Here’s a classic old song for you about summertime with some good examples of informal English in it. Here is a key to some of these words along with the song’s lyrics:
raise a fuss, raise a holler = cause trouble, yell loudly, make noise
gonna = going to
“No dice” = “No chance,” “It’s useless”
ain’t = isn’t, aren’t
gotta = got to, have to, must
’cause = because
“You didn’t work a lick” = “You didn’t do any work”
“Summertime Blues”
by Eddie Cochran
Well I’m a gonna raise a fuss, I’m gonna raise a holler
About working all summer just to try and earn a dollar
Every time I call my baby to try to get a date
My boss says, “No dice, son, you gotta work late.”
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
Well, my mom and papa told me, “Son, you gotta make some money
If you want to use the car to go riding next Sunday”
Well, I didn’t go to work, told the boss I was sick
“Now you can’t use the car ’cause you didn’t work a lick”
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
‘Cause there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
I’m gonna take two weeks, gonna have a fun vacation
I’m gonna take my problem to the United Nations
Well, I called my Congressman and he said quote
“I’d like to help you son, but you’re too young to vote”
Sometimes I wonder what I’m gonna do
But there ain’t no cure for the summertime blues
