Having gotten such a positive response to my previous grammar video, “When to Use Lie, Lay, Laid, and Lain,” I have been thinking about other possible videos that might help people understand grammar better. The problem is, it is hard to think of a new song to improve grammar, when there are so many songs already out there that promote bad grammar. Obviously, before I can make new songs, the first step is to fix the old ones.
I have therefore created this new medley of old songs, sung in a more grammatically correct way, so that you can learn how to sing along to your favorite tunes with proper English. Hopefully these will catch on and everyone will start using the new versions and we can wipe out bad grammar in all of its forms.
1) The first song I fixed is a relatively new song, called “Ain’t No Other Man,” by Christina Aguilera. I think we can all agree that it sounds much better as “There Isn’t Any Other Man.”
2) Next I moved on to “Another Brick in the Wall,” by Pink Floyd. I know, I know, when they sing “We don’t need no education,” the bad grammar is kind of the point, and it is supposed to convey something, but all it conveys to me is that they DO need an education, and badly. Luckily, I have given them one.
3) The third song I chose due mostly to the fact that it completely contradicts my last video. “Lay, Lady, Lay,” actually implies that you are telling the lady to lay something on your bed. I suppose you could be telling her to lay herself down, but “Lie, Lady, Lie” is actually much more accurate.
4) Now, look, I know that, while some grammar people are very nitpicky about this issue, saying “I Feel Good,” is actually just as correct as saying “I Feel Well.” This is because feel, in this instance, is a linking verb, and good is a predicate adjective. But I included this song anyway, for the nitpickers. I did, however, make sure to set it in such a way that you can tell when I say “I Feel Well,” I am talking about my health, and not my mood.
5) “I Got You Babe” is a good song, but bad English. One could say “I HAVE GOT you babe,” but that is too many syllables. Luckily “I HAVE you babe” works just as well.
6) Ah, the granddaddy of them all. “Satisfaction,” by the Rolling Stones. So if you CAN’T get NO satisfaction, I guess you CAN get satisfaction, right? Heh heh. Idiots.
So there you have it. Better versions of all of your favorite songs. Come for the grammar, stay for the dancing.