A Tale By Quincy – English Lyrics

• By: The Weeknd
• Album: Dawn FM

Lyrics & Translation

Learn the power of emotional English with "A Tale By Quincy," a unique spoken-word track where music legend Quincy Jones shares a deeply personal, vulnerable story about childhood trauma and its impact on adult relationships. It offers a masterclass in introspective, conversational language and powerful life lessons, setting the stage for The Weeknd's album of regret and self-reflection.

[English]

Looking back now I didn't know what it was supposed to be

And, and it's like raising' kids, man

If you weren't raised, you don't know how to raise, you know?

I just did the best thing I could with them because

They know fucking well I love them

But I didn't do the best I could

I didn't know what the fuck I was doing

I didn't

I will never forget watching my mother get put in a straight jacket

And taken out of my home when I was only seven years old

She was diagnosed with dementia praecox and put in a mental institution

Leaving my daddy alone with me and my little brother Lloyd

I later had an evil stepmother

Who further cemented the idea that I didn't need a mother

Growing up without one

Had long lasting impressions I didn't fully understand until much later in life

It bled into my relationships with family

And those I had become romantically involved with

Whenever I got too close to a woman I would cut her off

Part of that was vindictive and partially based on fear

But it was also totally subconscious

Looking back is a bitch, innit?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
supposed səˈpoʊzd B1	verb - generally agreed or expected
raising ˈreɪzɪŋ A2	verb - to nurture and bring up a child
diagnosed ˈdaɪəɡˌnoʊst B2	verb - to identify a medical condition
dementia dɪˈmenʃə C1	noun - a decline in mental ability
praecox ˈpreɪkɒks C2	adjective - occurring early in life
institution ˌɪnstɪˈtuʃən B2	noun - an established organization
stepmother ˈstepˌmʌðər A2	noun - the wife of one's father who is not one's biological mother
cemented sɪˈmentɪd B1	verb - to make something firm and secure
impressions ɪmˈpreʃənz B1	noun - a feeling or opinion about something
romantically roʊˈmæntɪkli B2	adverb - in a manner related to love or romance
vindictive vɪnˈdɪktɪv C1	adjective - seeking revenge
subconscious səbˈskɑːnʃəs C1	adjective - occurring without one's awareness

Key Grammar Structures

• Looking back now I didn't know what it was supposed to be

  ➔ Past Perfect (didn't know)

  ➔ The Past Perfect ('didn't know') is used to describe an action completed before another past action.

• If you weren't raised, you don't know how to raise, you know?

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1)

  ➔ The Conditional Sentence ('If you weren't raised...') expresses a possible situation and its result.

• I just did the best thing I could with them because

  ➔ Past Simple with 'just'

  ➔ The Past Simple with 'just' ('I just did') emphasizes an action that happened recently in the past.

• She was diagnosed with dementia praecox and put in a mental institution

  ➔ Past Passive Voice

  ➔ The Past Passive Voice ('was diagnosed', 'was put') highlights actions done to the subject.

• Growing up without one had long lasting impressions

  ➔ Present Perfect (has had)

  ➔ The Present Perfect ('has had') is used to describe an action that started in the past and continues to the present.

• Whenever I got too close to a woman I would cut her off

  ➔ Past Continuous with 'would'

  ➔ The Past Continuous with 'would' ('I would cut') describes a repeated action in the past.

• Looking back is a bitch, innit?

  ➔ Present Simple with Tag Question

  ➔ The Present Simple with Tag Question ('innit?') is used for confirmation or agreement.