Search from various English teachers...
Sako
Meaning of the song
I had a question when I listened to a song called “Half The World Away”. It seems this song was played in the Christmas advert of “John Lewis”.
In this song there’s a lyric
“I’d like to leave this city
This old town don’t smell so pretty”
Why is “don’t” used in this song instead of “doesn’t”?
Is there any reason for this?
May 10, 2018 10:50 AM
Answers · 2
1
The use of "don't" instead of "doesn't" in popular music - especially country or folk - is very widespread. You'll see some good answers to the question here, for example:
https://www.englishforums.com/English/DontInsteadDoesntSongs-Lirycs/gxmwx/post.htm
It's used to mimic a certain style of speech associated with an imagined community in rural, typically low-income areas. It's an attempt to imitate the way the singer thinks these people speak and appeal to them by showing that he is "one of them."
May 10, 2018
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Sako
Language Skills
Chinese (Mandarin), English, Japanese
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

🎃 October Traditions: Halloween, Holidays, and Learning Portuguese
20 likes · 7 Comments

The Curious World of Silent Letters in English
18 likes · 11 Comments

5 Polite Ways to Say “No” at Work
25 likes · 7 Comments
More articles