Song lyrics

Song lyrics can be difficult to understand. For that reason, studying song lyrics may not always be the best way to learn English. On the other hand, if you listen to certain English songs a lot, it's a good idea to learn the English you hear in those songs. In this short essay, I'd like to explain these two points.

In regard to why song lyrics are difficult, we need to understand that song lyrics are poetry. In poetry, meaning is often expressed indirectly or with very little context to help you understand the exact meaning. Written English that is not poetry (for example, stories, essays, news articles, letters, etc.) is called "prose". In prose, meaning is usually expressed more directly and in more detail. So, if you are looking for something to read that will be easy to understand, you should look for prose, not song lyrics or other kinds of poetry.

As I wrote above, however, if you are already listening to an English song, it's probably a good idea to learn the meaning of some of the expressions used in the song, particularly if it's a song that you really like and listen to frequently. When you come across a lyric that is difficult just ask me or another native speaker of English. Don't be surprised, however, if even a native speaker isn't sure of the meaning. Poetry can be very difficult!

Finally, if you listen to songs on an iPod, you can put the lyrics into the iPod so that you can read them as you listen. If you would like to know how to do this, please ask me.