downtown

[Nefertiti]

Hi there.

1. Is the term 'noise and hurry' singular or plural? Is it common?

2. What does 'hang around' mean? Is it a common usage? Is it the same as 'hang out'? What are the differences if they are not the same?

3. "You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over."
Does them refer to the people there?

Thanks in advance.

_______________
The Song

When you're alone, and life is making you lonely
You can always go
Downtown

When you've got worries, all the noise and hurry
Seems to help, I know
Downtown

Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city,
Linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty
How can you lose? The lights are much brighter there...
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- you'll find a place for sure
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you

Downtown .... Downtown...

Don't hang around, and let your problems surround you,
There are movie shows
Downtown

Maybe you know some little places to go to
Where they never close
Downtown

Just listen to the rhythm of a gentle Bossa Nova
You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over,
Happy again...
The lights are much brighter there,
You can forget all your troubles; forget all your cares, and go
Downtown -- where all the lights are bright
Downtown -- waiting for you tonight
Downtown -- you're gonna be all right now...

Downtown...Downtown...Downtown...

Downtown!

Downtown!

And you may find somebody kind to help and understand you;
Someone who is just like you and needs a gentle hand to
Guide them along...
So maybe I'll see you there,
We can forget all our troubles; forget all our cares, and go
Downtown -- things will be great when you're
Downtown -- don't wait a minute more
Downtown -- everything's waiting for you...

Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown
Downtown...Downtown (fade)

[Anglika]

1. Is the term 'noise and hurry' singular or plural? Is it common? There are two things being referred to: noise and hurry [bustle]. It is not an idiomatic phrase in itself.

2. What does 'hang around' mean? Is it a common usage? Is it the same as 'hang out'? What are the differences if they are not the same? Don't loiter - don't just stand about. No, it is not the same as "hang out" which means to socialise.

3. "You'll be dancing with 'em too before the night is over."
Does them refer to the people there? probably.

[Nefertiti]

Hi, Anglika.

"When you've got worries, all the noise and hurry seems to help."

There are two things being referred to: noise and hurry [bustle]. It is not an idiomatic phrase in itself.



I wonder why a singular form of verb seems is used if noise and hurry mean two things? Why not noise and hurry seem to help?

Thanks for the reply.

[Anglika]

"All" is the important word. "All the noise and hurry" is being used as a portmanteau phrase so it takes the singular verb.

[BobK]

A couple of asides:

In my memory of the song (as sung by Petula Clarke back when I had a crush on her , so I'm talking about something I haven't heard for a good few years) it was 'All the noise and the hurry' (repeating the rhythm of 'life is making you lonely').

"with 'em" is an internal rhyme with "rhythm". As the scene evoked is some kind of night-club, the 'them' probably refers to other patrons dancing. At a push, one could say that the 'them' might refer to the instruments or the musicians who were playing the bossa nova - which would make the 'them' refer to something that had at least been mentioned in the previous line - but I don't think it's worth worrying too deeply about the sense; the lyricist was just looking for the rhyme, and probably didn't know what he or she meant anyway.

b