song S1 W2 /sɒŋ $ sɒːŋ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Language: Old English ; Origin: sang ]
1 . MUSIC WITH WORDS
a) [countable] a short piece of music with words that you sing:
We used to listen to pop songs on the radio.
They sat round with guitars, singing songs.
b) [uncountable] songs in general:
The bravery of past warriors was celebrated in song.
2 . BIRDS [uncountable and countable] the musical sounds made by birds and some other animals such as ↑ whale s :
the song of the lark
3 . for a song very cheaply:
He bought the house for a song five years ago.
4 . a song and dance (about something) informal
a) British English if you make a song and dance about something, you behave as if it was worse, more important, more difficult etc than it really is:
Suzy was there, making a song and dance about her aching feet.
b) American English an explanation or excuse that is too long and complicated:
She gave us a long song and dance about why she was late.
⇨ ↑ swansong
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COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ sing a song
He started singing a little song.
▪ play a song (=with singing and musical instruments)
The band played a lot of their old songs.
▪ perform a song (=in public)
He doesn’t like performing his songs live.
▪ write/compose a song
Do they write their own songs?
▪ record a song (=onto a CD so that it can be sold)
The song was first recorded in 1982.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + song
▪ good/great
That’s a great song!
▪ new
Are any of the songs on the album new?
▪ old
People always want to hear their old songs.
▪ a pop/folk song
I love all those '60s pop songs.
▪ a popular song (=used mainly of songs written before the 1960s)
a popular song from the 1930s
▪ a love song
He is releasing an album of love songs for Valentine’s Day.
▪ a protest song
They were singing old protest songs from the 1960s.
▪ a Beatles/REM etc song
Can you play any Beatles songs?
■ phrases
▪ burst/break into song (=start singing)
The crowd spontaneously burst into song.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ song a short piece of music with words that you sing:
We sang songs around the campfire.
|
The song was written by John Lennon.
▪ track one of the songs on a CD or record:
Track three is my favourite one.
▪ number a song that forms part of a performance of several songs:
The show was brilliant, from the opening number to the end.
▪ tune the notes in a song, without the words:
I recognize the tune, but I can’t remember what it’s called.
▪ melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has several parts which are played together:
The song has a simple melody and beautiful lyrics.
▪ verse a set of sentences that make up one part of a song:
She sang the first verse of ‘Amazing Grace’.
▪ chorus a set of sentences in a song that is repeated after each verse:
Most of the kids were able to join in the chorus.
■ types of song
▪ national anthem the official song of a country, which is sung or played on public occasions:
Before the match, everyone stood up to sing the national anthem.
▪ hymn /hɪm/ a religious song that is sung in a church:
What hymns did you choose for your wedding?
|
At funerals people often sing the hymn ‘Abide with Me’.
▪ carol a traditional Christmas song:
We went around the houses, singing carols.
▪ folk song a traditional song from a particular area:
an old Mexican folk song
▪ ballad a long folk song which tells a story:
a traditional ballad about a man who is dreaming of his home in Ireland
▪ lullaby a slow quiet song sung to children to make them go to sleep:
She sat by the child’s bed, softly singing a lullaby.