English With Lizzo: ‘About Damn Time’ Pronunciation Tutorial

Wanna get up, wanna get down that's how I feel right now.

It's about damn time. The song About Damn Time by Lizzo has been trending on TikTok and Instagram recently. The first time I heard it, I was like, oh, I love the groove and I love Lizzo. But it took me a hot second to understand the meaning of the words or even to recognize the words and the phrases that she uses. So I wanted to take this time to talk about that part that is trending on TikTok and to offer you a pronuncia tutorial and even to explain some of the words and phrases that she uses in the song. In general, the song About Damn Time is a song about transformation and about leaving stress behind and stepping into joy and fun and starting to love yourself and to enjoy you and your body and your English. If English is your second language. I mean, she didn't say that specifically, but hey, it's art. We can interpret it the way we want. All right, let's check out Lizzo's recent Instagram post where she shares some of the TikToks that use her song.

It's about damn time In a minute I'm a need a sentimental man or woman to pump me up Feeling fussy Walking in my balessiuses Trying to bring out the fat bills.

Okay, let's start.

It's about damn time.

All right, so let's listen.

In a minute.

In a minute. In a minute. In a minute, In a minute. So notice the sounds here we have the I as in sit and in the word in. And then we also have it in minute. In a minute. So the only vowel that is different here is the, which is a schwa. In a minute, In a minute, In a minute. It's a really fun phrase to say. Let's say it quickly a few times. In a minute, In a minute, In a minute. Now notice the rhythm. Ta da ta da. In a minute. Because in is stressed, is not stressed. Me is stressed, is unstressed. In a minute. So we feel it in the beat. So back to the song.

In a minute I'm a need a.

Okay, amanita. What does that mean? Amanita. If English is not your first language, it might be like a phrase that is a little unclear because amanita is basically a reduction of I'm going to need a. I'm going to need a. So going to often reduces to gonna. But when it's said really quickly or informally, you'll hear a lot of times people saying amma, ama Ama, just like that. And then need a connects together. That's connected speech. The D becomes really light at the end. Listen. It almost sounds like a sound, like an R sound in some languages, like Spanish or Arabic or Russian. Amanita, Amanira, amanita. So let's do it together. In a minute. I'm Anita. Notice the rhythm, right? That is very similar in the first phrase and the second phrase. In a minute. Amanita. Da da da da da da da da. Right? That's the rhythm of the song. And the words have their own rhythm, and they fit right into the rhythm.

Okay, In a minute. I'm a need a sentimental man or.

Woman Sentimental men or woman so sentimental. Notice that we're dropping the T's because they appear right after an N. And when the T appears after an N, it can be dropped in American English. So instead of sentimental, which is maybe how you perceive the word because of the spelling, we're actually hearing sentimental. Sentimental. Sentimental. Now, sentimental is someone that shows tenderness and compassion. So basically, she's asking for someone sensitive around her. Men or woman. Now, even the word or is reduced to a men or woman. Now, you might say, yeah, it's a song. That's how you say. But it's not just in a song. This is how people speak, right? Men or women. When you speak really quickly, the R drops, which is good news for those of you who struggle with the R. Man or woman. Man or woman. Sentimental man or woman. So it really follows the rhythm. In a minute. I'm Anita. Sentimental. Right? Stressed unstressed. Stressed unstressed. Men. A woman. Right? Stressed unstressed. Stressed unstressed. And then we have to pump me up. To pump up something is to put air into something that is inflated. In a way, it's just like to energize me. To lift me up. To pump me up. Great. Now notice the T, because you don't hear a T sound. You don't hear T. Pump me up. You hear duh, duh, pump me up. Let's listen. Da. Pump me up In a minute I' ma need a sentimental man or woman Duh, pump me up. Right? So pump me up. Think about it like inflating air into a balloon that has nowhere. All right, let's continue.

Feeling fussy Walking in my balessiuses Trying.

To bring out the fabulous Feeling fussy. Feeling fussy. Well, fussy has several meanings. So fussy can mean, you know, like paying attention to details, unsatisfied with something. But fussy also means unnecessary detail or decoration. Or accessories, especially when it comes to clothing. And if you watch the video clip, you'll see that she's wearing this awesome sequin jumpsuit. So I think that is what she means by fussy, But I think it's like also feeling, like, unhappy or unsettled or, you know, kind of like something's troubling her. Because again, like, this song is about transformation. Moving from stress to freedom.

Feeling fussy Walking in my balenciasis Trying.

To bring out the fabulous so feeling fussy we talked about that. Walking in my balenciassis she talks about her balenciaga shoes. And then she says, tryna bring out tryna. What's tryna? Trying to tryna Tryna tryna So it reduces. And again, it's not just for the song. This is how people speak. Trying to bring out. Now, I'm not necessarily saying that you need to start using that when speaking English, but it's really important to know that this is what happens within those phrases. Trying to bring out, bring out is to expose something that was hidden, right? So trying to bring out the fabulous. Right? The fabulous. The internal beauty. Trying to bring out the fabulous. Let's listen to that part again.

Feeling fussy Walking in my bellissy yussis Trying to bring out the fabulous.

Okay, so because I give a fuck way too much. That means I care too much about what people think, right? Because I give a fuck. To not give a fuck is to not care usually what people think, right? And she says she needs to transform, she needs to change. Because she cares too much about what other people are thinking about her. Cause. Because. Because I give a fuck way too much. Okay, let's say it together. Because I give a fuck way too much. Next up.

I'm a need like two shots in my cup.

I'm a need like two shots in my cup. So imma I'm a is I'm going to same thing. You remember that. I'm a need like two shots in my cup. So it could be two shots of espresso to get her energized, or it could be two shots of vodka or whiskey to help her let go of her inhibitions, right? Because she talks about how she gives a fuck too much. And sometimes alcohol. For people who drink alcohol, not too much. I hope it helps them let go of inhibitions. So because I give a fuck way too much. I'm a need like, right? I know I'm ruining this by saying it slowly, but hey, that's how you learn. I'm a need like I'M going to need like a filler word. Two shots in my cup. Two tense U shots long. Ah, as in father. Two shots in my cup. Want to get up, want to get down, right? Want to get up, right? I want to get up physically. Like I want to wake up or I want to get up out of this depression or a feeling of stress and anxiety. Get down is not the opposite. Phrasal verbs, I mean, go figure. So get up, right? Get energized or get up from feeling asleep to get down. Get down is actually start dancing. All right? Get down on the dance floor. Want to get up, want to get down. And wanna is of course. Want to wanna, wanna, wanna get up, wanna get down. Last line for this tutorial.

That's how I feel right now.

How I feel right now. That's how I feel right now. That's how I feel right now. So notice that when she says that we hear thus, that's how I feel right now. We don't really hear the T. And that happens in conversational English or in songs, right? And sometimes you expect to hear the T. And if you don't hear it, you might be looking for a different word or you might be doubting yourself saying, wait, but I don't hear the T. It must be a different word. And I want you to know that the English that you hear is often very different from the English that you expect to hear or the English that you visualize in your head or than the English that you read. Alright, are you ready to dance? A little. Let's play it from the beginning. And pay attention to the lyrics and the pronunciation of the song. Are you ready?

It's about damn time. In a minute I' ma need a sentimental man or woman to pump me up Even if I see you walking in my balencia seas Trying to bring.

Out the fabulous Cause I give a.

Fuck way too too much I'mma need.

Like two shots in my cup Want to get up, want to get down.

That'S how I feel right now.

All right. I hope you enjoyed it. If you liked it, please let me know in the comments. And if you have a TikTok with this song, link it in the comments as well and I promise to check it out. Thank you so much for being here. If you want to get more resources on how to improve your pronunciation, your fluency, flow, confidence in English, and reach a real transformation just like Lizzo, check out hadar shemesh.com or come follow me on Instagram at Hadar Accentsway. Thank you so, so much and have a beautiful rest of the day, feel good, and I'll see you next week in the next video.