Diary – English Lyrics

• By: Alicia Keys, Tony! Toni! Tone!, Jermaine Paul
• Album: Unplugged

Lyrics & Translation

Explore the soulful sounds of Alicia Keys' "Diary," a song about trust and intimacy. Featuring Tony! Toni! Toné!, this R&B classic offers a glimpse into personal reflections and the art of confiding in someone. Discover the poetic lyrics and its connection to Alicia's own journey of self-expression.

[English]

Lay your head on my pillow

Here you can be yourself

No one has to know what you are feeling

No one but me and you, ooh-ooh

I won't tell your secrets

Your secrets are safe with me

I will keep your secrets

Just think of me as the pages in your diary

I feel such a connection

Even when, you're far away

Ooh, baby, if there's anything that you fear (Anything)

Call 489-4608 and I'll be here

I won't tell your secrets

Your secrets are safe with me (Safe with me)

I will keep your secrets

Just think of me as the pages in your diary

Yeah

Mmh

Yeah-yeah

And only we know what we talked about, baby boy

I don't know how you can be drivin' me so crazy, boy

Baby, when you're in town why don't you come around, boy?

I'll be the loyalty you need, you can trust me boy

Oh

I won't tell (No, no, no) your secrets

Your secrets are safe with me (Safe with me)

I will keep (I will keep)

Your secrets (Your)

Just think of me as the pages in your diary

Everybody say whoa-oh-oh (Whoa-oh-oh)

Lemme hear you say whoa-oh-oh (Whoa-oh-oh)

Everybody say whoa-oh-oh (Whoa-oh-oh)

I'm saying whoa-oh-oh (Whoa-oh-oh)

Lemme hear you say

I won't tell (I won't tell)

I won't tell (I won't tell)

I won't tell (I won't tell)

Your secrets, your secrets

Break it down, oh

Secrets

...

Secrets

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
secret /ˈsiː.krət/ B1	noun - something kept hidden or unknown
diary /ˈdaɪ.ə.ri/ B1	noun - a book in which one records personal thoughts and experiences
tell /tɛl/ A2	verb - to give information to someone
keep /kiːp/ A2	verb - to continue to have or hold something
safe /seɪf/ A2	adjective - protected from danger or risk
think /θɪŋk/ A2	verb - to have thoughts or opinions about something
connection /kəˈnɛk.ʃən/ B2	noun - a relationship or link between two or more things
trust /trʌst/ B1	verb - to rely on the integrity, ability, or character of someone
loyalty /ˈlɔɪ.əl.ti/ B2	noun - faithful allegiance or devotion to a person, group, or cause
feel /fiːl/ A2	verb - to experience an emotion or physical sensation
fear /fɪər/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous
baby /ˈbeɪ.bi/ A1	noun - a very young child
far /fɑːr/ A1	adjective - at a great distance
crazy /ˈkreɪ.zi/ B1	adjective - extremely enthusiastic or mentally unstable
call /kɔːl/ A2	verb - to speak to someone on the phone; to name
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - the upper part of the human body containing the brain and the face
pillow /ˈpɪl.oʊ/ A1	noun - a cushion for supporting the head while sleeping
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - a populated area smaller than a city

Key Grammar Structures

• Lay your head on my pillow

  ➔ Imperative mood

  ➔ The sentence is a direct command or request. The base form of the verb, "lay", is used to give instructions. It's a common way to express intimacy and invitation.

• No one has to know what you are feeling

  ➔ Modal verb 'have to' + continuous verb form

  ➔ The phrase 'has to' expresses obligation or necessity. 'What you are feeling' is a noun clause functioning as the object of 'know'. The continuous form emphasizes the ongoing nature of the feeling.

• I won't tell your secrets

  ➔ Future with 'will' + negative contraction

  ➔ The contraction 'won't' is a shortened form of 'will not'. This sentence expresses a promise or assurance that the speaker will not reveal the listener's secrets.

• Call 489-4608 and I'll be here

  ➔ Imperative + Future contraction

  ➔ The sentence combines a direct command ('Call') with a promise of availability ('I'll be here'). 'I'll' is a contraction of 'I will'.

• And only we know what we talked about, baby boy

  ➔ Restrictive 'only' + embedded question

  ➔ The word 'only' restricts the knowledge to 'we'. 'What we talked about' is an embedded question functioning as the object of 'know'.