Everybody Knows – English Lyrics

• By: John Legend

Lyrics & Translation

Delve into the heartfelt world of John Legend's "Everybody Knows," a poignant exploration of love and relationship struggles. This soulful track offers a chance to learn about expressing complex emotions in English, with its relatable lyrics and soothing melody providing a unique window into the language of love and longing.

[English]

It gets harder everyday but I can't seem to shake the pain

I'm trying to find the words to say, please say

It's written all over my face

I can't function the same when you're not here

I'm calling your name and no one's there

...

And I hope one day you'll see nobody has it easy

I still can't believe you found somebody new

But I wish you the best, I guess

'Cause everybody knows that nobody really knows

How to make it work or how to ease the hurt

...

We've heard it all before everybody knows just how to make it right

I wish we gave it one more try, one more try, one more try

'Cause everybody knows but nobody really knows

...

I don't care what the people say, they're probably lonely anyway

...

Baby don't fill up your head with he said, she said

It seems like you just don't know, don't know

The radio's on, you tuning me out

I'm trying to speak, you're turning me down

And I hope one day you'll see, nobody has it easy

I still can't believe you found somebody new

But I wish you the best, I guess

'Cause everybody knows that nobody really knows

How to make it work or how to ease the hurt

We've heard it all before everybody knows just how to make it right

I wish we gave it one more try, one more try, one more try, one more try

'Cause everybody knows but nobody really knows

Oh, I wish you'd understand

Oh, just an ordinary man

Wish that we had known

Everybody knows but nobody really knows

And I know one day you'll see nobody has it easy

I still can't believe you found somebody knew

I wish you the best, I guess

'Cause everybody knows that nobody really knows

How to make it work or how to ease the hurt

We've heard it all before everybody knows just how to make it right

I wish we gave it one more try, one more try, one more try, one more try

...

'Cause everybody knows but nobody really knows

...

Nobody really knows, nobody really knows

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
pain /peɪn/ A1	noun - a strongly unpleasant physical sensation
function /ˈfʌŋkʃən/ B1	verb - to work or operate in a proper manner
ease /iːz/ A2	verb - to make something less difficult or painful
hurt /hɜːrt/ A1	noun - physical pain or mental distress
wish /wɪʃ/ A1	verb - to want something that cannot or probably will not happen
understand /ˌʌndərˈstænd/ A2	verb - to comprehend or grasp the meaning of something
ordinary /ˈɔːrdnəri/ B1	adjective - not different or special in any way
try /traɪ/ A1	verb - to attempt to do something
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A2	verb - to accept something as true
new /njuː/ A1	adjective - not existing before; made, introduced, or discovered recently
best /best/ A1	adjective - of the highest quality
see /siː/ A1	verb - to perceive with the eyes
work /wɜːrk/ A1	verb - to exert oneself physically or mentally to do something
right /raɪt/ A1	adjective - correct or true
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company

Key Grammar Structures

• I can't seem to shake the pain

  ➔ seem to + infinitive

  ➔ Used to express that something *appears* or gives the *impression* of being true. "Can't seem to" implies an inability to do something despite trying.

• I can't function the same when you're not here

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time

  ➔ The clause "when you're not here" tells us *when* the inability to function occurs, modifying the main verb "function".

• I wish we gave it one more try

  ➔ Wish + Past Simple (Unreal Present/Future)

  ➔ Used to express a desire for a present or future situation to be different from reality, implying regret or longing. The past simple "gave" refers to an unreal present/future.

• 'Cause everybody knows that nobody really knows

  ➔ Noun Clause (that-clause)

  ➔ The clause "that nobody really knows" functions as the direct object of the verb "knows", providing the information that is known.

• How to make it work or how to ease the hurt

  ➔ Question Word + Infinitive

  ➔ Used to talk about how to do something, often in the context of knowing or not knowing a method or procedure. "How to make it work" describes the method.

• Baby don't fill up your head with he said, she said

  ➔ Phrasal Verb + Idiom

  ➔ "Fill up" is a phrasal verb meaning to occupy completely. "He said, she said" is an idiom referring to gossip or conflicting rumors.

• It seems like you just don't know

  ➔ seem like + Clause

  ➔ Used to express an impression or appearance, followed by a complete clause. It suggests that something appears to be true based on observation.

• You tuning me out

  ➔ Phrasal Verb (Separable)

  ➔ "Tune out" means to ignore or stop paying attention to someone or something. It's separable because the object "me" can go between "tune" and "out".

• I still can't believe you found somebody new

  ➔ Complement Clause (Object Clause)

  ➔ The clause "you found somebody new" functions as the object of the verb "believe", completing its meaning by stating what the speaker cannot believe.

• We've heard it all before

  ➔ Present Perfect

  ➔ Used to describe an action that happened at an unspecified time in the past but has relevance to the present. "We've heard" implies accumulated experience.