26 – English Lyrics

• By: Lauv

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Can I tell you a story

'Bout a boy who broke his own heart?

And he always blamed everybody else

But the truth is that he did it to himself

He made a couple song and they got big

And he thought that he could do whatever he wanted

But it all left him with a hole in his heart

Ooh, oo-ooh

Money buys you happiness

But, ooh, oo-ooh

Doesn't buy you time

The more that I get older

The less I wanna be sober

And I can't quit, goddamnit

And maybe I'm just broken

And I'll never admit it

But I wish that I was younger

Yeah, 26 and rich

How the hell did it come to this?

And I wish I could tell you

Everything is perfect, but it's not

I was starin' at the ceilin' for, like, ten days

But I'm pretty sure that I forgot

What it's like to be a person that doesn't think

That everything he does just sucks

Ooh, it's a perfect world until it's not

Ooh, oo-ooh

Money buys you happiness

But, ooh, oo-ooh

Doesn't buy you time

The more that I get older

The less I wanna be sober

And I can't quit, goddamnit

And maybe I'm just broken

And I'll never admit it

But I wish that I was younger

Yeah, 26 and rich

How the hell did it come to this?

...

The more that I get older

The less I wanna be sober

Yeah, 26 and rich

How the hell did it come to this?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
broke /broʊk/ A1	verb - to cause to be in a state of not functioning verb - to deprive of resources or means
blamed /bleɪmd/ A2	verb - to hold responsible for something
happiness /ˈhæpɪnɪs/ A1	noun - the state of being happy
sober /ˈsoʊbər/ B1	adjective - not affected by alcohol
broken /ˈbroʊkən/ A1	adjective - damaged and not functioning adjective - emotionally damaged
admit /ædˈmɪt/ A2	verb - to confess or concede
rich /rɪtʃ/ A1	adjective - having a lot of money or assets
perfect /ˈpɜrfɪkt/ A2	adjective - having no flaws or mistakes
staring /ˈstɛərɪŋ/ A2	verb - to look fixedly or vacantly
ceilin' /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ A1	noun - the upper interior surface of a room
sucks /sʌks/ B1	verb - to be of poor quality or unpleasant
older /ˈoʊldər/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for a long time
quit /kwɪt/ A2	verb - to stop or discontinue
wanna /ˈwɑnə/ A1	verb - want to
younger /ˈjʌŋɡər/ A1	adjective - having less age

Key Grammar Structures

• Can I tell you a story 'Bout a boy who broke his own heart?

  ➔ Modal verb in a question

  ➔ The modal verb "Can" is used to ask for permission or make a request. Here it forms a question: "Can I tell...".

• The more that I get older, the less I wanna be sober.

  ➔ Comparative correlative (the more… the less…)

  ➔ The structure "the more …, the less …" links two clauses that change in opposite directions. "More" and "less" are highlighted.

• And he thought that he could do whatever he wanted.

  ➔ Past thought + modal "could" + infinitive + "whatever" clause

  ➔ The verb "thought" is in the past. Inside the reported clause, the modal "could" expresses ability in the past, followed by the infinitive "do" and the free‑choice clause "whatever he wanted".

• But I wish that I was younger.

  ➔ Wish + past simple (subjunctive) for unreal present

  ➔ The verb "wish" is followed by the past simple "was" to express a wish that is contrary to reality (the speaker is not younger).

• And I can't quit, goddamnit.

  ➔ Modal "can't" + base verb (ability/possibility negated)

  ➔ The modal verb "can't" (cannot) is used with the base verb "quit" to indicate that the speaker is unable to stop.

• How the hell did it come to this?

  ➔ Emphatic interrogative with "how the hell"

  ➔ "How the hell" adds strong emotion or surprise to the question. The auxiliary "did" is used for past simple.

• I'm pretty sure that I forgot.

  ➔ Verb + that‑clause (object clause after adjective)

  ➔ "I'm pretty sure" is followed by a that‑clause "that I forgot" which functions as the object of the adjective "sure".

• What it's like to be a person that doesn't think.

  ➔ Indirect question + relative clause

  ➔ The phrase "What it's like" introduces an indirect question. The relative clause "that doesn't think" modifies "person".

• Ooh, it's a perfect world until it's not.

  ➔ Temporal clause with "until"

  ➔ The clause "until it's not" indicates the point in time when the previous statement ceases to be true.

• Money buys you happiness, but it doesn't buy you time.

  ➔ Simple present for general truth; negative present simple

  ➔ "buys" is in the simple present to state a general fact. The second clause uses the negative form "doesn't buy".