Learn Indefinite Pronouns with 'Fast Car'
2024-03-08
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1On today's Everyday Grammar, we are going to look at things that are different from each other: in other words, contrasts.
2Let's start:
3At the 2024 Grammy awards, one performance got the attention of many different sorts of music fans.
4It was the country music singer Luke Combs singing with singer and songwriter Tracy Chapman.
5Together, they sang "Fast Car," a song that had helped Chapman win a Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
6You can listen to the song on the Grammys website.
7The song won the Country Music Association Awards prize for Country Song of the Year in 2023.
8Chapman is the first Black songwriter to win this award.
9Luke Combs recorded the song in 2023.
10He invited Chapman to sing it with him at the Grammy awards show in February.
11In today's lesson, we will look at some of the words in the song and explore how they tell the story of two people.
12The two tried to find the American Dream: good jobs, a nice home, and children.
13We will especially learn about the meanings of some indefinite pronouns and how they can be used to make contrasts.
14In the beginning of the song, Chapman sings about going someplace in a fast car:
15You got a fast car
16I want a ticket to anywhere
17Maybe we make a deal
18Maybe together we can get somewhere
19Anyplace is better
20Starting from zero got nothing to lose
21Maybe we'll make something
22But me myself I got nothing to prove
23In this part, we hear pairs of contrasting words.
24The first pair is "anywhere" and "somewhere."
25She says she wants a "ticket to anywhere," which means there is no exact place she wants to go.
26A similar word appears in the line, "Anyplace is better."
27Then, she says that together, she and her friend with the fast car "can get somewhere."
28"To get somewhere" means to succeed or reach a goal.
29The next pair of contrasting words is "nothing" and "something."
30The first expression is that she has "nothing to lose."
31That means she will not suffer if what she tries to do fails.
32Again, speaking of what the young couple can do together, she sings, "Maybe we'll make something."
33When we use "something" as an indefinite pronoun, it can mean a thing that is quite good, as in the expression:
34That's really something!
35Moving on to the next part of the song, we find the singer is working at a low-paying job and wants to escape.
36You got a fast car
37And I got a plan to get us out of here
38I been working at the convenience store
39Managed to save just a little bit of money
40We won't have to drive too far
41Just 'cross the border and into the city
42You and I can both get jobs
43And finally see what it means to be living
44Tracy Chapman has said she wrote the song about the lives of her parents.
45As a young couple, they struggled to create the kinds of lives they dreamed of.
46Listen for the words in the next part that contrast their dream with the reality of living in a shelter - a place for people without a home in which to live:
47I know things will get better
48You'll find work and I'll get promoted
49We'll move out of the shelter
50Buy a big house and live in the suburbs
51Finally, we learn through Chapman's song that the young woman did not finish her education because she stayed home to take care of her sick father.
52The couple seems to continue to struggle in the last part of the song, but they have good memories of their younger years.
53Listen for the indefinite pronoun "someone" here.
54To "be someone" means to be an important person.
55I remember we were driving driving in your car
56The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk
57City lights lay out before us
58And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder
59And I had a feeling that I belonged
60And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone
61Listening to Tracy Chapman's song, we find that indefinite pronouns can help express two ideas related to the American Dream: to "make something" and to "be someone."
62How do you express your own dreams for the future? Email us at learningenglish@voanews.com or write to us in the comments.
63And that's Everyday Grammar.
64I'm Jill Robbins.
1On today's Everyday Grammar, we are going to look at things that are different from each other: in other words, contrasts. 2Let's start: 3At the 2024 Grammy awards, one performance got the attention of many different sorts of music fans. It was the country music singer Luke Combs singing with singer and songwriter Tracy Chapman. 4Together, they sang "Fast Car," a song that had helped Chapman win a Grammy Award in 1989 for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. You can listen to the song on the Grammys website. 5The song won the Country Music Association Awards prize for Country Song of the Year in 2023. Chapman is the first Black songwriter to win this award. Luke Combs recorded the song in 2023. He invited Chapman to sing it with him at the Grammy awards show in February. 6The American Dream 7In today's lesson, we will look at some of the words in the song and explore how they tell the story of two people. The two tried to find the American Dream: good jobs, a nice home, and children. 8We will especially learn about the meanings of some indefinite pronouns and how they can be used to make contrasts. 9In the beginning of the song, Chapman sings about going someplace in a fast car: 10You got a fast car 11I want a ticket to anywhere 12Maybe we make a deal 13Maybe together we can get somewhere 14Anyplace is better 15Starting from zero got nothing to lose 16Maybe we'll make something 17But me myself I got nothing to prove 18Somewhere and anywhere 19In this part, we hear pairs of contrasting words. The first pair is "anywhere" and "somewhere." She says she wants a "ticket to anywhere," which means there is no exact place she wants to go. A similar word appears in the line, "Anyplace is better." Then, she says that together, she and her friend with the fast car "can get somewhere." "To get somewhere" means to succeed or reach a goal. 20Nothing and something 21The next pair of contrasting words is "nothing" and "something." The first expression is that she has "nothing to lose." That means she will not suffer if what she tries to do fails. Again, speaking of what the young couple can do together, she sings, "Maybe we'll make something." When we use "something" as an indefinite pronoun, it can mean a thing that is quite good, as in the expression: 22That's really something! 23Moving on to the next part of the song, we find the singer is working at a low-paying job and wants to escape. 24You got a fast car 25And I got a plan to get us out of here 26I been working at the convenience store 27Managed to save just a little bit of money 28We won't have to drive too far 29Just 'cross the border and into the city 30You and I can both get jobs 31And finally see what it means to be living 32Dreams and reality 33Tracy Chapman has said she wrote the song about the lives of her parents. As a young couple, they struggled to create the kinds of lives they dreamed of. Listen for the words in the next part that contrast their dream with the reality of living in a shelter - a place for people without a home in which to live: 34I know things will get better 35You'll find work and I'll get promoted 36We'll move out of the shelter 37Buy a big house and live in the suburbs 38Finally, we learn through Chapman's song that the young woman did not finish her education because she stayed home to take care of her sick father. The couple seems to continue to struggle in the last part of the song, but they have good memories of their younger years. Listen for the indefinite pronoun "someone" here. To "be someone" means to be an important person. 39I remember we were driving driving in your car 40The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk 41City lights lay out before us 42And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder 43And I had a feeling that I belonged 44And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone 45Listening to Tracy Chapman's song, we find that indefinite pronouns can help express two ideas related to the American Dream: to "make something" and to "be someone." 46How do you express your own dreams for the future? Email us at learningenglish@voanews.com or write to us in the comments. 47And that's Everyday Grammar. 48I'm Jill Robbins. 49Dr. Jill Robbins wrote this lesson for VOA Learning English. 50Official Music video for Tracy Chapman - "Fast Car" from 'Tracy Chapman' (1988) 51____________________________________________ 52Words in This Story 53indefinite - adj. (grammar) not limiting or specifying; not referring to a specific or previously identified person or thing 54pair -n. two of something 55couple - n. two people who are married, living together, or in a romantic relationship 56convenience (store) - n. a small market with a limited choice of foods and everyday items 57Here are the words so you can sing along with the song: 58You got a fast car 59I want a ticket to anywhere 60Maybe we make a deal 61Maybe together we can get somewhere 62Anyplace is better 63Starting from zero got nothing to lose 64Maybe we'll make something 65But me myself I got nothing to prove 66You got a fast car 67And I got a plan to get us out of here 68I been working at the convenience store 69Managed to save just a little bit of money 70We won't have to drive too far 71Just 'cross the border and into the city 72You and I can both get jobs 73And finally see what it means to be living 74You see my old man's got a problem 75He live with the bottle that's the way it is 76He says his body's too old for working 77I say his body's too young to look like his 78My mama went off and left him 79She wanted more from life than he could give 80I said somebody's got to take care of him 81So I quit school and that's what I did 82You got a fast car 83But is it fast enough so we can fly away 84We gotta make a decision 85We leave tonight or live and die this way 86I remember we were driving driving in your car 87The speed so fast I felt like I was drunk 88City lights lay out before us 89And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder 90And I had a feeling that I belonged 91And I had a feeling I could be someone, be someone, be someone 92You got a fast car 93And we go cruising to entertain ourselves 94You still ain't got a job 95And I work in a market as a checkout girl 96I know things will get better 97You'll find work and I'll get promoted 98We'll move out of the shelter 99Buy a big house and live in the suburbs 100You got a fast car 101And I got a job that pays all our bills 102You stay out drinking late at the bar 103See more of your friends than you do of your kids 104I'd always hoped for better 105Thought maybe together you and me would find it 106I got no plans I ain't going nowhere 107So take your fast car and keep on driving 108You got a fast car 109But is it fast enough so you can fly away 110You gotta make a decision 111You leave tonight or live and die this way 112Did you have similar dreams as a young person? Or if you are a young person, how do you express your dreams? Write to us in the Comments Section.