Song: Can’t Buy Me Love
Artist: The Beatles
Year: 1964
Album: Hard Day's Night
Language Feature: Real Conditional
Episode Description
Ece is doing some online shopping and she’s feeling a little frustrated. This leads to a discussion about the importance of things that money just can’t buy. Can money buy you love? No, no, no, nooooooooo!
In this episode, we’re listening to the Beatles 1964 hit song, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” and we’re focusing on real conditionals in grammar. If you don’t love this song, we will be very surprised!
Episode Transcript
<intro>
H: Hi! I’m Heather
E: And I’m Ece. Welcome to another episode of our language-learning podcast, “English as a Singing Language.”
H: We’re going to be talking about grammar today, right?
E: Yes! Everybody loves grammar.
H: I know that our listeners are big grammar fans.
E: They are. And this song is taking us back in time to the 1960s. Heather, can you guess who sings the song for this episode?
H: Let’s see, there were so many famous bands in the 60s…The Rolling Stones? The Doors? The Beach Boys? The Temptations? Wait a minute… I know! The Beatles! Am I right?
E: Let’s get started and find out!
H: That sounds great. I can’t wait!
<end intro>
E: (humming “Can’t Buy Me Love”)
H: Hi Ece! What are you doing?
E: <sigh> Well, I got an email from my favorite online clothing store, and it said that they are having a huge 24-hour sale today.
H: Uh-huh, so you just had to check it out?
E: I was just going to do some window shopping, but there were so many great deals!
H: Wait, window shopping? Why do you need new windows? Did something happen? I thought you were shopping for clothes.
E: “Window shopping” means that you’re just looking. You go to the shopping mall and just walk around different shops, but you don’t buy anything.
H: You know I hardly ever go shopping. But Ece, you are so fashionable. Let me see what you have in your cart.
E: Here, take a look. My cart is totally full.
H: Oooooh Ece, these earrings are so cute!
E: I know.
H: And these boots are adorable!
E: Yep.
H: And that blouse with all of the flowers!! I love it! It’s going to look great on you!
E: All of the things in my cart are totally amazing.
H: I agree. You’re going to look like a million dollars in these clothes!
E: No, I won’t.
H: Why not?
E: There’s a possibility I would look like a million dollars, but I don’t have a million dollars. Even with this 50% off sale, I can’t afford these things.
H: Oh gosh, now that I’m looking at the total cost, I can see that. I can’t afford that either. But Ece, think about the song you were humming just now.
E: You mean, the 1964 hit song by the British pop band, The Beatles?
H: Yes! The Beatles song, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” is perfect for this situation.
E: Hmmmm….maybe you’re right.
H: The whole song is about how love is more important than money. You have the love of your friends, colleagues and family. That’s more important than anything else… except for maybe that purple dress. Oh my gosh, Ece, you have to get that dress.
E: Focus on what’s important, Heather. You were saying that love is the most important thing, and money can’t buy me love.
H: Oh yes, right. Sorry, that gorgeous dress distracted me. So, Paul McCartney wrote and sang the lead vocals on “Can’t Buy Me Love.” And in his 1997 biography Many Years From Now, McCartney is quoted by author Barry Miles as saying, “‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ is my attempt to write a bluesy mode. The idea behind it was that all these material possessions are all very well, but they won’t buy me what I really want.”
E: So, he’s rich and famous, but all of his money can’t buy him love.
H: Exactly. And do you know what really cool grammar feature I noticed about this song?
E: I think I do know. Are you talking about the present real conditional tense?
H: I sure am. There are some great examples of it in this song.
E: So, the present real conditional tense talks about actual, possible events, right?
H: Right. For example, I can say, “If it rains tomorrow, I will bring my umbrella.”
E: Or, how about, “If we get a pay raise next month, I’ll buy all of the clothes I just chose.”
H: Yes! Those are great examples. In the if part of the sentence, we state the condition. In my case, “If it rains tomorrow,” and in yours, “If we get a pay raise next month.” I hope mine doesn’t come true, and yours does.
E: Me too! I notice that even though we’re talking about a future time, “tomorrow” or “next month,” we use the simple present tense.
H: Yes. We use simple present in the “if clause” and then we use future tense for the result clause. If the first part does come true, what will happen?
E: What are the examples of this in the song?
H: The song starts out with, “I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend, if it makes you feel alright.”
E: And the next line, “I'll get you anything, my friend, if it makes you feel alright.”
H: Wow! Anything? That’s crazy. He also sings, “I'll give you all I've got to give, if you say you love me, too.” Do you know what I’ve noticed about these lyrics?
E: They’ve got the if clause at the end of the sentence?
H: Yes! In our examples, it was at the beginning of the sentence. Can the if clause go at the beginning or the end of the sentence?
E: Yep. You’ll hear it either way. Both are correct.
H: Huh. That’s good to know. So far in the lyrics, it sounds like if his partner loves him, he will do anything for them.
E: It does. But then he sings, “Say you don't need no diamond rings, and I'll be satisfied.”
H: Uh-oh, Ece. My English teacher's grammar brain does not like that line. Shouldn’t it be, “Say you don’t need any diamond rings.”? “Say you don’t need no diamond rings,” just doesn’t sound right to me.
E: Well, you know there’s the grammar that we teach from our grammar textbooks, and then there’s the grammar that people actually use in everyday conversation.
H: So, you might hear people say something like, “I don’t have no money.”
E: Yes. It’s not the grammar we teach, but it’s something you’ll hear. And Heather, it’s ok if you don’t have any money, ‘cause money can’t buy you love.
H: That’s right. In the next line he sings, “Tell me that you want the kind of things
that money just can't buy.” He wants to know that his partner really loves him for who he is, not because of the things he can buy.
E: He also sings, “I may not have a lot to give, but what I got, I'll give to you.”
H: Ok, another grammar teacher question: “What I got, I’ll give to you.”? Shouldn’t it be, “What I have, I’ll give to you.”?
E: Most grammar teachers will tell you to always use “have,” but we use “got” in a lot of informal settings. Like, I can ask you, “Hey Heather, do you have your cell phone with you?”
H: And I would probably answer, “Yeah, I got it,” instead of “Yes. I have it.” You’re right.
E: And back to our lyrics, Paul McCartney really hopes that the person he loves doesn’t just love him for his money. He even sings, “‘Cause I don’t care too much for money, ‘cause money can’t buy me love.”
H: And he uses the reduced “‘cause” for “because,” I notice.
E: ‘Cause it fits better with the rhythm of the song. And I totally agree with him, money is not the most important thing. I don’t care too much for money either, but I’d love to get all of the clothes in my cart.
H: You did pick out some great-looking outfits, Ece. But remember, the most important things are our friends, our families and of course, our listeners.
E: You’re right. And you know what? Money can’t buy this podcast, either.
H: It’s definitely a labor of love. I think we’re almost ready for our favorite part of the podcast. I just have one thing to ask you before we start to sing.
E: If I know the answer, I will certainly tell you.
H: Well, I was just wondering, if you’re not going to buy that purple dress, do you think maybe I could get it?
E: Yes. You should definitely get it. We can see if they have it in your size.
H: Ok! What’s the name of that site again?
E: Let’s start singing first, then we can do a little shopping.
H: Sounds good. Ok listeners! There’s a link to the official Beatles 1964, #1 hit song, “Can’t Buy Me Love,” in the episode notes.
E: Make sure you sing out loud as you listen to it!
H+E: “Can’t buy us love, no, no, no, noooooo!”
<ending>
H: I’m glad you were able to get at least some of the clothes you picked out. You’re going to look great.
E: Thanks. If I receive them next week, I’ll wear them to our presentation at the conference.
H: If you wear them to the presentation, I know you’ll look fantastic.
E: Maybe I can model them on our Instagram account.
H: If you do that, we will certainly get more followers. And speaking of our Instagram, make sure to follow us @singinglanguages.
E: And if you subscribe to the podcast, you will be the first to know when there is a new episode.
H: Finally, you will find transcripts for all of the episodes as well as additional activities if you check out our website.
E: Sounds good! Until next time, have fun and…
H + E: …just keep singing!
Official YouTube Video
Activity
Listen to the song and complete the real conditionals with the verbs you hear.
Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh
I'____________________ you a diamond ring, my friend
If it ____________________ you feel alright
I'____________________ you anything, my friend
If it ____________________ you feel alright
'Cause I don't care too much for money
But money can't buy me love
I'____________________ you all I've got to give
If you ____________________ you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love
Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No, no, no, no
Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love
Ah, woo!
Buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Complete Lyrics
Can't buy me love, love
Can't buy me love, oh
I'll buy you a diamond ring, my friend
If it makes you feel alright
I'll get you anything, my friend
If it makes you feel alright
'Cause I don't care too much for money
But money can't buy me love
I'll give you all I've got to give
If you say you love me too
I may not have a lot to give
But what I got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love
Can't buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Can't buy me love
No, no, no, no
Say you don't need no diamond rings
And I'll be satisfied
Tell me that you want the kind of things
That money just can't buy
I don't care too much for money
Money can't buy me love
Ah, woo!
Buy me love
Everybody tells me so
Songwriters: Paul McCartney / John Lennon Can't Buy Me Love lyrics © Sony/atv Tunes Llc, Mpl Communications Inc
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