Song: Try Everything
Artist: Shakira
Year: 2016
Album: Disney Film Zootopia Soundtrack
Language Feature: Phrasal Verbs
Episode Description
In this episode, Heather is feeling nervous about an upcoming project. It is something new that she hasn’t done before, and she’s working in a place she has never been before. Luckily, Ece has the perfect song for the occasion.
In this episode, we’re going to be using Shakira’s 2016 hit song, “Try Everything,” to talk about phrasal verbs. What are phrasal verbs? We encourage you to check out this episode and find out!
Episode Transcript
<Intro>
E: Hi! I’m Ece.
H: And I’m Heather. And we’re excited to welcome you to the first episode of the second season of our podcast, English as a Singing Language.
E: English as a Singing Language is a podcast that uses songs from a variety of styles and time periods to learn and practice grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation in English.
H: We talked about so many different kinds of music from K-pop to Motown to traditional folk music.
E: And we learned so much and had so much fun singing together.
H: We sure did. If you haven’t checked out Season One yet, we encourage you to go back and take a listen to those episodes. But it’s time to get started on Season Two. What’s the focus of this first episode, Ece?
E: We’re going to be talking about phrasal verbs.
H: Really? That’s great. I can’t wait to check out the song for this episode.
E: Me neither. I want to find out what the song is!
H: Let’s get started!
<end intro>
E: (humming Shakira, Try Everything) Hey Heather! What are you doing? What are all those papers?
H: I’m getting ready for my assignment as a teacher trainer.
E: You must be so excited! Going to a new city in a new country doing a new kind of teaching is an amazing opportunity.
H: It is. I’m sure it’s going to be great, and I’m going to get a lot out of it, but I’m also really, really nervous.
E: Why?
H: There are so many reasons, but most of all, I’m worried that I will fail as a teacher trainer. What if I don’t do a good job working with the teachers?
E: Oh my gosh! Are you kidding? You’re going to be fine. You’re going to get along with the teachers and they will learn a lot from you.
H: Maybe you’re right, but I’m also worried about being in a new place. What if I don’t like the food? What if I can’t communicate in the local language?
E: It sounds like you need to hear the song I was just listening to, Shakira’s 2016 hit song, “Try Everything.”
H: That’s the song from that Disney animated movie about animals, right?
E: Yes! “Try Everything” was featured in the movie “Zootopia.” Shakira did the voice of the character Gazelle in the movie.
H: Right! I remember now. What do we know about Shakira, Ece?
E: Well, her full name is Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll and she grew up in Baranquilla, Colombia.
H: So, her first language isn’t English?
E: No, in fact, she didn’t release her first album in English until 2001. The title of that album was, “Laundry Service,” and it sold over 13 million copies.
H: Get out of here! That’s incredible.
E: She’s a great inspiration for our listeners as someone who had to learn English as an additional language.
H: … and someone who enjoys singing!
E: Definitely. Anyway, I think this song is great for two reasons. First, it is full of phrasal verbs.
H: Phrasal verbs? What are phrasal verbs? I mean, I know what verbs are, words that are actions like remove, show, or omit. What is the difference between those verbs and a phrasal verb?
E: Well, a phrasal verb is actually a verb plus a preposition. In the verbs you proposed, or, came up with, there is a phrasal verb for each one of those.
H: Really? Ok. To remove.
E: To get rid of. I removed the file from my computer. OR I got rid of the file from my computer.
H: So, the meaning is the same, is there any other difference?
E: Typically, single-word verbs are more formal or academic than phrasal verbs. We use phrasal verbs all the time in everyday conversation.
H: Then how about “to show”?
E: To point out. “I showed the correct answer to my friend.” OR “I pointed out the correct answer to my friend.”
H: What about the last one I used, “to omit”?
E: To leave out. “Did you omit the important information?” OR “Did you leave out the important information?”
H: Wow. That’s a really important grammar point. What’s the other reason this is such a great song?
E: It has a really positive message. I think it is important for you to hear this song before you leave for your teacher training assignment.
H: Really? What is the song about?
E: Basically, it is about how you should never be afraid of making a mistake, and you should never give up.
H: Wait a minute, is “give up” a phrasal verb?
E: It sure is. It means to stop doing something.
H: That’s perfect for my current situation.
E: Shakira has some personal experience with learning from failure and following her dream no matter what. Back in 2009, she said, “I never made it to the school choir because the music teacher didn't like my voice. I was pretty sad. But he was probably right; I did have a voice a bit like a goat, but my dad told me to never give up and to keep going, and it's paid off.”
H: Wait a minute. Shakira’s music teacher told her she sang like a goat? Baaaaaa, goat? That’s crazy!
E: Sure, it seems like it now, but she didn’t let her failure to join the school choir or the opinions of others stop her.
H: Ok. I’m really excited to talk about this song now.
E: She starts off with, “I messed up tonight, I lost another fight, lost to myself, but I'll just start again.”
H: Ok, “to mess up” is a phrasal verb, right?
E: Yes! It means “to make a mistake.” And I think it’s interesting that she says she lost to herself. That reminds us that sometimes we are our own worst enemies.
H: That’s definitely true in my case. I need to believe in myself more. Ok, then she sings, “I keep falling down, I keep on hitting the ground. I always get up now, see what's next.” Do you hear any phrasal verbs in these lyrics, Ece?
E: I do! There are three! There is “fall down,” which I think here she is using to mean that she keeps failing or making mistakes. The next one is, “keep on,” meaning “to continue to do something,” and finally there is “get up.”
H: Wow! That’s a lot of phrasal verbs. And is it true that if you change the preposition, you can change the meaning of the phrasal verb?
E: That is true. For example, if I use “get” and “through” instead of “get” and “up,” it means to be able to complete something.
H: Like, I hope I can get through my preparations for the teacher training program.
E: Here, listen to the next part of the song, “Birds don't just fly, they fall down and get up. Nobody learns without gettin' it wrong.”
H: That is very good for me to hear! And I like how Shakira reduces the “getting” to “gettin’.”
E: If you like that, the refrain is even better. It goes, “I won't give up, no, I won't give in, 'til I reach the end, and then I'll start again. No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything, I wanna try even though I could fail.”
H: Wait a minute! Are there TWO phrasal verbs with “give” in the refrain?
E: Yes! There’s “give up” meaning to stop doing something, usually because you are afraid you won’t succeed. Like, “Even if it’s difficult, don’t give up! Keep trying!” And then there’s “give in” which means to surrender.
H: Like, when my cat wants a treat and she’s so cute I just give in and give her a snack. Shakira also uses “wanna” instead of “want to.” Hmmm… she’s really making me feel like I wanna try everything - even though I could fail.
E: You shouldn’t be afraid of making mistakes. That’s how we learn!
H: In English and in life!!
E: So, the next verse goes like this, “Look how far you've come, you filled your heart with love. Baby, you've done enough, take a deep breath.” Does that make you feel more confident?
H: <deep breath> Yes! It does. Sometimes, I feel like I haven’t done enough, or I haven’t done it well enough. Maybe I just need to take a deep breath and calm down.
E: Me too. That’s really good advice. And the next lines are, “Don't beat yourself up, no need to run so fast. Sometimes we come last, but we did our best.”
H: Ah-ha! “Beat up” is a phrasal verb too, right?
E: It is. To “beat someone up” means to injure them by hitting them many times.
H: But here it is being used figuratively. It doesn’t mean to physically hit someone, it means judging yourself too harshly or being too hard on yourself.
E: Exactly. I think you and I both beat ourselves up from time to time.
H: Maybe that’s what I was doing just now. Maybe I just need to take a deep breath. If I fall down, I just have to get up again.
E: See? I told you this song was perfect for your situation.
H: What would I do without you, Ece? Whatever happens, it’s going to be ok. I might make a mistake, but I’m going to get up and try again.
E: At the very end of the song, Shakira sings, “I'll keep on making those new mistakes. I'll keep on making them every day.”
H: Ok. I’m going to make new mistakes in a new country I have never visited before! I’m probably going to make mistakes every day, but that’s ok.
E: Yes, it is, and you know what? I think we’re ready to sing.
H: I think we are! Ok listeners, there’s a link in the episode notes to the 2016 hit song, “Try Everything,” by Shakira.
E: Make sure you sing out loud as you listen and pay attention to those phrasal verbs.
H: You know what, Ece? I’m not nervous about my trip anymore. I feel excited and ready to…
E + H: …Try everything.
<conclusion>
E: Thank you so much for joining us for the first episode of Season 2.
H: We have a wide variety of songs already picked out for you this season!
E: That’s right. We have come up with songs from different types of music, different decades, even different countries!
H: If you come across a song that has helped you to learn English, let us know!
E: Yes! You can contact us at singinglanguages@gmail.com, on our website or check out our Instagram, @singinglanguages.
H: You can also find out about useful resources such as language-focused activities and transcripts on the website, too.
E: Until next time, have fun and…
H + E: …just keep singing!
Official YouTube Video
Activity
Instructions: Listen to the song and complete the missing lyrics with phrasal verbs.
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I _______________ tonight, I lost another fight
Lost to myself, but I'll just start again
I keep falling down, I keep on hitting the ground
I always _______________ now, see what's next
Birds don't just fly, they _______________ and _______________
Nobody learns without gettin' it wrong
I won't _______________, no, I won't _______________
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't ______________________________, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Look how far you've come, you filled your heart with love
Baby, you've done enough, take a deep breath
Don't _______________ yourself _______________, no need to run so fast
Sometimes we come last, but we did our best
I won't _______________, no, I won't _______________
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't ______________________________p, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I'll keep on making those new mistakes
I'll keep on making them every day
Those new mistakes
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Complete Lyrics
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
I messed up tonight, I lost another fight
Lost to myself, but I'll just start again
I keep falling down, I keep on hitting the ground
I always get up now, see what's next
Birds don't just fly, they fall down and get up
Nobody learns without gettin' it wrong
I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Look how far you've come, you filled your heart with love
Baby, you've done enough, take a deep breath
Don't beat yourself up, no need to run so fast
Sometimes we come last, but we did our best
I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I won't give up, no, I won't give in
'Til I reach the end, and then I'll start again
No, I won't leave, I wanna try everything
I wanna try even though I could fail
I'll keep on making those new mistakes
I'll keep on making them every day
Those new mistakes
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Try everything
Songwriters: Tor Erik Hermansen / Mikkel Storleer Eriksen / Sia Kate I. Furler Try Everything lyrics © Walt Disney Music Company
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