Hey there! This is TOP episode 142. Learn English With Harry Styles ‘As It Was’
My name’s Ola and I am an English teacher. My goal is to help you start speaking English with confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. I believe it is achievable for you and it’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Hey there! Thank you for choosing this episode! There are so many everyday phrases for you to learn today I’m excited! Good. We are going to go through each verse and chorus and the bridge line by line. I’ll ask you to repeat each line out loud. By the way, if you’d like to learn more about learning English with music tune in to episode 7: Learn English With Music.
We will stop every few lines and dig deeper. Find out what are common expressions with the word in question. There are idioms, there are fixed phrases. Let’s do it.
Before we jump in please let me ask you a favour. If you think this episode is valuable and worth sharing, please share it with someone who needs to boost their English vocabulary and improve their English speaking skills.
Don’t forget to download the worksheet. It’s waiting for you at teacherola.com/142. I would also like to suggest buying a worksheet set. Worksheet sets include a speaking English planer, a great tool for monitoring your speaking skills. In my shop, you’ll also find an e-book with the transcripts. Ok, let’s go back to the episode.
I’ll start with one sentence from Harry Styles who described the meaning of the song, quote:
“It’s about metamorphosis and embracing change, and former self and perspective shift, and all of that kind of stuff.”
Listen and repeat the lyrics of the first verse:
Holdin’ me back
Gravity’s holdin’ me back
I want you to hold out the palm of your hand
Why don’t we leave it at that?
Nothin’ to say
Holding me back – to hold somebody or something back, to prevent somebody or something from moving forward or crossing something. Here, he is being held back by gravity. To prevent progress, and development.
Listen to example sentences and please stay till the end because there’s the practical part of the episode when you repeat these sentences out loud. Now, just lay back, relax and listen. Don’t multitask, just focus on the sentences.
She tried to hold back her tears.
Your fear is holding me back.
To hold back has another meaning, to to not tell somebody something they want or need to know.
He’s holding back some information.
If you’re holding back emotions you are trying to stop yourself from expressing how you really feel. For instance:
I couldn’t hold back my fury.
The palm of your hand – palm is the inner surface of the hand between the wrist and the fingers. Some people, psychics or mediums, or palmists, or hand readers claim that they can read your palm. There are some idioms with the word ‘palm’ and so, let’s look into them.
To have someone in the palm of your hand. If you have someone in the palm of your hand, you are in complete control or you have an influence over somebody.
We shouldn’t worry about him telling the truth, I have him in the palm of my hand.
If you know something like the palm of your hand (or like the back of your hand as well). you are extremely familiar with it.
I’ve seen this film so many times, I know it like the palm of my hand.
To cross somebody’s palm, or to cross somebody’s palm with silver. That means to pay bribes. To give somebody money so that they will do you a favour. You may also come across a similar expression, the meaning is the same: to grease someone’s palm. Examples:
If you cross my palm I might remember some details.
I crossed his palm with silver, but he wouldn’t let me in even though.
If someone has an itchy palm that means he or she has a desire for a tip or bribe.
Most politicians have an itchy palm.
The waiter at that restaurant definitely had an itchy palm.
Next part of the verse:
When everything gets in the way
Seems you cannot be replaced
And I’m the one who will stay
Everything gets in the way – To get in the way of something means to make it difficult for it to happen, continue, or be appreciated properly. To interfere with something. Example sentences:
Those trash cans always get in the way when I want to park here.
I didn’t mean to get in the way of your plans.
Seems you cannot be replaced – ‘seem’ is a tough word I reckon. There should be a separate episode dedicated to the verb but for now, let’s say this. To seem means to give the impression of being or doing something. To appear. It’s a linking verb. I picked two expressions with ‘seem’. Have a listen.
Things are seldom as they seem. Things are seldom as they seem. Reality differs from our assumptions. Our first glance knowledge so to speak hasn’t got much to do with the truth.
I can’t seem to do something – Apparently, I am unable or incapable of doing something. Let me use this phrase in two examples:
I’m so panicky, I can’t seem to focus on the book.
I can’t seem to find the right words.
Let’s jump into the chorus:
In this world, it’s just us
You know it’s not the same as it was
And now let’s get right into verse two. Listen and repeat:
Answer the phone
“Harry, you’re no good alone
Why are you sitting at home on the floor?
What kind of pills are you on?”
You’re no good alone – No good. Mind that it’s not the same as ‘not good’. Ok, so when the word ‘good’ is used as a noun, it can be quantified or modified by the word ‘no’. For example:
No good can come from this.
I’m up to no good.
You might know this expression from ‘Harry Potter’.
Zero good. No good. There’s no use there’s no value.
He was no good. You couldn’t rely on him.
This bike is no good. The gears are out of whack.
This bike is worthless, it’s useless.
Let’s continue. The second part of the second verse:
Ringin’ the bell
And nobody’s coming to help
Your daddy lives by himself
He just wants to know that you’re well
Your daddy lives by himself – he lives by himself. He lives on his own. These two phrases sound different, look different but their meanings are essentially identical. Both are used to say that you’ve done something alone, rather than with others. Just pay attention to the prepositions. On his own. By himself. Good!
The last part:
Go home, get ahead, light-speed internet
I don’t wanna talk about the way that it was
Leave America, two kids follow her
I don’t wanna talk about who’s doin’ it first
Get ahead – to get ahead means to be more successful, or to progress more quickly than, other people. To move ahead of someone or something. To save some money. Examples? Here you are:
I work every day, but I can’t seem to get ahead in my job.
The best way to get ahead is through hard work.
She’s keen to get ahead in her career.
He lives by himself.
Time to bring it all together, to wrap it all together. Let’s have some of the example sentences heard again but this time I’d like you to surprise surprise say them out loud. Let’s do it:
Your fear is holding me back.
I couldn’t hold back my fury.
I’ve seen this film so many times, I know it like the palm of my hand.
If you cross my palm I might remember some details.
The waiter at that restaurant definitely had an itchy palm.
I didn’t mean to get in the way of your plans.
Things are seldom as they seem.
I can’t seem to find the right words.
No good can come from this.
I work every day, but I can’t seem to get ahead in my job.
He lives by himself.
Well done! Don’t forget to go to your inbox and grab the worksheet in order to test yourself. Complete the missing gaps in the song lyrics.
If you’re not a member of TOPeople download the worksheet at teacherola.com/142 and become one. It’s free.
Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you next Wednesday! We’re going to discuss another job interview tip. Till then, take care! Happy learning. Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!