Cuts Like A Knife – English Lyrics

• By: Bryan Adams
• Album: Cuts Like A Knife

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Bryan Adams' iconic rock anthem "Cuts Like a Knife" to experience the raw power of 80s rock music and explore universal themes of love, loss, and acceptance. The song's clear narrative and powerful lyrics make it an excellent choice for English language learners to grasp everyday expressions related to relationships and emotions, while its distinctive instrumentation and catchy chorus will undoubtedly get you singing along. You can learn about expressing complex feelings like heartbreak and resignation through simple yet effective language.

[English]

Drivin' home this evening

I coulda sworn we had it all worked out

You had this boy believin'

Way beyond the shadow of a doubt, yeah

Well I heard it on the street

I heard you mighta found somebody new - yeah

...

Well who is he baby? Who is he?

And tell me what he means to you - oh yeah

I took it all for granted

But how was I to know

That you'd be letting go?

Now it cuts like a knife

But it feels so right

Yeah! It cuts like a knife

Oh, but it feels so right

...

There's times I've been mistaken

There's times I thought I'd been misunderstood - ooh yeah

So wait a minute darlin'

Can't you see we did the best we could - ooh we could?

This wouldn't be the first time

Things have gone astray

Now you've thrown it all away

Now it cuts like a knife - yeah

But It feels so right

Oh! It cuts like a knife

Yeah! But it feels so right

Oh! It cuts like a knife!

But if feels so right baby!

...

Oh! It cuts like a knife!

Yeah! Hey!

...

I took it all for granted

But how was I to know

That you'd be letting go?

Now it cuts like a knife - yeah

But It feels so right

Oh, now it cuts like a knife

Yeah, but it feels so right, yeah!

...

Oh, it cuts like a knife

...

Ooh, yeah yeah

But it feels so right baby

...

Ooh yeah

It cuts like a knife

Now give it to me now

Yeah yeah, come on boys, ow

...

Feels so right, yeah, yeah, yeah

Na, na - hey!

Now it cuts like knife now

But it feels so right, yeah, yeah

Feels so right baby

Na, na yeah, it feels so right

And it cuts like a knife

...

Yeah, yeah

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
cuts /kʌts/ A2	verb - to divide or pierce with a sharp implement.
knife /naɪf/ A1	noun - an instrument with a sharp blade used for cutting.
feels /fiːlz/ A1	verb - to experience an emotion or sensation.
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - morally good, justified, or acceptable.
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives.
evening /ˈiːvnɪŋ/ A1	noun - the period of time at the end of the day, usually from about 6 p.m. to bedtime.
worked /wɜːrkt/ A1	verb - exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose.
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child or young man.
heard /hɜːrd/ A1	verb - perceive with the ear the sound made by (someone or something).
street /striːt/ A1	noun - a public road in a city or town.
found /faʊnd/ A1	verb - discover (something or someone) unexpectedly or while looking for something else.
baby /ˈbeɪbi/ A1	noun - a very young child.
means /miːnz/ A2	verb - intend to convey or refer to (a particular thing); signify.
granted /ˈɡræntɪd/ B2	verb - agree to give or allow (something requested) to someone.
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information.
letting /ˈletɪŋ/ A1	verb - allowing
times /taɪmz/ A1	noun - an instance of something happening.
mistaken /mɪˈsteɪkən/ B2	adjective - wrong in one's opinion or judgment.
darlin' /ˈdɑːrlɪn/ A2	noun - darling (term of endearment)
astray /əˈstreɪ/ C1	adverb - away from the correct path or direction.
thrown /θroʊn/ A2	verb - past participle of throw; projected with force

Key Grammar Structures

• I coulda sworn we had it all worked out

  ➔ Past perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "had it all worked out" indicates an action that was completed before another past action.

• But how was I to know

  ➔ Modal verbs for speculation

  ➔ The phrase "was I to know" uses a modal verb to express uncertainty about knowledge in the past.

• Now it cuts like a knife

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "it cuts like a knife" uses the present simple tense to express a general truth or feeling.

• There's times I've been mistaken

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "I've been mistaken" indicates an experience that has relevance to the present.

• This wouldn't be the first time

  ➔ Conditional sentences

  ➔ The phrase "wouldn't be the first time" suggests a hypothetical situation that is not true.

• But it feels so right

  ➔ Present simple tense

  ➔ The phrase "it feels so right" expresses a current feeling or state using the present simple tense.

• Now you've thrown it all away

  ➔ Present perfect tense

  ➔ The phrase "you've thrown it all away" indicates a completed action that has consequences in the present.