Conditional Statements
with Song Lyrics
Converse, Inverse, Contrapositive
by David Pleacher
I. For each of the song lyrics listed below, write the converse of the conditional statement:
1. Children's song: "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands."
2. Rolling Stones: "Yesterday don't matter if it's gone."
3. Beatles: "If you want it, ... come and get it."
4. Tony Bennett: "If I ruled the world, every man would be as free as a bird."
5. Charley Pride: "I can't help it if I'm still in love with you."
6. Waylon Jennings: "If the shoe fits, then wear it."
7. Shania Twain: "If elephants could fly, I'd be a little more optimistic."
8. Paul Simon: "When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, it's a wonder I can think at
all."
II. For each of the song lyrics listed below, write the inverse of the conditional statement:
9. Paul Simon: "When tears are in your eyes, I'll dry them all."
10. The Band Perry: "If I die young, bury me in satin."
11. Peter, Paul, & Mary: "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning."
12. Johnny Cash: "Because you're mine, I walk the line."
13. Billy Joel: "If you said good-bye to me tonight, there would still be music left to write."
14. Sam Cooke: "If you love me, too, what a wonderful world this would be."
15. Rupert Holmes: "If you like pina coladas, write to me and escape."
16. Chicago: "If you leave me now, you'll take away the biggest part of me."
17. Dean Martin: "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's amore."
18. Paul Simon: "If you'll be my bodyguard, I can be your long lost pal."
19. Righteous Brothers: "You never close your eyes anymore when I kiss your lips."
20. Eric Clapton: "Would you know my name if I saw you in Heaven?"
21. Lou Rawls: "If I had my life to live over, I'd do the same things again."
22. Sam Cooke: "If I had you honey, I'd be happy."
23. Rolling Stones: "You can make it if you try."
24. Queen: "If you can't beat them, join them."
25. Meatloaf: "If it ain't broke, break it."
26. The Drifters: "If you cry, ... my heart would break."
27. Blood, Sweat, and Tears: "When I die, ... there'll be one child born ... to carry on."
III. For each of the song lyrics listed below, write the contrapositive of the conditional statement:
28. Paul Simon: "When the papa found out, he began to shout."
29. Elvis Presley: "If you talk in your sleep, don't mention my name."
30. Rick Springfield: "You can really do it if you try."
31. Alan Jackson: "So baby come back to me if you don't wanna see Santa Claus cry."
32. Joe Diffie: "When I need a friend, you'd be the last one I'd call."
33. Alabama: "If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band."
34. Joe Dolce: "If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, never make a pretty woman your
wife."
IV. Following each of the numbered statements below are three lettered statements.
Identify the relationship of each of the lettered statements to the numbered statement if possible.
Write "converse," "inverse," "contrapositive," "original statement," or "none." as appropriate.
35. Hank Williams: "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't be jealous."
A. If I weren't jealous, I wouldn't love you.
B. I wouldn't be jealous if I didn't love you.
C. If I am jealous, then I love you.
36. Paul Simon: "I'm on your side when times get rough."
A. I'm not on your side when times don't get rough.
B. If I'm not on your side, Then times aren't rough.
C. If times get rough, I'm on your side.
37. Beyonce Knowles: "If I were a boy, ... I'd chase after girls."
A. If I were not a boy, I would not chase after girls.
B. I am not a boy if I do not chase after girls.
C. If I chase after girls, then I am a boy.
38. The Calling: "If I could, then I would."
A. If I wouldn't, then I couldn't.
B. If I couldn't, then I wouldn't
C. If I would, then I could.
39. Paul Simon: "When something goes wrong, I'm the first to admit it."
A. I'm the first to admit it when something goes wrong.
B. When something goes wrong, I'm not the first to admit it.
C. If I'm the first to admit it, then something went wrong.
40. George Straight: "If you ain't lovin', you ain't livin'."
A. If you ain't livin', you ain't lovin'.
B. You ain't lovin' if you ain't livin'.
C. If you're lovin', you're livin'.
41. Willie Nelson: "If you've got the money honey, I've got the time."
A. If I've got the time, you've got the money honey.
B. If you don't have the money honey, I don't have the time.
C. If you don't have the money honey, I've got the time.
42. The Kingston Trio: "If the skeeters don't get him, then the gators will."
A. If the skeeters get him, then the gators will.
B. If the gators don't get him, then the skeeters will.
C. The skeeters won't get him if the gators do.
If you have more song lyrics, please send them to me and I will try to post them.
Send lyrics to: David Pleacher