Crooked Smile – English Lyrics

• By: J. Cole, TLC
• Album: Born Sinner

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the inspiring world of J. Cole's "Crooked Smile," a song that beautifully blends hip-hop and R&B to deliver a powerful message of self-acceptance. Featuring the iconic TLC, this track encourages listeners to embrace their imperfections. By exploring themes of inner beauty and resilience, you'll discover how to navigate societal pressures and find confidence in your unique qualities.

[English]

(sirens blaring)

(police radio dispatching)

(water running)

(water running)

(toothbrush whirring)

♪ Even though I ♪

♪ On my way, on my way, on my way down ♪

♪ On my way, on my way, on my way down ♪

♪ You were the one that was trying to keep me way down ♪

(lawn mower whirring)

♪ 'Cause I got money now ♪

♪ I ain't gon' sit around ♪

♪ And front like I ain't thought about it ♪

♪ A perfect smile is more appealing but it's funny how ♪

♪ My shit is crooked look at how far I done got without it ♪

♪ I keep my twisted grill, just to show them kids it's real ♪

♪ We ain't picture perfect but we worth the picture still ♪

♪ I got smart, I got rich, and I got bitches still ♪

♪ And they all look like my eyebrows, thick as hell ♪

♪ Love yourself, girl, or nobody will ♪

♪ Though you a woman I don't know how you deal ♪

♪ With all the pressure to look impressive ♪

♪ And go out in heels ♪

♪ I feel for you ♪

♪ Killing yourself to find a man that'll kill for you ♪

♪ You wake up, put makeup on ♪

♪ Stare in the mirror ♪

♪ But it's clear that you can't face what's wrong ♪

♪ No need to fix what God already put his paint brush on ♪

♪ Your roommate yelling, why you gotta take so long ♪

♪ What it's like to have a crooked smile ♪

♪ On my way, on my way, on my way down ♪

♪ On my way, on my way, on my way down ♪

♪ You were the one that was trying to keep me way down ♪

♪ But like the sun, know you know I found my way back 'round ♪

♪ To all the women with the flaws, know it's hard my darlin' ♪

♪ You wonder why you're lonely and your man's not callin' ♪

♪ You keep fallin' victim 'cause you're insecure ♪

♪ And when I tell you that you're beautiful ♪

♪ You can't be sure ♪

♪ 'Cause he don't seem to want you back ♪

♪ And it's got you askin' ♪

♪ So all you see is what you lackin' not what you packin' ♪

♪ Take it from a man that loves what you got ♪

♪ And baby girl you're a star ♪

♪ Don't let 'em tell you you're not ♪

♪ Now is it real, eyebrows, fingernails, hair ♪

♪ Is it real, if it's not, girl you don't care ♪

♪ 'Cause what's real is something that the eyes can't see ♪

♪ That the hands can't touch ♪

♪ That them broads can't be, and that's you ♪

♪ Never let 'em see you frown ♪

♪ And if you need a friend to pick you up, I'll be around ♪

♪ And we can ride with the windows down, the music loud ♪

♪ I can tell you ain't laughed in a while ♪

♪ But I wanna see that crooked smile ♪

♪ On my way, on my way, on my way down ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ Happy birthday dear Leslie ♪

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪

♪ You were the one that was trying to keep me way down ♪

♪ But like the sun, know you know I found my way back 'round ♪

♪ We don't look nothing like the people on the screen ♪

♪ You know them movie stars, picture perfect beauty queens ♪

♪ But we got dreams and we got the right to chase 'em ♪

♪ Look at the nation ♪

♪ That's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straighten ♪

♪ Seem like half the race is either on probation ♪

♪ Or in jail, wonder why we inhale ♪

♪ 'Cause we in hell already ♪

♪ I asked if my skin pale ♪

♪ Would I then sell like Eminem or Adele ♪

♪ But one more time for the 'Ville ♪

♪ And fuck all of that beef shit ♪

♪ Nigga let's make a mill' ♪

♪ Hey officer man, we don't want nobody getting killed ♪

♪ Just open up that cell, let my brother out of jail ♪

♪ I got money for the bail now and well now ♪

♪ If you askin' will I tell now, ayy, hell nah ♪

♪ I ain't snitchin' 'cause ♪

♪ Man, they get them niggas stitches now ♪

♪ If you was around, then you wouldn't need a witness now ♪

(emotional atmospheric music)

(gun firing)

(flare exploding)

(emotional atmospheric music)

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
money /ˈmʌni/ A2	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
smile /smaɪl/ A1	noun - the formation of a facial expression resembling a curved line verb - to form a smile
perfect /ˈpɜːrfɪkt/ B1	adjective - having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics
real /riːəl/ A2	adjective - actually existing as a thing or occurring in fact
woman /ˈwʊmən/ A1	noun - an adult female human being
pressure /ˈprɛʃər/ B1	noun - the exertion of force per unit area
kill /kɪl/ B1	verb - cause the death of (a living being)
makeup /ˈmeɪkʌp/ A2	noun - cosmetics used to enhance or alter the appearance verb - to apply cosmetics
face /feɪs/ A1	noun - the front part of the head, from the forehead to the chin verb - to confront or deal with
flaws /flɔːz/ B2	noun - imperfections or minor faults
beautiful /ˈbjuːtɪfəl/ A2	adjective - pleasing the senses or mind aesthetically
star /stɑːr/ A1	noun - a luminous point in the night sky
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep
nation /ˈneɪʃən/ B1	noun - a large body of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language
jail /dʒeɪl/ A2	noun - a place for the imprisonment of people convicted of criminal offences
stitches /ˈstɪtʃɪz/ B2	noun - a loop of thread used to sew material together
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - sit on and control the movement of (a horse, bicycle, etc.)

Key Grammar Structures

• You were the one that was trying to keep me way down

  ➔ Defining Relative Clause

  ➔ The clause "that was trying to keep me way down" provides essential information about "the one." The relative pronoun "that" introduces this clause.

• I keep my twisted grill, just to show them kids it's real

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose

  ➔ The phrase "to show them kids it's real" uses an infinitive to express the reason or purpose for keeping the twisted grill.

• But it's clear that you can't face what's wrong

  ➔ Impersonal Construction with Noun Clause

  ➔ "It's clear that..." is an impersonal construction where "it" is a dummy subject, and the noun clause "that you can't face what's wrong" acts as the real subject, explaining what is clear.

• Never let 'em see you frown

  ➔ Causal Verb 'Let' + Object + Bare Infinitive

  ➔ The verb "let" is a causal verb followed by an object ('em, informal for 'them') and a bare infinitive ("see you frown"), meaning to allow or permit someone to do something.

• And if you need a friend to pick you up, I'll be around

  ➔ First Conditional

  ➔ This is a first conditional sentence, expressing a real or very likely condition in the present or future ("if you need") and its probable result ("I'll be around").

• That's a crooked smile braces couldn't even straighten

  ➔ Omitted Relative Pronoun

  ➔ The relative pronoun "which" or "that" is omitted between "smile" and "braces," a common occurrence in informal English when the pronoun is the object of the relative clause.

• I asked if my skin pale / Would I then sell like Eminem or Adele

  ➔ Indirect Question with Implied Conditional

  ➔ This combines an indirect question ("I asked if my skin pale") with a hypothetical conditional outcome ("Would I then sell..."). "If my skin pale" is an informal way of saying "if my skin were pale" (second conditional).

• Seem like half the race is either on probation / Or in jail

  ➔ Informal 'Seem like' and Correlative Conjunctions ('either... or...')

  ➔ "Seem like" is an informal equivalent of "it seems like" or "it seems that." "Either... or..." is a correlative conjunction used to present two alternatives.

• 'Cause what's real is something that the eyes can't see

  ➔ Noun Clause as Subject

  ➔ The clause "what's real" functions as the subject of the sentence. It is a noun clause introduced by "what," acting like a single noun.

• 'Cause he don't seem to want you back

  ➔ Informal 'Cause', 'Don't' with Third Person Singular, and 'Seem to' + Infinitive

  ➔ 'Cause' is an informal shortening of 'because'. "He don't" is a non-standard, informal use of 'don't' instead of 'doesn't' for the third person singular. "Seem to want" indicates appearance or impression.