Songs with clear, repeated and memorable lyrics can help you ‘automate’ language and use natural pronunciation, so I am a big advocate of using songs to help you learn English.
This is a list of the best songs that I know of – please let me know of any more you would recommend.
You can use a site like AZlyrics for accurate versions of the lyrics, or LyricsTraining for games and activities to help you test your listening skills.
Go to my Playlist on YouTube for all of these songs.
Best songs for tenses
Present Simple
Eleanor Rigby – The Beatles
Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been. Lives in a dream. Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the door. Who is it for?
The Boy Does Nothing – Alesha Dixon
Does he wash up? No he never washes up! Does he clean up? No he never cleans up!.
Present Continuous
Hello – Lionel Richie
Is it me you’re looking for?
Tom’s Diner – Suzanne Vega
I am sitting in the morning at the diner on the corner. I am waiting at the counter for the man to pour the coffee.
Present Perfect
I still haven’t found what I’m looking for – U2
I have climbed the highest mountains. I have run through the fields. Only to be with you. I have run. I have crawled. I have scaled these city walls. Only to be with you.
Present Perfect Continuous
Happier – Marshmallow
Lately I’ve been thinking I want you to be happier.
I’ve been waiting – Foreigner
So long, I’ve been looking too hard, I’ve been waiting too long. I’ve been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life. I’ve been waiting for someone new to make me feel alive.
How long has this been going on? – Ace
Past Simple
Perfect – Ed Sheeran
Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet. I never knew you were the someone waiting for me. ‘Cause we were just kids when we fell in love
A day in the life – The Beatles
I read the news today oh boy. About a lucky man who made the grade
And though the news was rather sad Well I just had to laugh. I saw the photograph.
‘Will’ for promises
I will always love you – Whitney Houston
So I’ll go, but I know, I’ll think of you every step of the way.
‘Will’ for predictions
Someone like you – Adele
Never mind I’ll find someone like you. Don’t forget me I beg, I’ll remember you said sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead.
Future continuous
I’ll be right here waiting for you – Bryan Adams
Wherever you go, whatever you do I will be right here waiting for you. Whatever it takes, or how my heart breaks, I will be right here waiting for you.
Every breath you take – The Police
Every move you make I’ll be watching you.
‘Going to’ for plans and intentions
Next year baby – Jamie Cullum
Next year, Things are gonna change. Gonna drink less beer and start all over again. Gonna pull up my socks. Gonna clean my shower. Not gonna live by the clock but get up at a decent hour. Gonna read more books. Gonna keep up with the news. Gonna learn how to cook and spend less money on shoes.
Used to
SOS – Abba
Whatever happened to our love? I wish I understood. It used to be so nice. It used to be so good.
Someone that I used to know – Gotye
You didn’t have to stoop so low – have your friends collect your records and then change your number. Guess that I don’t need that though. Now you’re just somebody that I used to know.
I can’t get used* to losing you – Andy Williams
*The other use of ‘used to’! This one takes +ing and has a different meaning (‘accustomed to’).
Can’t get used to losin’ you
No matter what I try to do
Gonna live my whole life through
Loving you
Best songs for conditionals
First Conditional
The Promise – Tracy Chapman
If you wait for me, then I’ll come for you. If you dream of me, if you miss me once in a while, then I’ll return to you. I’ll return and fill that space in your heart.
Second Conditional
Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
Would you know my name if I saw you in heaven? Would it be the same if I saw you in heaven?
Wherever You Will Go – The Calling
If I could, then I would. I’ll go wherever you will go.
If I were a rich man – from the musical Fiddler On The Roof
If I were a rich man, ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum, if I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard, ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich, yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.
I wish + past simple
I wish I was a little bit taller – Skee Lo
I wish I was a little bit taller. I wish I was a baller
I wish I had a girl who looked good and if I did I would call her.
I wish I was James Bond – Scouting for girls
I wish I was a punk rocker – Sandi Thom
I wish I was – The Avett Brothers
Best songs for Modals
Should have + 3rd form: regrets
Bruno Mars – When I was your man
I should have bought you flowers and held your hand
I will survive – Gloria Gaynor
I should have changed that stupid lock, I should have made you leave your key. If I’d known for just one second you’d back to bother me.
Could have + 3rd form: possibility in the past
Something changed – PULP
Oh, I could have stayed at home and gone to bed. I could have gone to see a film instead. You might have changed your mind and seen your friends. Life could have been very different then.
Must have + 3rd form – modals of deduction in the past
The day before you came – Abba
I must have left my house at eight because I always do. My train, I’m certain, left the station just when it was due. I must have read the morning papers going into town. And having gotten through the editorials, no doubt I must have frowned. I must have made my desk around a quarter after nine with letters to be read, and heaps of papers waiting to be signed. I must have gone to lunch at half past twelve or so. And still on top of this I’m pretty sure it must have rained the day before you came.
Best songs for vocab
Word formation
The logical song – Supertramp
When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily, oh joyfully, playfully watching me
Slang
So many to choose from here – Eminem was a big favourite with Rap God (too many explicit lyrics to post here sorry!)
Phrasal verbs and prepositions
Our house – Madness
Father wears his Sunday best. Mother’s tired, she needs a rest. The kids are playing up downstairs. Sister’s sighing in her sleep. Brother’s got a date to keep, he can’t hang around.
Pronunciation of ‘th’
Thunder – Imagine Dragons
Thunder th-th-thunder (repeat!)
Best songs for other grammar items
Comparisons
Everything at once – Lenka
As sly as a fox, as strong as an ox. As fast as a hare, as brave as a bear. As free as a bird, as neat as a word. As quiet as a mouse, as big as a house.
Word formation
The logical song – Supertramp
When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful, a miracle, oh it was beautiful, magical.
And all the birds in the trees, well they’d be singing so happily, oh joyfully, playfully watching me
‘A little’ (for uncountable nouns)
I need a little time – The Beautiful South (I need a little space, I need a little room, I found a little courage)
A little loving – Nicole (a little patience and understanding, a little sunshine, a little peace)
Present Participles
All of me – John Legend
What would I do without your smart mouth drawing me in, and you kicking me out. Got my head spinning, no kidding.
Learn English for IELTS in a more engaging way in The Members Academy.
Get everything you need in one place.
If you have a song that helped you learn English, please leave me a comment and I’ll add it to the list.
The British Council also have a list here.
Lenka- everything at once
it is good for comparisons(as…as)
Hi Serife! Thank you for posting! I think that could be my number 20 – I’ve just listened to it and it’s SO clear with lots of different examples. Brilliant!
What about the Beatles ? “A day in life “ for the past tenses.
Oh yes – brilliant idea Liliana – I’ll add that now. It even has Past Perfect in it! Thank you for sharing!