ESLSongs

Practice the topic of “music” in your ESL class with this song, Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes ft. Adam Levine.

This song’s lyrics contain the following 17 music-related vocabulary words: stereo, to beat, listen, note, radio, turn up, melody, sing along to…, record, to play [music], tracks, to sing, tune, boombox, turn the volume up, mixtape & music.

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

My heart’s a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every no-ote
Make me your radio
And turn me up when you feel low (turn it up a little bit)
This melody was meant for you (right there)
Just sing along to my stereo (Gym Class Hero, baby)

If I was just another dusty record on the shelf
Would you blow me off and play me like everybody else?
If I asked you to scratch my back, could you manage that?
Like it yikky yeah, check it Travie, I can handle that

Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping tracks
It’s just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks
I used to, used to, used to, used to, now I’m over that
‘Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts

If I could only find a note to make you understand
I’d sing it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand
Just keep it stuck inside your head, like your favorite tune
And know my heart’s a stereo that only plays for you

My heart’s a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every no-ote
Make me your radio
And turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

to my stereo
(Oh, oh-oh, oh) just sing along to my stereo
Let’s go!

If I was an old-school, fifty-pound boombox (remember them?)
Would you hold me on your shoulder, wherever you walk?
Would you turn my volume up in front of the cops?
And crank it higher every time they told you to stop

And all I ask is that you don’t get mad at me
When you have to purchase mad D batteries
Appreciate every mixtape your friends make
You never know, we come and go like on the interstate (never know)

I think I finally found a note to make you understand
If you can hit it, sing along and take me by the hand
Just keep me stuck inside your head, like your favorite tune
You know my heart’s a stereo that only plays for you

My heart’s a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close (listen)
Hear my thoughts in every no-ote
Make me your radio (come on)
And turn me up when you feel low (turn it up)
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo (sing along like)

to my stereo
(Oh, oh-oh, oh) just sing along to my stereo

I only pray you’ll never leave me behind (never leave me)
Because good music can be so hard to find (so hard to find)
I take your hand, hold it closer to mine (yeah)
Thought love was dead, but now you’re changing my mind

My heart’s a stereo
It beats for you, so listen close
Hear my thoughts in every no-ote
Make me your radio
And turn me up when you feel low
This melody was meant for you
Just sing along to my stereo

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song and fill the gaps with the music-related vocabulary words below

beats / boombox / listen / melody / mixtape / music / note (x3) / play / radio / record / sing / sing along (x2) / stereo (x3) / tracks / tune (x2) / turn me up / volume

My heart’s a ¹__________
It ²__________ for you, so ³__________ close
Hear my thoughts in every ⁴__________
Make me your ⁵__________
And ⁶__________ when you feel low
This ⁷__________ was meant for you
Just ⁸__________ to my stereo

If I was just another dusty ⁹__________ on the shelf
Would you blow me off and ¹⁰__________ me like everybody else?
If I asked you to scratch my back, could you manage that?
Like it yikky yeah, check it Travie, I can handle that

Furthermore, I apologize for any skipping ¹¹__________
It’s just the last girl that played me left a couple cracks
I used to, used to, used to, used to, now I’m over that
‘Cause holding grudges over love is ancient artifacts

If I could only find a ¹²__________ to make you understand
I’d ¹³__________ it softly in your ear and grab you by the hand
Just keep it stuck inside your head, like your favorite ¹⁴__________
And know my heart’s a ¹⁵__________ that only plays for you

If I was an old-school, fifty-pound ¹⁶__________
Would you hold me on your shoulder, wherever you walk?
Would you turn my ¹⁷__________ up in front of the cops?
And crank it higher every time they told you to stop

And all I ask is that you don’t get mad at me
When you have to purchase mad D batteries
Appreciate every ¹⁸__________ your friends make
You never know, we come and go like on the interstate

I think I finally found a ¹⁹__________ to make you understand
If you can hit it, ²⁰__________ and take me by the hand
Just keep me stuck inside your head, like your favorite ²¹__________
You know my heart’s a ²²__________ that only plays for you

I only pray you’ll never leave me behind
Because good ²³__________ can be so hard to find
I take your hand, hold it closer to mine
Thought love was dead, but now you’re changing my mind

Gym Class Heroes

Gym Class Heroes is an American rap rock band from Geneva, New York. The group formed in 1997 when Travie McCoy met drummer Matt McGinley during their high school gym class. The band’s music displays a wide variety of influences, including hip hop, rock, funk, and reggae. After the addition of guitarist Disashi Lumumba-Kasongo and bassist Eric Roberts in 2003, the group was signed to Fueled by Ramen and Decaydance Records, on which they released their debut album, The Papercut Chronicles. The group gained a strong fanbase while promoting the album, appearing at festivals such as The Bamboozle and Vans Warped Tour.

Adam Levine

Adam Noah Levine is an American singer and musician who serves as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and sole continuous member of the pop rock band Maroon 5.