Choosin' Texas – English Lyrics

• By: Ella Langley
• Album: Dandelion

Lyrics & Translation

Embark on a linguistic journey through Ella Langley's record-breaking hit, 'Choosin' Texas.' This song offers a vivid narrative rich in country music idioms and regional American English. Learning its lyrics will deepen your understanding of heartfelt storytelling and cultural references in contemporary country music, while its catchy melody makes it a special and engaging piece to master.

[English]

Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee

I shoulda known better than to take him back to Abilene

I put him right back into her arms

I wasn't a match for that kinda spark

She's from Texas I can tell by the way

He's two steppin' round the room

And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face

There's nothin' I can to do

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see

A cowboy always finds a way to leave

Drinkin' Jack all by myself

He's choosin' Texas I can tell

Well, I guess he forgot about the smoky mountain rain

Them old Hank tunes the Memphis blues we used sing

He always loved Amarillo By Morning

I shoulda taken that as warning

She's from Texas I can tell by the way

He's two steppin' round the room

And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face

There's nothin' I can to do

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see

A cowboy always finds a way to leave

Drinkin' Jack all by myself

He's choosin' Texas I can tell

When I'm eastbound and down and I can't help but cry

Cause I-40 gets lonelier with every mile

I'll know that his mind wasn't ever gonna change

Cause his heart still belongs to the lone star state

She's from Texas I can tell by the way

He's two steppin' round the room

And judgin' by the smile that's written on his face

There's nothin' I can to do, naw yeah

It doesn't take a crystal ball to see

A cowboy always finds a way to leave

Drinkin' Jack all by myself

He's choosing Texas I can tell, no

Drinkin' Jack all by myself

He's choosin' Texas I can tell

C'mon baby

Ohh yeah

Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
thought /θɔːt/ B1	noun - an idea or opinion produced by thinking verb (past tense of think) - considered; reflected on
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or strong liking
Tennessee /ˌtɛnəˈsiː/ B2	proper noun - U.S. state in the southeastern region
match /mætʃ/ B1	noun - a pairing or suitable counterpart verb - to correspond or be suitable for
spark /spɑːrk/ B2	noun - a small fiery particle; a hint of excitement
Texas /ˈtɛksəs/ A2	proper noun - U.S. state in the south‑central region
stepping /ˈstɛpɪŋ/ B1	verb (present participle of step) - moving by lifting the foot and setting it down
judging /ˈdʒʌdʒɪŋ/ B2	verb (present participle of judge) - forming an opinion or evaluation about something
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - a facial expression indicating pleasure
crystal /ˈkrɪs.təl/ B2	noun - a clear, transparent mineral; also, a glassware made from it
cowboy /ˈkɑʊbɔɪ/ B1	noun - a man who works herding cattle, especially on a ranch
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - go away from; depart
drinking /ˈdrɪŋkɪŋ/ B1	verb (present participle of drink) - consuming a liquid, especially alcohol
choosing /ˈtʃuːzɪŋ/ B1	verb (present participle of choose) - selecting; picking out
eastbound /ˈiːstbaʊnd/ C1	adjective - heading toward the east
lonelier /ˈloʊn.li.ər/ C1	adjective (comparative) - more lonely; feeling increased solitude
mile /maɪl/ A2	noun - a unit of distance equal to 5,280 feet
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood; also, the center of emotion

Key Grammar Structures

• Just when I thought I got him to fall in love with Tennessee

  ➔ Past Perfect / Reported thought structure

  ➔ The speaker uses "thought" to reflect on a previous assumption that preceded another past action.

• I shoulda known better than to take him back to Abilene

  ➔ Modal perfect (should have + past participle)

  ➔ Used to express regret about a past action that "should have" happened differently.

• I wasn't a match for that kinda spark

  ➔ Informal contraction / Comparison

  ➔ "Kinda" is an informal contraction of "kind of", used here to describe a specific type of spark.

• She's from Texas I can tell by the way

  ➔ Noun clause / Relative structure

  ➔ The phrase "by the way" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the evidence for her conclusion.

• There's nothin' I can to do

  ➔ Existential "there" with elliptical structure

  ➔ The speaker implies that "there is nothing I can do," omitting the object relative pronoun "that".

• It doesn't take a crystal ball to see

  ➔ Idiomatic construction

  ➔ This is an idiom used to state that something is very obvious or easy to predict.

• I'll know that his mind wasn't ever gonna change

  ➔ Future in the past (wasn't ever gonna)

  ➔ "Gonna" is the colloquial contraction of "going to", expressing a past intent or future expectation from a past perspective.

• Cause his heart still belongs to the lone star state

  ➔ Stative verb usage

  ➔ The verb "belongs" is a stative verb, describing a state of being rather than a physical action.