily hide  
Yo no soy uno de esos que pueden ocultar fácilmente 

I don't have much money but boy if I did  
No tengo mucho dinero pero hombre si lo tuviera

I'd buy a big house where we both could live

Compraría una casa grande donde los dos pudiéramos vivir

If I was a sculptor, but then again, no  
Si yo fuera un escultor, pero pensandolo bien, no

Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show  
O un hombre que hace pócimas en un espectáculo itinerante

I know it's not much but it's the best I can do  
Sé que no es mucho pero es lo mejor que puedo hacer

My gift is my song and this one's for you

Mi regalo es mi canción y esta es para ti

And you can tell everybody this is your song  
Y puedes decirle a todos que ésta es su canción

It may be quite simple but now that it's done  
Puede ser bastante simple pero ahora que ya está hecha

I hope you don't mind  
Espero que no te importe

I hope you don't mind that I put down in words  
Espero que no te importe que ponga en palabras

How wonderful life is while you're in the world

Qúe marvilosa es la vida mientras tú estés en el mundo

I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss  
Me sentí en el tejado y quité el musgo con el pie

Well a few of the verses well they've got me quite cross  
Bueno algunos de los versos,  me dejaron  bastante cruzado

But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song  
Pero el sol ha sido bastante amable mientras escribía esta canción

It's for people like you that keep it turned on

Es para gente como tú que lo mantiene encendido

So excuse me forgetting but these things I do
Así que discúlpame el olvido pero estas cosas que hago
You see I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue 
Ves que he olvidado si son verdes o son azules
Anyway the thing is what I really mean 
De todas formas, es que, lo que realmente quiero decir
Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen
Tus ojos son los más dulces que he visto nunca

Five Years - David Bowie (RIP)

Song History:

"Five Years" is a song written by David Bowie, recorded on 15 November 1971, and released as the opening track on the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars in 1972.  The song tells of an Earth doomed to (condenado a) destruction in five years and the aftermath (resultado/consecuencia) of this knowledge. Bowie is rumored to have chosen the length of time, five years, as a result of a dream in which his deceased (difunto/fallecido)  father told him he must never fly again and would die in five years.
This song has been described  as "easily one of the greatest album-opening songs ever".
^{(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Five_Years)}

 Language Study:

Warehouse = almacén   "Wares" (pronounced the same as "where") is an old word for "products".   You probably already know software (programas informáticos)  and hardware (soporte físico de ordenador/herramientas/cosas de metal).    So (así que) "warehouse" is literally " casa de productos"   This might help you remember the word since (como) many students find it difficult to remember. 

Spare = de repuesto/extra This word is most commonly used in expressions such as (como por ejemplo) " a spare tire" (la rueda de repuesto) and "spare time" (tiempo libre) and as a verb in "Hey buddy, can you spare a dime"  (Oye amigo ¿Tienes 10 céntimos que no necesitas?)


To cram = embutir/apiñar Generally this word is used as a verb to mean putting a lot of things into a small space.  However (sin embargo), the word is also commonly used for  intensive studying (empollar)  when the student is trying to cram a lot of information into their head before a test.  

Went off her head = volverse loco This is a colloquial way of saying "to go crazy".   It´s not very common and I don´t recommend that you use it.

Fat-skinny people/tall-short people Here Bowie is being creative.   He could be saying fat people, skinny  (flaco) people, tall people and short people but the way that he says it in the song it seems (parece) that he is talking about contradictory features (caracteristicas) in people.    You have to interpret the meaning for yourself (por ti mismo). 

Fixed his stare = fijó su mirada Here is another expression that isn´t very common and that I don´t recommend that you use.   "To stare" (mirar fijamente/quedarse mirando), however, is used a lot, as in, "The child stared at the man with one leg."  

If a black hadn´t a pulled her off = si un hombre negro no la hubiera detenido Bowie refers to several minority groups in this song.    He was always the "freak hero" and seems to have identified with people who were not "normal".   In the US, black or African American are both commonly used.   "Negro" is considered offensive.  "Nigger" is so offensive that many people call it "the N word" and  I recommend that you never use it. 

queer = raro/travesti/homosexual/lesbiana/bisexual   This word means "strange" but most people don´t use it that way (de esta manera)  because of its common colloquial meaning.   It was originally used as an insult but some homosexuals/lesbians/bisexuals have started using the word themselves.    Here again Bowie is referring to people that, especially in the 1970s´,   were considered freaks.      BTW (By the way/por cierto) n the US the most common way to say "raro" is "weird" as in, "It´s weird that John didn´t come to the party."


Stuck on my eyes = pegado a mis ojos, my brain hurts a lot = mi cerebro me duele mucho  These are  NOT common expressions.   It is just Bowie being imaginative.

We´ve got  = tenemos In American English we sometimes say "I have got" (Yo tengo) but it is more common in British English.   Americans usually say "I have" (Yo tengo)    This can be a little confusing for English students, especially the negative forms: "I haven´t got any idea." (US/UK), "I don´t have any idea."(US), and "I haven´t any idea."(UK)  all mean the same thing, "No tengo ni idea."   



"Five Years" by David Bowie R.I.P. (rest in peace)

Pushing through the market square

Empujándose en la plaza del mercado,
so many mothers sighing  
tantas madres sollozando. 

News had just come over,
Las noticias había acabado de llegar

we had five years left to cry in  
nos quedan cinco años para llorar.

News guy wept and told us

El presentador de las noticias lloró y nos dijo

the earth was really dying
que la tierra realmente estaba muriendo,

Cried so much his face was wet
lloró a mares, su cara húmeda,

then I knew he was not lying  
entonces supe que no era mentira. 

 
I heard telephones, opera house, favourite melodies
Escuché teléfonos, operas, melodías favoritas; 

I saw boys, toys electric irons and T.V.'s
vi muchachos, juguetes, planchas eléctricas y televisores.

My brain hurt like a warehouse
Mi cerebro dolía como un almacén, 

it had no room to spare
no había espacio de sobra 

I had to cram so many things 

tuve que amontonar tantas cosas
to store everything in there

para guardarlo todo allí, 

And all the fat-skinny people, and all the tall-short people
toda la gente gorda y flaca, y toda la gente alta y pequeña, 

And all the nobody people, and all the somebody people
y toda la gente nadie, y toda la gente que es alguien. 

I never thought I'd need so many people  
Nunca pensé que necesitaría tanta gente.
 

A girl my age went off her head
Una chica de mi edad se volvió loca, 

hit some tiny children
golpeó a un niño pequeño; 

If a black hadn't a-pulled her off,

si un hombre negro no la hubiera detenido 

I think she would have killed them  
creo que lo hubiese matado.
 

A soldier with a broken arm, 

Un soldado con un brazo roto 

fixed his stare to the wheels of a Cadillac
miraba fijamente las ruedas de un Cadillac.

A cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest
Un policía se arrodilló y besó los pies de un sacerdote,

and the queer threw up at the sight of that
y  el travesti vomitó a la vista de tal escena. 

I think I saw you in an ice-cream parlour

Me pareció verte en una tienda de helados,

drinking milk shakes cold and long
bebiendo largas y frías malteadas,

Smiling and waving and looking so fine
sonreías y agitabas tus manos, te veías tan bien, 

don't think you knew you were in this song  
No creo que supieras que estabas en esta canción.

And it was cold and it rained so I felt like an actor
Hacía frío y llovía, me sentí como un actor,

And I thought of Ma and I wanted to get back there
y pensé en mamá y quise volver allá,

Your face, your race, the way that you talk
Tu rostro, tu raza, la forma en que hablas

I kiss you, you're beautiful, I want you to walk
te beso, eres tan bella, quiero que camines
 

We've got five years, stuck on my eyes
Tenemos cinco años, pegados en mis ojos. 

We've got five years, what a surprise
Tenemos cinco años. Cinco años, que sorpresa. 

We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Tenemos cinco años, mi cerebro duele tanto. 

We've got five years, that's all we've got 

Cinco años, es todo lo que nos queda.

We've got five years, what a surprise
Tenemos cinco años. Cinco años, que sorpresa.  

We've got five years, stuck on my eyes
Tenemos cinco años, pegados en mis ojos. 

We've got five years, my brain hurts a lot
Tenemos cinco años, mi cerebro duele tanto. 

We've got five years, that's all we've got 

Cinco años, es todo lo que nos queda.

Repeat and fade (repite y desvanecerse)


 

I don´t care. I love it! (importar - lesson 1)

History of the song:

"I Love It" is a song by Swedish DJ duo Icona Pop featuring vocals from British recording artist Charli XCX. It was released in May 2012 as a digital download in Sweden, where it went to  number two on the singles chart.  It has become famous all over the world.

English lesson:

For English learners this is a good song for several reasons.   Firstly, this song is very catchy (pegadiza) so the words and phrases are easy to reember.  Secondly,  there are several (varios) English expressions that are useful to practice.

"I don´t care." ("No me importa.")  is repeated over and over in this song.    Students often confuse "I don´t care." with "It doesn´t matter." ("No importa.")    Sometimes a student will say, "I don´t matter." ("No importo.") or "It doesn´t care." (No le importa.")   by mistake.   Remember that only a person can care (tener una preferencia) so the subject has to be a person when using "care".   When using "matter" the subject is usually "it" or "this" or something that is NOT a person unless (menos en el caso) you want to say that the person is not important, for example "He doesn´t matter at all." ("Él no importa nada/ en absoluto.")

In line 3 of the song you see "I threw your shit into a bag"  literally "tu mierda" which is slang (argot) for "your things" or "your stuff".    This does not mean that your things are shitty (una mierda).   It is simply colloquial language.  "Shitty" is a little vulgar but not too offensive.    You can have a "shitty car", a "shitty movie", a "shitty thing" that someone does, etc.   More specifically (más en concreto), "bullshit" is used to describe something that is not true.    "That´s bullshit." is a common expression when someone does not believe what they hear.   Again, this is a little vulgar and you have to be careful using it in formal situations.   

The rest of the lyrics are quite self-explanatory (que se explica por sí mismo).

I Love It - Icona Pop (feat. Charli XCX)

I got this feeling on the summer day when you were goneTuve esta sensación el día de verano que te fuiste,

I crashed my car into the bridge, I watched, I let it burnestrellé mi coche contra el puente, lo miré, lo dejé arder,

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairstiré tu mierda (cosas) dentro de una bolsa

I crashed my car into the bridge

estrellé mi coche contra el puente

I don't care, I love it, I don't care

No me importa, me encanta, no me importa. 

I got this feeling on the summer day when you were goneTuve esta sensación el día de verano que te fuiste,

I crashed my car into the bridge, I watched, I let it burnestrellé mi coche contra el puente, lo miré, lo dejé arder,

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairstiré tu mierda (cosas) dentro de una bolsa

I crashed my car into the bridge

estrellé mi coche contra el puente

I don't care, I love it, I don't care

No me importa, me encanta, no me importa.

You're on a different road, I'm in the milky wayTú estás en una carretera diferente, yo estoy en la Vía Láctea

You want me down on earth, but I am up in space
 Tú me quieres abajo en la Tierra, pero yo estoy arriba en el espacio

You're so damn hard to please, we gotta kill this switchEres tan malditamente difícil de contentar, tenemos que pararlo (kill switch=parada de emergencia),

You're from the 70's, but I'm a 90's bitch

tú eres de los años 70, yo soy una zorra de los 90.

I love it, I love it

Me encanta, me encanta

I got this feeling on the summer day when you were goneTuve esta sensación el día de verano que te fuiste,

I crashed my car into the bridge, I watched, I let it burnestrellé mi coche contra el puente, lo miré, lo dejé arder,

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairstiré tu mierda (cosas) dentro de una bolsa

I crashed my car into the bridge

estrellé mi coche contra el puente

I don't care, I love it

No me importa, me encanta
 

I don't care, I love it, I love itNo me importa, me encanta

I don't care, I love it, I don't care

No me importa, me encanta, no me importa. 

 

I got this feeling on the summer day when you were goneTuve esta sensación el día de verano que te fuiste,

I crashed my car into the bridge, I watched, I let it burnestrellé mi coche contra el puente, lo miré, lo dejé arder,

I threw your shit into a bag and pushed it down the stairstiré tu mierda (cosas) dentro de una bolsa

I crashed my car into the bridge

estrellé mi coche contra el puente

I don't care, I love it

No me importa, me encanta

I don't care, I love it, I love itNo me importa, me encanta, me encanta
 

I don't care, I love itNo me importa, me encanta

I don't care, I love it, I love itNo me importa, me encanta, me encanta
 

I don't care, I love it

No me importa, me encanta
 

If you see any mistakes in the translation or have any questions please post them below.