Bumper Cars – English Lyrics

• By: Alex & Sierra
• Album: It's About Us

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a powerful tool, and Alex & Sierra's 'Bumper Cars' offers a poignant and relatable story to connect with. The song's clear and emotional lyrics about a struggling relationship can help you learn vocabulary related to love, conflict, and resolution. What makes this song special is its clever use of the 'bumper cars' metaphor, a universally understood image that beautifully captures the song's central theme of push and pull in a romantic partnership.

[English]

Can't help wondering what you're thinking

Wherever you are

Late night movies care less drinking

To cover these scars

And as much as I wanna be with you

I know

You and me we're bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

No

Round and round we chase the sparks

But all that seems to lead to

It's a pile of broken parts

We're bumper cars

Bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

Good intentions, all these questions

We're sitting alone

All roads since you

Are wrong directions

I'll never give hope

And it's making me wanna be with you

I know

You and me we're bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

No

Round and round we chase the sparks

But all that seems to lead to

It's a pile of broken parts

We're bumper cars

Bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

Oh

This was supposed to be fun

This was supposed to be the one

Maybe we stayed too long

Maybe we played all wrong

This was supposed to be good

But I know, I know

...

You and me we're bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

No

Round and round we chase the sparks

But all that seems to lead to

It's a pile of broken parts

We're bumper cars

Bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

We're bumper cars

Bumper cars

The more I try to get to you

The more we crash apart

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
wonder /ˈwʌn.dər/ B1	verb - to think about something with curiosity
scars /skɑːrz/ B2	noun - marks left on the skin after healing from wounds
crash /kræʃ/ B1	verb - to collide violently with something noun - a collision or accident involving a vehicle
sparks /spɑːrks/ B1	noun - small fiery particles produced by a fire or explosion
parts /pɑːrts/ A2	noun - pieces of something that combine to form a whole
intentions /ɪnˈtɛn.ʃənz/ B2	noun - plans or aims to do something
directions /daɪˈrɛk.ʃənz/ B1	noun - instructions or paths to reach a place
hope /hoʊp/ A2	noun - a feeling that good things will happen
long /lɔːŋ/ A1	adjective - lasting a long time; not short
short /ʃɔːrt/ A1	adjective - not long in length or time
fun /fʌn/ A2	adjective - enjoyable or amusing

Key Grammar Structures

• Can't help wondering what you're thinking

  ➔ Present continuous tense

  ➔ The phrase "can't help wondering" uses the present continuous to express an ongoing action or feeling.

• The more I try to get to you, the more we crash apart

  ➔ Comparative structures

  ➔ The structure "the more... the more..." is used to show a relationship between two increasing actions.

• Good intentions, all these questions

  ➔ Noun phrases

  ➔ The phrase "Good intentions, all these questions" uses noun phrases to convey ideas succinctly.

• This was supposed to be fun

  ➔ Passive voice

  ➔ The phrase "was supposed to be" is in the passive voice, indicating an expectation or obligation.

• I'll never give hope

  ➔ Future simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "I'll never give hope" uses the future simple tense to express a decision or promise about the future.

• You and me we're bumper cars

  ➔ Subject-verb agreement

  ➔ The phrase "You and me" correctly uses subject-verb agreement with the verb "are".

• It's a pile of broken parts

  ➔ Idiomatic expressions

  ➔ The phrase "a pile of broken parts" is an idiomatic expression that conveys a sense of chaos or disarray.