Better Than Revenge – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: Speak Now

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Taylor Swift's 'Better Than Revenge' and explore the fiery emotions of teenage heartbreak and revenge. Through its electric guitar riffs and sharp lyrics, this song offers a lesson in understanding the complexities of relationships and the sting of betrayal, all while improving your English vocabulary and comprehension.

[English]

Now go stand in the corner and think about what you did

...

Time for a little revenge

The story starts when it was hot and it was summer and

I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him

She came along, got him alone and let's hear the applause

She took him faster than you could say, "Sabotage"

I never saw it coming, wouldn't have suspected it

I underestimated just who I was dealing with

She had to know the pain was beating on me like a drum

She underestimated just who she was stealing from

She's not a saint

And she's not what you think

She's an actress, whoa

But she's better know

For the things that she does

On the mattress, whoa

Soon she's gonna find, stealing other people's toys on the playground

Won't make it many friends

She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind

There is nothing I do better than revenge

...

She looks at life like it's a party and she's on the list

She looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it

I think her ever-present frown is a little troubling

And she thinks I'm psycho 'cause I like to rhyme her name with things

But sophistication isn't what you wear or who you know

Or pushing people down, it gets you where you wanna go

They wouldn't teach you that in prep school so it's up to me

But no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity

She's not a saint

And she's not what you think

She's an actress, whoa

But she's better know

For the things that she does

On the mattress, whoa

Soon she's gonna find, stealing other people's toys on the playground

Won't make it many friends

She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind

There is nothing I do better than revenge

...

I'm just another thing for you

To roll your eyes at, honey

You might have him, but haven't you heard?

I'm just another thing for you

To roll your eyes at, honey

You might have him but I always get the last word, whoa

...

She's not a saint

And she's not what you think

She's an actress, whoa

But she's better know

For the things that she does

On the mattress, whoa

Soon she's gonna find, stealing other people's toys on the playground

Won't make it many friends

She should keep in mind, she should keep in mind

There is nothing I do better than revenge

And do you still feel like you know what you're doing?

'Cause I don't think you do

Oh, do you still feel like you know what you're doing?

I don't think you do, I don't think you do

Let's hear the applause

Come on, show me how much better you are

So you deserve some much applause 'cause you're so much better

She took him faster than you could say, "Sabotage"

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
corner /ˈkɔːrnər/ A2	noun - the place where two lines or surfaces meet at an angle
revenge /rɪˈvɛndʒ/ B2	noun - the action of hurting someone in return for an injury or wrong they have done
story /ˈstɔːri/ A2	noun - an account of real or imaginary events
summer /ˈsʌmər/ A2	noun - the warmest season of the year
applause /əˈplɔːz/ B2	noun - the clapping of hands to show approval
faster /ˈfæstər/ B2	adjective / adverb - more quickly
sabotege /ˈsæbəˌtɑːʒ/ C1	noun - an act of deliberately destroying or damaging something for strategic or malicious reasons
drum /drʌm/ A2	noun - a percussion instrument with a hollow shell and a membrane that is struck to produce sound
actress /ˈǽktrəs/ B2	noun - a female actor
mattress /ˈmætrəs/ B2	noun - a large pad for supporting the reclining body, used as a bed
toys /tɔɪz/ A1	noun - objects for children to play with
friends /frɛndz/ A2	noun - people you know and like
dignity /ˈdɪgnɪti/ B2	noun - the quality of being worthy of respect
pushing /ˈpʊʃɪŋ/ B2	verb - to apply force to move something forward
psycho /ˈsaɪkoʊ/ C1	noun / adjective - a person with a mental disorder or unstable behavior

Key Grammar Structures

• I had it all, I had him right there where I wanted him

  ➔ Relative Clause using "where"

  ➔ The word "where" introduces a relative clause that modifies the place "right there". It combines two ideas: 'I had him right there' and 'I wanted him there'.

• She took him faster than you could say, "Sabotage"

  ➔ Comparative Adverb Clause

  ➔ This sentence uses "faster than" to compare the speed at which "she" took "him" to the speed at which someone could say "Sabotage". "Than" introduces the comparative clause.

• She underestimated just who she was stealing from

  ➔ Embedded Question/Indirect Question

  ➔ The phrase "who she was stealing from" acts as the object of the verb "underestimated". It is an indirect question, which doesn't require the usual question word order (subject-verb inversion).

• There is nothing I do better than revenge

  ➔ Comparative Structure with "nothing...better than"

  ➔ This sentence uses "nothing ... better than" to express that revenge is the thing the speaker is best at. It implies that revenge is superior to all other skills or activities.

• She looks at me like I'm a trend and she's so over it

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood (informal usage)

  ➔ The phrase "like I'm a trend" uses the subjunctive mood ("I'm" instead of "I am") in informal speech to describe a hypothetical or imagined situation.

• But no amount of vintage dresses gives you dignity

  ➔ "No amount of" + uncountable noun

  ➔ "No amount of" is used with uncountable nouns (like "dignity") to indicate that even a large quantity of something won't achieve the stated result.

• You might have him but I always get the last word

  ➔ Concession Clause with "but"

  ➔ This sentence uses "but" to contrast two opposing ideas: 'You might have him' (concession) and 'I always get the last word' (main point). It shows that despite the other person possessing "him", the speaker is confident they will have the final say.