CANCELLED! – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: The Life of a Showgirl

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Taylor Swift's 'CANCELLED!' to explore the complex dynamics of modern fame and loyalty. This track uses vivid imagery and personal reflection to discuss navigating public judgment, offering insight into the resilience required when friends—and the artist herself—face the court of public opinion. The song's embrace of 'scandal' alongside luxury reveals a unique perspective on enduring controversy in the spotlight.

[English]

You thought that it would be okay, at first

The situation could be saved, of course

But they'd already picked out your grave and hearse

Beware the wrath of masked crusaders

Did you girl-boss too close to the sun?

Did they catch you having far too much fun?

Come with me, when they see us, they'll run

Something wicked this way comes

...

Good thing I like my friends cancelled

I like 'em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal

Like my whiskey sour

And poison thorny flowers

Welcome to my underworld

Where it gets quite dark

At least you know exactly who your friends are

They're the ones with matching scars

...

It's easy to love you when you're popular

The optics click, everyone prospers

But one single drop, you're off the roster

"Tone-deaf and hot, let's fuckin' off her"

Did you make a joke only a man could?

Were you just too smug for your own good?

Or bring a tiny violin to a knife fight?

Baby, that all ends tonight

...

Good thing I like my friends cancelled (Cancelled)

I like 'em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal

Like my whiskey sour

And poison thorny flowers

(Honey) Welcome to my underworld

It'll break your heart

At least you know exactly who your friends are

They're the ones with matching scars

...

They stood by me

Before my exoneration

They believed I was innocent

So I'm not here for judgment, no…

But if you can't be good

Then just be better at it

Everyone's got bodies in the attic

Or took somebody's man

We'll take you by the hand

And soon you'll learn the art

Of never getting caught

...

It's a good thing I like my friends cancelled

You know that I like 'em cloaked in Gucci and in scandal

I like my whiskey sour

And poison thorny flowers

Yeah, it's a good thing I like my friends cancelled (Cancelled)

I salute you if you're much too much to handle

Like my whiskey sour (I like it)

And poison thorny flowers (I love it)

Can't you see my infamy loves company?

Now they've broken you like they've broken me

But a shattered glass

Is a lot more sharp

And now you know exactly who your friends are

You know who we are

We're the ones with matching scars

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cancelled /ˈkænsəld/ B1	verb - to stop something from happening or being valid adjective - no longer in effect or planned
scandal /ˈskændəl/ B2	noun - a situation causing widespread outrage or disgrace
wicked /ˈwɪkɪd/ B1	adjective - evil or morally wrong
underworld /ˈʌndərˌwɜːrld/ C1	noun - a place or realm associated with darkness or evil
exoneration /ɪˌɡzɒnəˈreɪʃən/ C1	noun - the action of officially declaring someone innocent
optics /ˈɒptɪks/ C1	noun - the way something looks to the public
roster /ˈrɒstər/ B2	noun - a list of names or people
tone-deaf /ˌtoʊnˈdɛf/ C1	adjective - unaware of or insensitive to social norms
smug /smʌɡ/ B2	adjective - excessively proud or self-satisfied
infamy /ˈɪnfəmi/ C1	noun - extreme notoriety for something bad
shattered /ˈʃætərd/ B2	verb - broken into pieces
crusaders /ˈkruːseɪdərz/ B2	noun - a person engaged in a zealous pursuit
whiskey /ˈwɪski/ A2	noun - a distilled alcoholic drink made from grain
thorny /ˈθɔːrni/ B1	adjective - covered in thorns
exoneration /ɪˌɡzɒnəˈreɪʃən/ C1	noun - the action of officially declaring someone innocent

Key Grammar Structures

• You thought that it would be okay, at first

  ➔ Past tense verb in reported speech ('thought' as reporting verb, 'would be' for hypothetical future in past)

  ➔ You "thought" that it "would" be okay, at first - 'Thought' reports what was believed, and 'would' indicates a conditional or hypothetical situation in the past.

• Beware the wrath of masked crusaders

  ➔ Imperative mood ('Beware'), noun phrase with preposition ('of masked crusaders')

  ➔ "Beware" the wrath of masked crusaders - 'Beware' is a command or warning; 'of' introduces the source of the wrath.

• Did you girl-boss too close to the sun?

  ➔ Question formation (inversion with auxiliary 'Did'), compound verb ('girl-boss'), idiom ('too close to the sun')

  ➔ "Did" you "girl-boss" too close to the sun? - 'Did' inverts for a yes/no question; 'girl-boss' is a neologism/talking head; idiom warns of hubris.

• It's easy to love you when you're popular

  ➔ Present simple ('It's easy'), infinitive clause ('to love you'), temporal clause ('when you're popular')

  ➔ It"'"s easy "to" love you when you"'"re popular - 'It's easy' is a general truth; infinitives after adjectives; 'when' introduces condition.

• Did you make a joke only a man could?

  ➔ Past question with modal ('could'), restrictive relative clause ('only a man could')

  ➔ "Did" you make a joke only a "man" could? - Question form; 'could' expresses ability; relative clause defines the joke.

• They stood by me Before my exoneration

  ➔ Past simple ('stood'), preposition phrase ('by me'), noun ('exoneration' with 'my')

  ➔ They "stood" "by" me Before my exoneration - 'Stood' as past action of support; 'by' shows proximity; possessive 'my' relates to the speaker.

• But if you can't be good Then just be better at it

  ➔ Conditional sentence (implied zero conditional or imperative), imperative ('just be')

  ➔ But "if" you can"'"t be good Then "just" "be" better at it - 'If' introduces condition; 'be better' as advice or command.

• Can't you see my infamy loves company?

  ➔ Negative question ('Can't you see'), personification ('infamy loves'), adverb ('quite' implied in context)

  ➔ Can"'"t you "see" my infamy "loves" company? - Negative form for emphasis; personification attributes human emotion to abstract noun.

• They're the ones with matching scars

  ➔ Relative clause ('the ones with matching scars'), possessive ('matching')

  ➔ They"'"re the "ones" "with" matching scars - 'Ones' as pronoun; 'with' indicates possession; defines who 'they' are.

• Or bring a tiny violin to a knife fight?

  ➔ Parallel structure ('Or bring'), idiom ('bring a tiny violin to a knife fight')

  ➔ "Or" "bring" a tiny violin to a knife fight? - 'Or' continues a list; infinitive after 'bring' implies a hypothetical action, idiom for misjudging situation.