When the going gets tough ...
Source: You Tube (The80sJukebox) Key words: Billy Ocean tough
When The Going Gets Tough (Billy Ocean)
When the going gets tough / Cuando el camino se pone difícil,
The tough get going, tough, tough, huh, huh, huh / Los fuertes se ponen en marcha.
When the going gets tough, the tough get ready / Los fuertes se preparan
Yeah, ooooh, du da du da
(When life becomes challenging, strong and determined people rise to the occasion and take action. They don't back down; instead, they prepare themselves to face difficulties head-on.
I got something to tell you / Tengo algo que decirte/contarte
I got something to say / Tengo algo que decir
(The singer wants to share their thoughts and emotions with someone, emphasising that what they have to say is important and heartfelt.)
I'm gonna put this dream in motion / Voy a poner este sueño en movimiento
Never let nothing stand in my way / Nunca dejaré que nada se interponga en mi camino.
(The singer is determined to act on their dreams and goals, refusing to let any obstacles stop them from achieving what they desire.)
When the going gets tough
The tough get going
I'm gonna get myself 'cross the river / Voy a cruzar el río yo mismo
That's the price I'm willing to pay / Ese es el precio que estoy dispuesto a pagar
I'm gonna make you stand and deliver / Voy a hacer que te pares y entregues
And give me love in the old-fashioned way / Y darme amor de la manera tradicional.
Woooh
(The singer is ready to overcome any obstacles, symbolised by crossing a river, to be with the one they love. They want the person to respond with genuine, traditional love and affection.)
Darlin', I'll climb any mountain, / Cariño, escalaré cualquier montaña
Darlin’, I'll do anything / Cariño , haré cualquier cosa
(The singer expresses their willingness to go to any lengths, take on any challenge, and make sacrifices for their beloved.)
Ooh, can I touch you (can I touch you) / Puedo tocarte?
And do the things that lovers do / Y hacer las cosas que hacen los amantes?
Ooh, wanna hold you (wanna hold you) / Quiero abrazarte
I gotta get it through to you, oooh / Debo hacer que lo entiendas
(The singer wants to connect deeply with their partner, both emotionally and physically, and ensure that their feelings of love and desire are clearly understood.)
When the going gets tough
The tough get going
When the going gets rough
The tough get rough
(In difficult situations, resilient people not only face the challenges but adapt to match the intensity of the hardships.)
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey
Ooooh baby
I'm gonna buy me a one-way ticket / Voy a comprarme un billete de sólo ida
Nothin's gonna hold me back / Nada me detendrá
Your love's like a slow train coming (slow train coming) / Tu amor es como un tren lento que viene
And I feel it coming down the track / Y siento que está llegando por la vía
(The singer is so determined to pursue love that they’ll take a one-way trip with no intention of turning back. They compare their lover’s affection to a slow train, gradually approaching and becoming more powerful.)
Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll do anything
Ooh (ooh) can I touch you (can I touch you)
And do the things that lovers do
Ooh, (ooh) wanna hold you (wanna hold you)
I gotta get it through to you (ooh)
'Cos when the going gets tough
The tough get going
When the going gets rough,
The tough get rough
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Wooh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Darlin', I'll climb any mountain
Darlin', I'll swim any sea / Cariño, nadaré cualquier mar
Darlin', I'll reach for the heavens / Cariño, alcanzaré el cielo
Darlin', with you lovin' me / Cariño, contigo amándome
Oooh (oooh)
(The singer reiterates their willingness to do anything for love, from climbing mountains to swimming across oceans. They feel they can achieve greatness and reach heavenly joy with their partner’s love supporting them.)
Oooh, can I touch you (can I touch you)
And do the things that lovers do (can I touch you)
Oooh, wanna hold you (wanna hold you)
I gotta get it through to you
When the going gets tough
Going gets tough
Going gets rough
Going gets rough
(Overall Theme: The song is about perseverance, passion, and love. It portrays an unyielding spirit to overcome challenges for the sake of achieving dreams and being with a loved one. The lyrics emphasise action, courage, and the depth of commitment to love and life.)
Vocabulary / Grammar Notes
I found the course tough going. (difficult to do and complete)
The slopes were harder going than I expected but I still finished the race. (created difficulties for me)
I like the film but the book was heavy going. (difficult to read or understand)
Comments
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is good. I don´t know why Mr. Ocean titles it like this if it seems a love song. On the end, it said that “the song is about perseverance, passion and love”, I suppose that the writer of the lyric liked the title and he left it as chorus. I had titled it in this way: “Nothing is going hold me back to touch you” (LOL). It said in the song: “and give me love in the old-faxhioned way”, but the love is always the same, in my opinion, there is not traditional love and modern love.
The difference between tough and rough is not easy and after seeing the quizlet, I think it´s worse for me, but a need to practice it. I never thought that cos could mean because, I thought that it means cost. ¡Strange phenomenon or strange Americans! I told him that I get ready to say goodbye to my friends, but when I´m going to tell it to them it was tough going to say it because my tongue was rough. (Sorry for this nonsense).
See you.
This song is the soundtrack from the film Romancing the Stone (Tras el Corazón Verde), an 80s film starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. I have never seen it. I would have been twelve when it came out.
“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” is good (quite catchy). I don't know why Mr. Ocean gave it this title if it is supposed to be a love song. At the end, it said that “the song is about perseverance, passion and love”, I suppose that the writer of the lyrics liked the title and he left it as the chorus. I would have given it a different name: “Nothing is going to hold me back from touching you” (LOL). It said in the song: “and give me love in the old-fashioned way”, but love is always the same, in my opinion, there is no traditional love and modern love.
The difference between tough and rough is not easy and after seeing the Quizlet, I am even more confused, but I need to practice it. I never thought that cos could mean because, I thought that it meant cost. ¡Strange phenomenon or strange Americans!
I told him that I was getting ready to say goodbye to my friends, but when I was about to say it to them, it was tough going to say it because my tongue was rough. (Sorry for this nonsense).