36 English Songs With Prepositions That Are Catchy and Fun

If you wish to master English grammar, you need to study prepositions
— phrases that describe the connection between two nouns.

Prepositions could be powerful to study, as a result of they don’t usually translate straight between two languages. For instance, in English, you could be in love with
somebody. In Spanish, although, you’d specific that very same thought by saying you’re enamorado de somebody (or in love “of” somebody).

In English, you’d by no means say “I’m in love of you.” You’d say “I’m in love with you.”

Due to this, it’s finest to study prepositions as components of phrases, since that’s essentially the most pure method to make use of them in a language.

And among the finest locations to search out pure phrases in English is songs.

Get your headphones or audio system prepared, and begin listening to English songs with prepositions beneath! When you need assistance with the lyrics, simply click on on the music title within the headings, and so they’ll take you to a web page with the music written out for you.

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Preposition used on this music: in

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

“In”
is an instance of a “preposition of place,”
—a phrase that tells you the place issues occur or the place one noun is in relation to a different noun.

As a preposition of place, “in” means the identical factor as “inside,”
like “The rice is in the bag”
or  “The rice is inside the bag.”

On this music, Elvis is singing a few boy who grows up within the  ghetto
(a poor neighborhood or a harmful a part of a metropolis). The boy has a troublesome life and ultimately begins committing crimes. It’s a tragic music, however it sounds good.

Right here, the phrase in is used as a result of a ghetto is a bodily space, and the boy was dwelling inside that space.

Additionally, “Within the Ghetto” is an instance of a ballad
, which signifies that it tells a narrative within the type of a music.

Preposition used on this music: in

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

This music could also be more durable to grasp than the Elvis music, however it has much more power. In contrast to the Elvis music, this isn’t a ballad. As an alternative, the music’s lyrics talk a normal emotion or feeling, and the lyrics are extra poetic.

The singer is speaking about how she likes bigger cities, and he or she doesn’t just like the small city she grew up in. She additionally sings  “All I ever wanted was so much more / than life in a small town.”

She makes use of the phrase in right here as a result of “a small town”
is a bodily location the place she lives inside. The identical goes for the in within the title— “a foreign place”
can be a bodily location.

Preposition used on this music: in

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

This music can be not a ballad, and the lyrics are much more poetic than the Gossip music. The singer (Bono) is singing a few desert and compares it to “God’s nation.”

On this music, they are saying  “in God’s country”
as a result of you should use the phrase in with any nation or metropolis. For instance, you say “I live in San Ramon, in Costa Rica.”

Preposition used on this music: on

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

“On”
is a preposition used to say that one noun is touching the floor of one other noun, like  “The glass is on the table”
and “The insect is on your head!”

For some cause, I had a tough time discovering good examples of beginner-friendly English songs that used on as a preposition of place. However I do like this one. The music is a love music, however a few of the lyrics may require you to suppose extra figuratively than actually, like “my culture bleeds.”

Additionally, a  stage
is a flat, elevated place the place a musician or actor performs. As a result of a singer is simply touching the floor of the stage and isn’t inside it, it’s appropriate to say that “the singer is on the stage.”

Preposition used on this music: at

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

This can be a good music about friendship—particularly, serving to associates once they have issues.

“At”
is used to speak a few normal thought or location. There are exceptions to this rule, however have a look at the phrase “I’m at the beach.”
If I say this, I’m within the normal space of the seashore, however not essentially on the bodily, sandy seashore. I could also be in my lodge room, sitting subsequent to the pool or in a metropolis by the seashore. So right here, “at the beach”
simply means you’re someplace near the seashore, which is extra of an thought than a bodily place.

On this music,  “your side”
shouldn’t be essentially a bodily place, however an thought. Within the lyrics, the singer says  “I’ll be at your side,”
which signifies that she’s going to help her buddy and be there to assist. She can also bodily be at her buddy’s aspect, however on this case, it’s extra about being at her buddy’s aspect emotionally.

Preposition used on this music: at

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

This music is straightforward sufficient to grasp. The singer is frustrated
(feeling aggravated) about not having the ability to do what he desires with a sure particular person at a celebration, as a result of that particular person was asleep.

Right here, the music makes use of “at the party”
as an alternative of “within the celebration,” as a result of the celebration is extra of a normal location. You could be inside the home the place the celebration was occurring, outdoors the home or perhaps a few blocks away. So long as you’re anyplace close to the celebration, you’re at the celebration.

Preposition used on this music: at

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

Surprisingly sufficient, the phrase  “at the river”
doesn’t seem as soon as within the precise music. Nevertheless it does function a few phrases you could need to add to your vocabulary.

A  dune
is a raised floor fashioned within the sand by the wind. Quaint
, then again, refers to one thing that’s unusual in a method that’s charming.

Maybe the music is saying that the “sand dunes”
and “quaint little villages”
are close to, however not inside or on, the river being talked about within the title.

Preposition used on this music: by

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The lyrics could appear a bit complicated, however there’s a superb cause for that. They’re really based on verses from the Bible, so the English is old style and makes use of some phrases which can be extra widespread in spiritual texts.

The music talks a few group of people that have been  slaves
(folks thought of to be the property of different folks) in a wierd land, and the difficulties and unhappiness they felt.

The music makes use of the phrase  by
as a result of they’re sitting  “by the rivers of Babylon.”
In different phrases, they’re sitting near the rivers, however it isn’t precisely clear how shut.

That’s why typically (however not all the time), you’ll be able to change “at” to “by” and vice versa, like  “I’ll be at your side”
and “I’ll be by your side.”

Preposition used on this music: by

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

If the lyrics appear a bit unusual to you, you’ll be able to learn concerning the doable meanings of the music here. (I say “doable,” as a result of even native English audio system aren’t fairly positive what the music actually means. Solely the songwriters know for positive.) However I nonetheless determined to incorporate it, as a result of I believed the guitar was cool.

Additionally, the necessary factor right here is the preposition by
. By is used on this music as a result of they’re near the schoolyard. They in all probability aren’t inside the schoolyard, as a result of then the lyrics would say  “down in the schoolyard.”

Preposition used on this music: subsequent to

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The prepositional phrase next to
is similar to by. Each point out that two nouns are bodily shut, however subsequent to is often nearer than by.

You’ll in all probability hear phrases like  “I sit next to Jennifer in math class.”
In that instance, there’s nobody sitting between me and Jennifer. If I say  “I sit by Jennifer in math class,”
although, there could also be different folks bodily nearer to her than I’m.

Within the music, the singers are saying that they will do quite a lot of issues, however they will’t get subsequent to the lady they love. In different phrases, they will’t make the lady settle for them.

On this case, subsequent to isn’t precisely a preposition of place. On this music,  “get next to you”
principally means  “be with you.”

Preposition used on this music: past

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

Beyond
 is a much less widespread preposition. It means you’re on the opposite aspect of one thing, and is usually utilized in poetry. It might probably additionally imply the place may be very, very distant or that the place doesn’t exist.

On this music, the singer desires to run away with the one they like to the “seventh sky.” In fact, there’s no such factor as a “seventh sky.” The singer is solely saying that they need to be as distant from one thing (it’s not clear what) as doable.

Preposition used on this music: past

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

On this music, past is used to consult with a spot that’s farther than the realm
(kingdom) of loss of life—in different phrases, the world of the dwelling. The singer is saying that he’s uninterested in being alive, and that maybe he desires to die. (It’s a tragic and darkish music, isn’t it?)

Preposition used on this music: past

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

This music has a really totally different fashion from the Judas Priest music above.

On this one, Bobby Darin is saying his lover is ready for him “ beyond the sea.”
In different phrases, his lover is on the opposite aspect of the ocean, and he must journey over your entire sea to be along with her.

The music additionally makes use of the phrases  “It’s far beyond the stars”
and  “It’s near beyond the moon.”
In each of those instances, he means his lover may be very distant—in all probability impossibly far.

Lastly, there’s yet one more attention-grabbing use of the phrase past on this music. Bobby says  “I know beyond a doubt / my heart will lead me there soon.”
The phrase  beyond a doubt
signifies that you don’t have any doubt about one thing. In different phrases, you’re fully assured. For instance, I might say  “I know beyond a doubt that if you study English a lot, you’ll become fluent!”

Preposition used on this music: beside

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The preposition  beside
is similar to by and subsequent to. In truth, it’s extra like subsequent to, because it signifies that two nouns are bodily very shut.

On this music, the singer says  “I wish I was beside you.”
On this case, he’s not with the particular person he desires to be with, and he’s unhappy about that.

The lyrics might additionally say  “I wish I was next to you”
or  “I wish I was by you,”
and it might imply principally the identical factor.

Preposition used on this music: over

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

Over
 signifies that one noun is greater than one other noun, however they’re often not touching. For instance, you’ll be able to say that  “An airplane is flying over my head,”
however you wouldn’t say “My hat is over my head,” as a result of your hat is touching your head. As an alternative, you’d say “My hat is on my head.”

Additionally, “Bridge Over Troubled Water” is one other good music about friendship. The lyrics could also be poetic, however the singer is saying that if the buddy has issues ( “troubled water,”
evaluating life to a river), then the singer will probably be a  “bridge”
that goes over the water. In different phrases, he’ll assist his buddy.

Preposition used on this music: over

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

On this music, the singer says  “Everyone knows I’m in over my head.”
The phrase  in over my head
is an efficient idiom to know. It means you’re in a state of affairs that’s too troublesome for you. (Here’s a great, short video from VOA that explains this phrase.)

Simply think about standing in a swimming pool the place the water is three meters (9.8 toes) deep. You’d say it’s over your head.

There’s an analogous use of this phrase within the songs “Over My Head” by Alabama Shakes and “Over My Head” by Fleetwood Mac. All of those songs have the identical title and all of them discuss love.

You too can use this phrase for those who become involved in a troublesome drawback you can’t resolve:

The president promised to get rid of all taxes, but then he realized he was in over his head.

Preposition used on this music: over

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

I needed to incorporate this one partly as a result of it’s only a good music. Additionally, the phrase over on this music is much like past, because it’s speaking about a spot that’s imaginary—the land “over the rainbow”
that she’s singing about doesn’t really exist.

You might have additionally heard a version of this song by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole. When you haven’t heard it, hearken to it now, as a result of it’s lovely.

Preposition used on this music: above

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The preposition  above
is often a  synonym
(a phrase meaning the identical) for over. In different phrases, one noun is bodily greater than one other, however they’re not touching.

On this music, the singer says he desires to  “believe there’s more above us and below.”
He appears like he’s sad, so possibly he desires to imagine in a spot like heaven.

In lots of cultures, there’s the concept heaven is above us, someplace within the air or in area. When you don’t imagine that heaven exists, that’s advantageous, too: everybody  is entitled to
(has the suitable to have) their very own opinions or beliefs.

Preposition used on this music: below

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

Under
 is principally the other of over or above. In different phrases, it describes one noun that’s decrease than one other noun. Generally, the 2 issues are touching, whereas at different instances they’re not.

This music offers a superb instance of the right way to use the phrase below. The singer says  “Under the boardwalk, down by the sea / On a blanket with my baby is where I’ll be.”
By the best way, a boardwalk
is sort of a picket road made for folks, and so they’re widespread at seashores.

So on this music, the singer is saying that he’ll be below the boardwalk. That doesn’t imply that he’s hiding below the boardwalk. It simply signifies that he’d be decrease on the seashore than the boardwalk.

Preposition used on this music: beneath

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

Below
 is the other of above, which signifies that it’s additionally a synonym of below. Generally, beneath could imply that the 2 nouns are touching, however they’re often not. For instance, if I say  “My dog is playing below the table,”
then my pet isn’t touching the desk.

The singer of this music says “Keep the earth below my feet.”
Which will appear to be a wierd phrase, for the reason that earth is all the time below our toes.

However I believe he’s referring to a typical idiom, which is  “to keep your feet on the ground.”
If an individual has their toes on the bottom, it could actually imply that the particular person is  authentic
(actual or not pretend). They’re not attempting to be somebody they’re not. It might probably additionally imply that the particular person is sensible and sensible—not a dreamer, in different phrases.

Preposition used on this music: in direction of

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The preposition  towards
means going or going through in a sure path.

In america and Canada, in direction of is written as toward
with out the “s.” The phrase with an “s” is the way it’s spelled in locations like the UK and Australia. Each of those phrases imply the identical factor, however it helps to recollect the small variations between the types of English around the world. 

On this music, Rihanna sings  “Turn your face towards the sun.”
In different phrases, the listener ought to have a look at the solar, or not less than level their face in that path.

Preposition used on this music: throughout

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

When you use the preposition across
, you typically imply that two nouns are going through one another, however there’s one thing between them. You’ll usually hear this in phrases like “across the bridge”
or “across the street.”

In some instances, throughout may also be a synonym of past. For instance, “across the universe”
means the identical as “beyond the universe.”

In “Throughout one hundred and tenth Road,” Bobby Womack sings about life in a foul a part of city. In some ways, it’s much like “Within the Ghetto” by Elvis, however Bobby Womack is singing concerning the ghetto from his personal  perspective
(viewpoint).

He says that for those who go throughout 110th Street (which leads into Harlem, which was a really harmful a part of New York Metropolis), then you definately’ll see a number of unhealthy issues.

Preposition used on this music: throughout

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

“Throughout the Sea” has unhappy lyrics, however I believe it’s an excellent music. Rivers Cuomo, the singer for Weezer, has a letter from a lady in Japan. He turns into unhappy as a result of he can’t be along with her, saying “Why are you so far away from me? / I need help and you’re way across the sea.”

Preposition used on this music: by means of

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The phrase  through
is much like throughout, however by means of virtually all the time contains motion. It additionally means you’re getting from one place to a different by going inside one thing (like a tunnel
, for instance).

On this music, an individual is operating from the satan, attempting to flee. He has to run by means of the  jungle
(a heat forest with a number of vegetation rising on the bottom between bushes). In different phrases, he wants to begin at one finish of the jungle and go away from the opposite finish, so he can escape the satan—and the damaging jungle!

Preposition used on this music: in

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

Confusingly sufficient, in may also work as a preposition of time,
which is used to point out when or what time one thing is going on. 

As a preposition of time, in is used for longer intervals of time ( “in 2016,”
  “in March,”
or “in the 1970s”
) or sure components of the day ( “in the morning,”
  “in the afternoon”
or “in the evening”
).

By the best way, the concept of night doesn’t exist in some languages. In English, the  afternoon
goes till the sundown. From the time of the sundown till you go to mattress, you’ll be able to say it’s the evening
.

Preposition used on this music: on

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

We typically use on for many time expressions that don’t use in. Time intervals that use on are typically extra particular. For instance, you’ll be able to say on a day or a date— “on January 1st,”
  “on Friday,”
“on March 15, 44 BC”
, and so on.

As for Duran Duran’s music “New Moon on Monday,” I solely selected it due to the title. Each the lyrics and the video are complicated even to native English audio system, so don’t fear for those who don’t perceive them!

Preposition used on this music: at

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

There aren’t many time expressions that use at, however there are just a few necessary ones. The obvious is for a particular time ( “at 7:15 a.m.,”
  “at 12 noon,”
“at 5,”
and so on.). Additionally, although  “night”
isn’t a particular time, you say  “at night”
reasonably than “in evening,” which isn’t grammatically appropriate.

Preposition used on this music: earlier than

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

After we use the phrase  before
as a time preposition, we’re giving order to totally different occasions. It has an analogous that means to phrases like previous
and earlier
, although you don’t all the time use them in the identical method.

If I’m utilizing earlier than to order occasions, the occasion that comes earlier than one other is the primary one. For instance, I can say “I need to buy a ticket before I can watch a movie in the theater.”

On this music, George Michael (the lead singer of Wham!) is asking the listener to wake him up first, and then the listener can go away.

Preposition used on this music: after

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

After
is the other of earlier than. When you’re placing issues so as, after signifies {that a} factor comes later.

On this music, Patsy Cline says that she does her strolling after midnight, in order that she will be able to seek for somebody she cares about. In different phrases, she has to attend for  midnight
(12:00 am), and then she will be able to exit strolling.

Preposition used on this music: to

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

When used as a time preposition,  to
signifies that an exercise will proceed occurring, however will cease at a particular time.

“2 Minutes To Midnight” is concerning the Doomsday Clock, which is a logo for the way shut the world is to destroying itself. It’s not a extremely glad music, however it does present the right way to use to as a time preposition.

Preposition used on this music: ’til

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

This can be an previous music, however it’s nonetheless nice.

‘Til
is brief for  until
and is typically written as till
. These three phrases all imply the identical as to when it’s used as a time preposition.

In response to “Don’t Cease ‘Til You Get Sufficient,” you must proceed doing one thing. When you get to the purpose the place you’re happy, then you’ll be able to cease if you would like.

If you wish to hear another nice songs that use types of till, I like to recommend “Wait Until Tomorrow” by Jimi Hendrix, “Until the End of Time” by Foreigner and “Until It Sleeps” by Metallica. The primary two are love songs, whereas the Metallica music might additionally refer to like, however it’s positively a lot darker.

Preposition used on this music: by

Kind of preposition: preposition of time

If you use  by
as a time preposition, you’re indicating the ultimate time that one thing can occur.

For instance, I’ll inform my college students  “Please give me your homework assignment by Tuesday.”
Which means they may give me their assignments any time, even proper now, however the final day I’ll settle for them is Tuesday.

By may also point out issues that may occur earlier than a particular time limit, like in “By The Time I Get To Phoenix.”

This music has some attention-grabbing, advanced grammar. It has phrases like  “By the time I get to Phoenix, she’ll be rising.”
Which means the music is following two totally different folks and what they’re doing. The singer, Glen Campbell, is arriving in Phoenix (a metropolis within the American state of Arizona) at a sure time. On the identical time, the opposite particular person (the lady) will probably be rising
(waking up).

He exhibits that these two issues are occurring on the identical time utilizing the phrase by. You too can say  “By the time I finish this article, I’ll have learned a lot of prepositions.”

Preposition used on this music: “from” and “to”

Kind of preposition: preposition of place

The preposition  from
signifies the place a noun begins or its origin
. For instance, you’ll be able to say  “Ryan is from Colorado in the United States.”
That signifies that Colorado is a spot the place I lived prior to now. The alternative of from is to, which may also be a preposition of place.

“From Me to You” is a love music, like many early Beatles songs. In it, they sing about giving love “from me to you.”

Preposition used on this music: of

Kind of preposition: preposition that exhibits possession

The preposition  of
could be much like from, however it often signifies a possession
(proudly owning one thing) or a a part of one other noun.

For instance, in “Shadows of the Night,”
Pat Benatar is saying that the shadows belong to or solely present up through the evening. It’s additionally an excellent music about younger lovers who need to meet one another at evening to—effectively, I’ll go away that to your creativeness. Everyone knows precisely what lovers do once they meet in darkish locations by themselves.

Preposition used on this music: of

Kind of preposition: preposition that exhibits possession

Like many Inexperienced Day songs, this one has lyrics that take a little bit of time to grasp even for native English audio system. In truth, I selected this as a result of I can already make a fast English lesson from the title alone.

If you say that somebody is having the “time of their life,”
you’re saying that they’re having fun with themselves. Alternatively, “good riddance”
is one thing you say while you’re glad that one thing or somebody is gone.

Primarily, although the singer is glad that the particular person they’re singing to is gone, they’re additionally hoping that the particular person is having a superb time. It’s in all probability as a result of they nonetheless have  positive
(good) emotions towards that particular person even when their relationship didn’t finish effectively. (Hey, relationships and emotions are difficult!)

Preposition used on this music: about

Kind of preposition: preposition that signifies a subject or a tough timeframe

About
 can have many meanings. It often means  “approximately”
( “I have worked about five hours”
), or it could actually level out a subject ( “We are talking about prepositions”
).

This final music on the record requires a bit extra rationalization. Initially, the lyrics are principally poetry, and so they’re very troublesome and sophisticated even for native audio system. However the title is obvious to me: Fiona Apple is saying the state of affairs is “not about love,”
which signifies that the dialog isn’t associated to or has nothing to do with love.

This music additionally has another good examples of preposition use, together with the phrase (to be) in love, when she says  “I am not in love.” 

The music additionally makes use of an reverse phrase. You say that you just fall in love with
somebody while you begin to love them. The alternative of that may be to  fall out of love with
somebody. Which means you cease loving that particular person.

And for those who’re in search of extra English songs with prepositions, look no additional than the language studying platform FluentU.

So, we’ve simply checked out an enormous variety of prepositions in 36 songs.

I hope you’ll be able to see that studying English with music is each efficient and enjoyable.

I additionally hope that you just’ve fallen in love with prepositions, and that you just proceed to note them within the English songs you hearken to.

Obtain:
This weblog submit is offered as a handy and moveable PDF that you just
can take anyplace.
Click here to get a copy. (Download)