All Too Well – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: Red (Taylor's Version)

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on an emotional journey with Taylor Swift's "All Too Well," a masterclass in storytelling that allows you to dive deep into English narrative songwriting. Through its rich, descriptive lyrics and raw emotional honesty, you'll learn nuanced expressions of heartbreak and memory, making it a perfect song to connect with the language on a profound level. Its detailed narrative and powerful imagery offer a unique window into the complexities of human relationships, making it special for both language learners and avid music lovers.

[English]

- [WOMAN] ARE YOU FOR REAL?

- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

- I DON'T KNOW, I JUST FEEL LIKE MAYBE I MADE YOU UP

♪♪♪

♪ I WALKED THROUGH THE DOOR WITH YOU ♪

♪ THE AIR WAS COLD ♪

♪ BUT SOMETHIN' BOUT IT FELT LIKE HOME SOMEHOW ♪

♪ AND I LEFT MY SCARF THERE AT YOUR SISTER'S HOUSE ♪

♪ AND YOU'VE STILL GOT IT IN YOUR DRAWER EVEN NOW ♪

[LEAVES RUSTLING]

♪♪♪

♪ OH YOUR SWEET DISPOSITION, AND MY WIDE EYED GAZE ♪

♪ WE'RE SINGING IN THE CAR GETTING LOST UPSTATE ♪

♪ AUTUMN LEAVES FALLING DOWN LIKE PIECES INTO PLACE ♪

♪ AND I CAN PICTURE IT AFTER ALL THESE DAYS ♪

♪ AND I KNOW IT'S LONG GONE AND THAT MAGIC'S NOT HERE NO MORE ♪

♪ AND I MIGHT BE OK BUT I'M NOT FINE AT ALL ♪

♪ CAUSE THERE WE ARE AGAIN ON THAT ♪

♪ LITTLE TOWN STREET ♪

♪ YOU ALMOST RAN THE RED ♪

♪ CAUSE YOU WERE LOOKING OVER AT ME ♪

♪ WIND IN MY HAIR, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪♪♪

♪ PHOTO ALBUM ON THE COUNTER ♪

♪ YOUR CHEEKS WERE TURNING RED ♪

♪ YOU USED TO BE A LITTLE KID WITH GLASSES ♪

♪ IN A TWIN-SIZED BED ♪

♪ AND YOUR MOTHER'S TELLING STORIES 'BOUT YOU ON THE TEE BALL TEAM ♪

♪ YOU TAUGHT ME 'BOUT YOUR PAST ♪

♪ THINKIN' YOUR FUTURE WAS ME ♪

♪ AND YOU WERE TOSSING ME THE CAR KEYS ♪

♪ 'FUCK THE PATRIARCHY' KEYCHAIN ON THE GROUND ♪

♪ WE WERE ALWAYS SKIPPING TOWN ♪

♪ AND I WAS THINKING ON THE DRIVE DOWN ♪

♪ ANY TIME NOW, HE'S GONNA SAY IT'S LOVE ♪

♪ YOU NEVER CALLED IT WHAT IT WAS ♪

♪ TIL WE WERE DEAD AND GONE AND BURIED ♪

♪ CHECK THE PULSE AND COME BACK ♪

♪ SWEARING IT'S THE SAME, AFTER THREE MONTHS IN THE GRAVE ♪

♪ AND THEN YOU WONDERED WHERE IT WENT TO ♪

♪ AS I REACHED FOR YOU BUT ♪

♪ ALL I FELT WAS SHAME ♪

♪ AND YOU HELD MY LIFELESS FRAME ♪

[WATER RUNNING IN THE SINK]

[DISHES CLINK]

- [MAN] WHY ARE YOU SO PISSED OFF?

- I'M NOT PISSED OFF, WHO SAID I WAS PISSED OFF?

- CAUSE YOU'RE ACTING PISSED OFF

[WATER RUNNING IN THE SINK]

- [MAN] IT'S RIDICULOUS

[WATER RUNNING IN THE SINK]

- [MAN] THESE ARE MY FRIENDS

AND THEY WERE SUPER FUCKING NICE TO YOU, TOO

- WELL I LIKED YOUR FRIENDS, I NEVER SAID I DIDN'T LIKE YOUR FRIENDS

- WHY WERE YOU BEING - I DIDN'T LIKE THE WAY YOU ACTED AROUND THEM

- YOU WERE BEING WEIRD

AND QUIET THE ENTIRE TIME! - I WAS NOT BEING WEIRD

- YES YOU WERE! - BECAUSE YOU WOULDN'T LOOK AT ME!

- OH, COME ON - YOU COULD ASK ME ONE THING THE ENTIRE NIGHT

- SUCH BULLSHIT. THAT'S SUCH BULLSHIT

- YOU DROPPED MY FUCKING HAND! WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WITH THAT?

- I DIDN'T EVEN FUCKING

NOTICE WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT I 'DROPPED YOUR HAND'?

- I DON'T KNOW ANY OF THESE PEOPLE, THEY'RE ALL STRANGERS

THEY'RE ALL OLDER THAN ME

- BUT LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

- I FEEL SO OUT OF PLACE, YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT MAKES PEOPLE COMFORTABLE

- YOU'RE MAKING THIS ABOUT YOU - THEY WON'T EVEN LOOK AT ME

- I'M CATCHING UP WITH FRIENDS, YOU'RE LITERALLY SAYING I DROPPED YOUR HAND LIKE WHAT

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER THE MOMENT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT

HOW CAN YOU BE, LIKE

ATTACKING ME ABOUT SOMETHING THAT I DON'T EVEN LIKE FUCKING KNOW

I WAS DOING IT SUBCONSCIOUSLY, I WAS CATCHING UP WITH PEOPLE

- DON'T, YOU'RE MAKING ME FEEL FUCKING STUPID

- HOLY SHIT

I DON'T THINK I'M MAKING YOU FEEL THAT WAY

I THINK YOU'RE MAKING YOURSELF FEEL THAT WAY

LITERALLY A MOMENT THAT I DON'T EVEN FUCKIN' REMEMBER

THAT YOU'RE LIKE FUCKIN' LIKE HOLDING ME HOSTAGE OVER. IT'S INSANE

IT'S FUCKING CRAZY

THESE ARE PEOPLE I HAVEN'T SEEN IN LIKE TEN YEARS

AND YOU JUST SIT THERE THE ENTIRE FUCKING TIME

IT WAS FUN. I ACTUALLY HAD FUCKIN' BLAST

NOW, NOW THIS IS THE NIGHT. NOW WE'RE DOING THIS

AWESOME, SO FUCKIN' AWESOME

- YOU JUST TREATED ME DIFFERENTLY

- WHAT DO YOU MEAN I TREATED YOU DIFFERENTLY?

- YOU DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT ME ONCE!

- WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT

I 'DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT YOU'? - LISTEN TO ME!

- I'M CATCHING UP WITH MY FRIENDS! - NO NO NO, NO TRUST ME

THEY WERE ENTHRALLED BY YOU, OF COURSE, OF COURSE

- I'M SO, YOU'RE LITERALLY MAKING THE ENTIRE NIGHT ABOUT YOU

- NO, YOU'RE THE PERFECT PERSON. YOU DIDN'T EVEN LOOK AT ME!

- HOLY SHIT. HOLY SHIT. I CAN'T. I CAN'T

IT'S SO, IT'S FUCKING SELFISH. IT'S LITERALLY LIKE

IT'S SO CRAZY,

YOU'RE MAKING IT ABOUT YOU - OH, SO I'M SELFISH NOW

- YES! - I'M SELFISH NOW

- YOU'RE MAKING IT ABOUT YOUR, YOU'RE ACTING SELF...

I'M SAYING YOU'RE ACTING SELFISH, ABSOLUTELY

RIGHT NOW THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S HAPPENING

DON'T FUCKING LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT, THAT'S SO FUCKED UP

HEY, HEY. HEY, HEY, HEY

COME ON, COME ON, COME ON

I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT. I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT

[WOMAN SNIFFLES]

- COME ON

I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY

I'M SORRY. I'M SORRY

I'M SORRY

[WOMAN LAUGHS]

I'M SORRY I DROPPED YOUR HAND

[MAN KISSES HER HEAD]

- COME ON. COME ON. COME ON

- NO, I'M EMBARRASSED. - COME ON. COME ON. COME ON. COME ON. COME ON. COME ON

COME ON. COME ON

- [KISSES] I'M SORRY

♪ AND I KNOW IT'S LONG GONE AND ♪

♪ THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE I COULD DO ♪

♪ AND I FORGET ABOUT YOU LONG ENOUGH ♪

♪ TO FORGET WHY I NEEDED TO ♪

♪ CAUSE THERE WE ARE AGAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ♪

♪ WE'RE DANCIN' ROUND THE KITCHEN IN THE REFRIGERATOR LIGHT ♪

♪ DOWN THE STAIRS, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ AND THERE WE ARE AGAIN ♪

♪ WHEN NOBODY HAD TO KNOW ♪

♪ YOU KEPT ME LIKE A SECRET ♪

♪ BUT I KEPT YOU LIKE AN OATH ♪

♪ SACRED PRAYER AND WE'D SWEAR ♪

♪ TO REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪♪♪

♪ WELL MAYBE WE GOT LOST IN TRANSLATION ♪

♪ MAYBE I ASKED FOR TOO MUCH ♪

♪ BUT MAYBE THIS THING WAS A MASTERPIECE ♪

♪ TIL YOU TORE IT ALL UP ♪

♪ RUNNING SCARED, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ AND YOU CALL ME UP AGAIN ♪

♪ JUST TO BREAK ME LIKE A PROMISE ♪

♪ SO CASUALLY CRUEL IN THE NAME OF BEING HONEST ♪

♪ I'M A CRUMPLED UP PIECE OF PAPER LYING HERE ♪

♪ CAUSE I REMEMBER IT ALL, ALL, ALL ♪

♪ THEY SAY ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL ♪

♪ BUT I'M IN A NEW HELL EVERY TIME ♪

♪ YOU DOUBLE-CROSS MY MIND ♪

♪ YOU SAID IF WE HAD BEEN CLOSER IN AGE ♪

♪ MAYBE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE ♪

♪ AND THAT MADE ME WANT TO DIE ♪

♪ THE IDEA YOU HAD OF ME ♪

♪ WHO WAS SHE? ♪

♪ A NEVER-NEEDY, EVER LOVELY JEWEL ♪

♪ WHOSE SHINE REFLECTS ON YOU ♪

♪ NOT WEEPING IN A PARTY BATHROOM ♪

♪ SOME ACTRESS ASKING ME WHAT HAPPENED ♪

♪ YOU ♪

♪ THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED: YOU ♪

♪ YOU, WHO CHARMED MY DAD WITH SELF-EFFACING JOKES ♪

♪ SIPPING COFFEE LIKE YOU WERE ON A LATE NIGHT SHOW ♪

♪ BUT THEN HE WATCHED ME WATCH THE FRONT DOOR ALL NIGHT, WILLING YOU TO COME ♪

♪ AND HE SAID, "IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE FUN TURNING 21" ♪

[FRIENDS CLAPPING]

♪♪♪

♪ TIME WON'T FLY ♪

♪ IT'S LIKE I'M PARALYZED BY IT ♪

♪ I'D LIKE TO BE MY OLD SELF AGAIN ♪

♪ BUT I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND IT ♪

♪ AFTER PLAID SHIRT DAYS ♪

♪ AND NIGHTS WHEN YOU MADE ME YOUR OWN ♪

♪ NOW YOU MAIL BACK MY THINGS ♪

♪ AND I WALK HOME ALONE ♪

♪ BUT YOU KEEP MY OLD SCARF ♪

♪ FROM THAT VERY FIRST WEEK ♪

♪ CAUSE IT REMINDS YOU OF INNOCENCE, AND IT SMELLS LIKE ME ♪

♪ YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT ♪

♪ CAUSE YOU REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ CAUSE THERE WE ARE AGAIN WHEN I LOVED YOU SO ♪

♪ BACK BEFORE YOU LOST THE ONE REAL THING ♪

♪ YOU'VE EVER KNOWN ♪

♪ IT WAS RARE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ WIND IN MY HAIR, YOU WERE THERE ♪

♪ YOU REMEMBER IT ALL ♪

♪ DOWN THE STAIRS, YOU WERE THERE ♪

♪ YOU REMEMBER IT ALL ♪

♪ IT WAS RARE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ AND I WAS NEVER GOOD AT TELLING JOKES ♪

♪ BUT THE PUNCHLINE GOES: ♪

♪ "I'LL GET OLDER, BUT YOUR LOVERS STAY MY AGE" ♪

♪ FROM WHEN YOUR BROOKLYN BROKE MY SKIN AND BONES ♪

♪ I'M A SOLDIER WHO'S RETURNING HALF HER WEIGHT ♪

♪ AND DID THE TWIN FLAME BRUISE PAINT YOU BLUE? ♪

♪ JUST BETWEEN US, DID THE LOVE AFFAIR MAIM YOU TOO? ♪

♪ CAUSE IN THIS CITY'S BARREN COLD ♪

♪ I STILL REMEMBER THE FIRST FALL OF SNOW ♪

♪ AND HOW IT GLISTENED AS IT FELL ♪

♪ I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ JUST BETWEEN US DID THE LOVE AFFAIR MAIM YOU ♪

♪ ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ JUST BETWEEN US, DO YOU REMEMBER IT ♪

♪ ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ JUST BETWEEN US, I REMEMBER IT ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ WIND IN MY HAIR I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ DOWN THE STAIRS, I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ SACRED PRAYER I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ IT WAS RARE, YOU REMEMBER IT ♪

♪ ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ WIND IN MY HAIR I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ DOWN THE STAIRS, I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ SACRED PRAYER I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ IT WAS RARE, YOU REMEMBER IT ♪

♪ ALL TOO WELL ♪

♪ WIND IN MY HAIR I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ DOWN THE STAIRS, I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ SACRED PRAYER I WAS THERE, I WAS THERE ♪

♪ IT WAS RARE, YOU REMEMBER IT ♪

[WIND BLOWING]

[MUSIC FADES OUT]

[WIND BLOWING]

[TYPEWRITER TYPING]

[BELL DINGS]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
disposition /ˌdɪspəˈzɪʃən/ B2	noun - a person's inherent qualities of mind and character.
gaze /ɡeɪz/ B2	noun - a steady intent look. verb - to look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.
patriarchy /ˈpeɪtriˌɑːrki/ C1	noun - a system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.
shame /ʃeɪm/ B1	noun - a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.
lifeless /ˈlaɪfləs/ B2	adjective - without life; inanimate or dead.
enthralled /ɪnˈθrɔːld/ B2	adjective - captivated or fascinated.
selfish /ˈselfɪʃ/ B1	adjective - (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned primarily with one's own personal profit or pleasure.
oath /oʊθ/ B2	noun - a solemn promise, often invoking a divine witness, regarding one's future action or behavior.
sacred /ˈseɪkrɪd/ B2	adjective - connected with God or a god or dedicated to a religious purpose and so deserving veneration. (In the lyrics, often used metaphorically for something deeply cherished and protected).
masterpiece /ˈmæstərˌpiːs/ B2	noun - a work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.
crumpled /ˈkrʌmpəld/ B2	adjective - crushed or wrinkled.
double-cross /ˌdʌbl ˈkrɔːs/ B2	verb - to cheat or betray (someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating). noun - an act of cheating or betraying someone with whom one is supposedly cooperating.
needy /ˈniːdi/ B2	adjective - (of a person) wanting or needing a lot of attention, affection, or reassurance, especially because of a lack of confidence.
weeping /ˈwiːpɪŋ/ B2	verb - shedding tears, typically as a sign of distress, pain, or sorrow.
self-effacing /ˌself ɪˈfeɪsɪŋ/ C1	adjective - not claiming attention for oneself; modest.
paralyzed /ˈpærəlaɪzd/ B2	adjective - (of a person or part of the body) affected with paralysis. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically for being unable to act or function due to strong emotion).
innocence /ˈɪnəsəns/ B2	noun - the state, quality, or fact of being innocent of a crime or wrongdoing. (In the lyrics, implies a state of purity or naivety).
maim /meɪm/ C1	verb - wound or injure (a person or animal) so that part of the body is permanently damaged. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically for severe emotional damage).
barren /ˈbærən/ C1	adjective - (of land) too poor to produce much or any vegetation. (In the lyrics, used metaphorically to describe a cold, empty, or unproductive environment/feeling).
glisten /ˈɡlɪsən/ B2	verb - (of something wet or oily) shine with a sparkling light.

Key Grammar Structures

• And you've still got it in your drawer even now

  ➔ Present Perfect with "still"

  ➔ The present perfect ("you've still got") is used here to emphasize an action or state that started in the past and continues to be true up to the present moment, reinforced by "even now".

• You taught me 'bout your past, thinkin' your future was me

  ➔ Present Participle as an adverbial phrase / Informal contraction

  ➔ "thinkin'" (thinking) is a present participle used here to describe the manner or circumstance of the main action (teaching). It acts as an adverbial phrase. The "'bout" is an informal contraction of "about."

• You never called it what it was til we were dead and gone and buried

  ➔ "Until" clause / Idiomatic expression (Past state)

  ➔ The phrase "til we were dead and gone and buried" uses "til" (until) to indicate a point in time or condition when the main action (calling it what it was) finally happened (or failed to happen). "dead and gone and buried" is an idiomatic way to emphasize finality or a complete end.

• I think you're making yourself feel that way

  ➔ Causative "make" + Reflexive pronoun + Base form verb

  ➔ The structure "make someone do something" is a causative construction, meaning to cause or force someone to do something. Here, "making yourself feel" means you are causing yourself to feel a certain way.

• You said if we had been closer in age, maybe it would have been fine

  ➔ Third Conditional (Past Unreal Conditional)

  ➔ The third conditional ("if we had been... it would have been") is used to talk about a hypothetical situation in the past that did not happen, and its imagined result in the past. It expresses regret or a missed opportunity.

• A never-needy, ever lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you

  ➔ Compound adjectives / Relative pronoun "whose"

  ➔ "never-needy" and "ever lovely" are compound adjectives that describe the "jewel." "whose shine" is a relative clause using "whose" to show possession (the shine of the jewel).

• It's like I'm paralyzed by it

  ➔ Passive voice with "by" agent / Simile ("It's like...")

  ➔ The passive voice "I'm paralyzed by it" emphasizes the state of being affected rather than the one performing the action. "by it" indicates the agent causing the paralysis. "It's like..." introduces a simile.

• But your lovers stay my age

  ➔ Simple Present for a general truth/recurrent action

  ➔ The simple present tense "stay" is used here to describe a recurring pattern or a general truth about the person's behavior (the ex-partner always dates people around the singer's age).

• I'm a soldier who's returning half her weight

  ➔ Relative Clause / Metaphor

  ➔ "who's returning half her weight" is a relative clause providing more information about the "soldier." The entire phrase is a metaphor for someone who has gone through a difficult experience and is left emotionally or physically diminished.

• Just between us, did the love affair maim you too?

  ➔ Idiomatic phrase / Strong verb choice

  ➔ "Just between us" is an idiomatic phrase meaning "in confidence" or "secretly." The verb "maim" is a strong verb, typically meaning to severely injure, used here metaphorically to convey deep emotional harm.

• I remember it all too well

  ➔ Intensifier "too well" / Adverbial phrase

  ➔ The phrase "all too well" acts as an intensifier, meaning that something is remembered vividly and perhaps painfully, more than desired. It emphasizes the depth of the memory.