Queen – “We Are The Champions”

As Jeff has mentioned before, the sport of soccer is not as popular in the United States as other sports. (The sport is, of course, called “football” in British English.) The most popular professsional sports here are football (American), basketball, and baseball. However, the U.S. has many residents (people who live in a place) who are from other countries and many people in countries around the world are very excited about the FIFA World Cup, the most important international soccer tournament (a competition which begins with many teams and ends with one team as the winner) in the world. And if you are a soccer fan then you know that the 2010 World Cup begins June 11 and ends July 11, when we’ll know which team is the champion (winning) team.

If the winner is the United States — yes, I know that’s a long shot (a small possibility, a very, very, very, very, very small possibility!!) — the players may sing “We Are The Champions” by Queen. This is a very popular song played or sung in the U.S. when people celebrate a victory (win), especially in sports. If you know the lyrics (words), you probably know why. If you don’t, take a look at them below. If you’re not already in the mood (state of mind or feeling) to cheer on (send encouragement to) your favorite team, then maybe this song will help. I know that those of you who are rabid (extreme; crazy about something) soccer fans don’t need anything more to help get you in the mood for the World Cup.

But who will win? Which team will be able to say, “We are the champions?”

~ Lucy

“We Are The Champions”
by Queen

I’ve paid my dues (earned something through hard work or suffering)
Time after time (again and again)
I’ve done my sentence (completed my period of punishment)
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I’ve made a few
I’ve had my share of sand (very small bits of rock found at the beach) kicked in my face (“sand kicked in my face” = had obstacles; met people who did not respect me)
But I’ve come through (passed through or survived a period of difficulty)

We are the champions, my friends
And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions, of the world

I’ve taken my bows (bent at the waist, leaning forward, after a performance to acknowledge people’s applause and cheers)
And my curtain calls (after a performance, for the audience to continue clapping to encourage the performers to come back on stage to receive the audience’s appreciation)
You brought me fame (being known to a lot of people; being famous) and fortune (money) and everything that goes with it
I thank you all

But it’s been no bed of roses (easy thing)
No pleasure cruise (vacation on a large ship)
I consider it a challenge before the whole human race (all the living people in the world)
And I ain’t gonna lose

We are the champions, my friends
And we’ll keep on fighting ’til the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions, of the world