The sounds of English…
a listening experience
Sorry seems to be the hardest word Elton John
San Antonio de Ibarra, Imbabura, Ecuador
Sorry seems to be the hardest word (single). Elton John
Sorry seems to be the hardest word, appears to be one of Elton John’s favorite ballads. He usually includes it in his live presentations, even though he has written so many songs to choose from. Like all things in life, this song has a story behind it. Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s co-writer, typically writes the lyrics, and then Elton John adds the music. In this case, this song was written the other way around. As Elton explained, he was sitting there on piano, and he suddenly thought of the words, what do I have to do to make you love me. Immediately after that, he came up with the melody line on his piano. Taupin later commented on this and said, “When I heard it, I thought it was really nice. The line he had just mentioned, sorry seems to be the hardest word, fit perfectly with what he was playing, so I said: don’t do anything more let me write something, and I wrote out this song in a few minutes. Moments later, we had a new song.” Bernie Taupin later remarked, “the heartbreaking, sickening part of the love that you wouldn’t wish on anyone if you didn’t know that it’s inevitable that they’re going to experience it one day.”
As it turns out, the song did well in the charts but wasn’t a major success. Still, this ballad has been played as a cover by an enormous amount of artists throughout the world. World-class vocalists like Blue, Diana Krall, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles, and Joe Cocker, just to mention a few, have all produced their cover version of this song. So, it seems to have earned its place in the history of modern music. .
The lyrics
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
[Verse 1]
What have I gotta do to make you love me?
What have I gotta do to make you care?
What do I do when lightning strikes me?
And I wake to find that you’re not there
[Verse 2]
What do I do to make you want me?
What have I gotta do to be heard?
What do I say when it’s all over?
And sorry seems to be the hardest word
[Chorus]
It’s sad, (so sad) so sad
It’s a sad, sad situation
And it’s getting more and more absurd
It’s sad, (so sad) so sad
Why can’t we talk it over?
Oh, it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word
[Chorus]
It’s sad, (so sad) so sad
It’s a sad, sad situation
And it’s getting more and more absurd
It’s sad, (so sad) so sad
Why can’t we talk it over?
Oh, it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word
[Verse 3]
What do I do to make you love me?
Oh, what have I gotta do to be heard?
What do I do when lightning strikes me?
What have I gotta do?
What have I gotta do?
Ooh, and sorry seems to be the hardest word
Vocabulary
Gotta do A short way of writing got to do. In informal conversation, it normally pronounced in this short manner to make the speech flow with more ease. Well, it’s time. We gotta go and do a few things.
When lightning strikes me An expression that is used to indicate that things changed suddenly, many times for the worse, surprising us and leaving us motionless. When she heard the news and found out about the robbery, she looked as if lightning had struck her.
Ballad A romantic song. He loves to sing a few ballads while he is taking a shower during the day.
The other way around Used to express that an event happened in the opposite direction or to indicate the inverse of a situation Also can mean the reverse or the opposite of something. In our school, it seems that things happen the other way around because usually, it’s the teachers who are learning instead of the students!
Fit perfectly Used to express that something is the best solution for a situation. The night job had fit perfectly with his schedule for school.
Heartbreaking A heartbreaking situation is something that makes you feel very sad or upset. It was heartbreaking to see Mary say goodbye to all her friends.
As it turns out Used to express how things happened unexpectedly or as a result of a situation As it turned out, my toothache got better and I didn’t go to the dentist.
Just to mention a few This expression has two meanings. It can express that there are many options and the speaker will talk about the ones he thinks are the best. Also, it can mean that there are more examples to mention, but will not be discussed at the moment. There are many types of music that I enjoy, blues, rock and jazz, for example, just to mention a few of them.
Come up with A phrasal verb often used to express that you thought of something or suggested something to someone. I came up with the perfect solution to our problem, and it won’t cost us any money at all!
The Listening Exercises
K.D. Lang & Elton John Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
Kathryn Dawn Lang, better known as K.D. Lang, is a successful Canadian vocalist that has achieved a number of awards. Among these are four of the Grammy Awards. She usually presents pop and country music, but on this occasion, she joins Elton John in a duet with his soft-rock ballad, accompanied by Elton John on the keyboard. It is, definitely, a great cover, and listening to the lyrics makes for effortless exercise.
Blue Featuring Elton John – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (Official Video)
In this cover version, Elton John presents his song together with Blue, the British pop group. This group formed in 2000 and has released three Studio albums until now. In this version, the vocals are done by the group accompanied by Elton John on the piano. This is certainly an excellent production, and the lyrics are easy to follow.
Diana Krall Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word (reprise d’Elton John)
Born in Canada, Diana Krall is a highly successful pianist and contra-alto singer. Throughout her career, she has won three Grammy Awards and eight Juno Awards. Among her many achievements, she has earned 9 Gold albums and is considered one of the best-selling artists of her time. This presentation of Elton John’s song is an excellent listening exercise opportunity.
Evi Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word Cover
Evi is a promising singer from Germany who is bursting forth with a lot of energy and seems to be very serious about carving a path for herself as a professional singer. She has quite a few videos on YouTube. Though she is still very young, at the same time, she is also very active. Her voice sounds quite sweet. Her English pronunciation impeccable, and the lyrics can be followed by the listener without any difficulties.
Frank Sinatra – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – With Lyrics
Frank Sinatra’s considered a legend of the 20th-century popular music. As an actor, he participated in more than 50 movies. As a singer, he recorded more than 1,300 songs achieving ten Grammy Awards, among many other recognitions. This video is the presentation by Sinatra, in 1976, at the Royal Albert Hall, London. It is a straightforward, easy to understand, interpretation of the ballad.
Furious Zoo – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (Elton John Cover) –
Furious Zoo is a colorful metal rock band from Paris, France. The group got together in 1991 and has released six albums to this day. In each of these, they explore the different rock styles with their music. Here they present their version of this easygoing song by Elton John and allow us to follow along with the lyrics also in a carefree way without complications.
Joe Cocker – Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (LIVE) HD
This live performance by Joe Cocker is impressive, just like all the rest of his presentations. In his long career as a musician, he won multiple recognitions, such as a Grammy award and an Oscar. During the many years of his career as a musician, he performed with the top artists of the time. His deep, powerful, and unique voice, together with his heartfelt interpretation of the song, make this rendition absolutely memorable, as well as undeniably unforgettable. Derek Dyer’s sax accompaniment is the icing that tops the cake of this live concert.
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – Catalina Mirea (Elton John) Cover
This video boasts an excellent presentation by Catalina Maria, a Romanian vocalist who is trying to make her mark in the music world. Her Studio presentation recording of this song shows definitive potential. Together with the Pianist Kakos Panayiotou cheap presents a fresh, crisp version of this song. Her vocals are clear and accessible to the listener. With so many covers that have been done by famous vocalists, it’s only fair to offer new singers a chance to prove their worth.
Mary J. Blige – Sorry seems to be the hardest word – Live with Lyrics
Mary J. Blige is an American actress, songwriter, and singer that has enjoyed a successful career. She has won nine Grammy Awards, three Golden Globe Award nominations, and received four Academy Award nominations for her contributions both as an actress, as well as a songwriter. In her own, very particular style, she adds a live, almost a Capella performance, this powerfully -charged presentation, to enrich the list of top-notch artists that this song holds. Enjoy!
There are a variety of different voices singing the same beautiful lyrics. Each voice with its own pace, inflection, and personality. Listen to these different versions, and exercise your English listening skills, remember that learning is fun, so enjoy!
All photographs by ©edudelcorral
Talking easy, the English lessons The Listening Exercises