you got it

[Nefertiti]

“Every time I look into your lovely eyes,”
1. Does ‘lovely’ mean beautiful and attractive?

”One look from you, I drift away.”
2. What does ‘drift away’ mean here? Is it common usage?

” I live my life to be with you.”
3. What does the verse mean? Is it common usage?


” I know you feel the way I do.”
4. Is the verse equivalent to ‘I know you feel the way (that) I feel’?


”Anything you want, you got it.
Anything you need, you got it.
Anything at all, you got it. “

5. at all - used in negative statements and questions to emphasize what you are saying: (from Longman dictionary)
e.g. ‘Do you mind if I stay a little longer?' 'No, not at all.'
e.g. Has the situation improved at all?

‘Anything at all, you got it’ is neither a negative statement nor a question. How come?
Is ‘at all’ here only to emphasize? It doesn’t have much meaning in the verse?


Thanks

You Got It lyrics

[Soup]

1. Have you checked here lovely - Definitions from Dictionary.com?

2. falls in love / can't focus his mind on anything but her

3. I live only for you / you are the reason I live

4. Yes

5. anything at all = whatever you want

[Nefertiti]

Hi soup.

”One look from you, I drift away.”
2. What does ‘drift away’ mean here? Is it common usage?

Your answer:
- falls in love / can't focus his mind on anything but her.

Is this common usage? Can't find it in dictionary.

Thanks for the reply.

[Anglika]

Hi, Nefetiti.

You often ask if something is common usage.

Many of your questions relate to songs. Songs and poems do not follow basic grammatical rules since they are expressions of emotion and are controlled by structural rules.

Can you tell us what you mean by "common usage"?

[riverkid]

Originally Posted by Anglika

Many of your questions relate to songs. Songs and poems do not follow basic grammatical rules since they are expressions of emotion and are controlled by structural rules.

Can you tell us what you mean by this, Anglika? How do "structural rules" differ from "basic grammatical rules"?

[Nefertiti]

Hi Ang,

You wrote:
Can you tell us what you mean by "common usage"?

"Common usage" means when you (native speakers)hear it, you'd know what it means right away without thinking too much. It's often heard, said or written.

The term 'drift away' has a definition - falls in love / can't focus his mind on anything but her. And I can't find such a definition in dictionary. That's why I'm asking whether if it's COMMON USAGE? I do expect to see a strait forward answer such as YES or NO, but the clear answer usually is not there.

As a non-native speaker I'd like to learn more frequently used English. However, most song's lyrics may not be practical. And this is the reason that I keep asking the use frequency of each word, phrase...etc.

Don't forget to remember that this site is called USING ENGLISH. The name says it all.

Cheers

[Anglika]

The answer is that most songwriters will twist phrases and words to fit the requirements of their songs.

The context of the song will generally tell the listener what is meant [not always. Even songwriting can produce incredibly obscure phrasing].

I have the impression that if you feel you have to ask if something is in common usage, then it clearly is not.

[vil]

drift away = drive apart = lose personal contact over time

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/as...8-you-got.html

Regards.

V.

[Soup]

Originally Posted by vil

drift away = drive apart = lose personal contact over time

http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/as...8-you-got.html

Regards.

V.

That's a different meaning from the one the song writer intended. Good find, though.

drift away, to let one's mind wander, especially when in love, from drift away/drift off to sleep, to fall asleep, also drift away, fall into unconsciousness; e.g., the old man is about to die. He is drifting away.