Father Figure – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: The Life of a Showgirl

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

When I found you, you were young, wayward, lost in the cold

Pulled up to you in the Jag', turned your rags into gold

The winding road leads to the chateau

"You remind me of a younger me" I saw potential

I'll be your father figure

I drink that brown liquor

I can make deals with the devil because my dick's bigger

This love is pure profit

Just step into my office

I dry your tears with my sleeve

Leave it with me

I protect the family

Leave it with me

I protect the family

I pay the check before it kisses the mahogany grain

Said, "They wanna see you rise, they don't want you to reign"

I showed you all the tricks of the trade

All I asked for is your loyalty, my dear protégé

I'll be your father figure

I drink that brown liquor

I can make deals with the devil because my dick's bigger

This love is pure profit

Just step into my office

They'll know your name in the streets

Leave it with me

I protect the family

(Ooh) I saw a change in you (Saw a change, saw a change in you)

My dear boy (Ooh)

They don't make loyalty like they used to (Not like they used to)

Your thoughtless ambition sparked the ignition

On foolish decisions which led to misguided visions

That to fulfill your dreams, you had to get rid of me

I protect the family

I was your father figure

We drank that brown liquor

You made a deal with this devil, turns out my dick's bigger

You want a fight, you found it

I got the place surrounded

You'll be sleeping with the fishes before you know you're drownin'

Whose portrait's on the mantel?

Who covered up your scandals?

Mistake my kindness for weakness and find your card cancelled

I was your father figure

You pulled the wrong trigger

This empire belongs to me

Leave it with me

I protect the family

Leave it with me

I protect the family

Leave it with me

You know, you remind me of a younger me

I saw potential

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
found /faʊnd/ B1	verb - to discover or encounter something or someone unexpectedly
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived for only a short time; not old
lost /lɒst/ A2	adjective - unable to find one's way; not knowing where one is
cold /kəʊld/ A1	adjective - at a low temperature; not warm or hot
gold /ɡəʊld/ A2	noun - a precious yellow metal
road /rəʊd/ A1	noun - a long, hard surface built for vehicles to travel on
potential /pəˈtenʃəl/ B1	noun - the possibility that something will happen or be successful
father /ˈfɑːðər/ A1	noun - a male parent
figure /ˈfɪɡər/ A2	noun - a person who is important or has influence in a particular area
drink /drɪŋk/ A1	verb - to take liquid into the mouth and swallow it
brown /braʊn/ A1	adjective - of a color that is a mix of red, yellow, and black
devil /ˈdevəl/ B1	noun - the supreme spirit of evil
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - a strong feeling of affection
office /ˈɒfɪs/ A1	noun - a room or building where people work, especially at desks
protect /prəˈtekt/ B1	verb - to keep someone or something safe from injury or damage
family /ˈfæməli/ A1	noun - a group of people who are related to each other, such as a mother, a father, and their children
dear /dɪər/ A2	adjective - loved or valued very much
ambition /æmˈbɪʃən/ B2	noun - a strong desire to do or achieve something
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - to take part in a physical struggle with another person or people noun - a physical struggle
empire /ˈempaɪər/ B2	noun - a group of countries or regions that are controlled by one ruler or government
trigger /ˈtrɪɡər/ B2	verb - to cause something to start noun - a lever that is pulled to fire a gun

Key Grammar Structures

• When I found you, you were young, wayward, lost in the cold

  ➔ Past continuous tense

  ➔ The structure is "was/were + verb-ing" to describe an ongoing action in the past, like "you were lost" showing a state at that time.

• Pulled up to you in the Jag', turned your rags into gold

  ➔ Past simple tense

  ➔ Uses regular verbs with -ed or irregular forms to describe completed actions in the past, such as "pulled" and "turned" narrating events.

• I'll be your father figure

  ➔ Future simple tense with 'will'

  ➔ Formed with "will + verb" for predictions or intentions, here "I'll be" expresses a promise or role.

• I can make deals with the devil because my dick's bigger

  ➔ Modal verb 'can' for ability

  ➔ Used for ability or possibility, like "I "can" make" showing capability, often informal.

• I showed you all the tricks of the trade

  ➔ Past simple tense again

  ➔ Describes a completed past action with "showed" for teaching in a narrative.

• They'll know your name in the streets

  ➔ Future simple with contraction

  ➔ "They'll" is shorthand for "they will," predicting future recognition.

• Ooh, I saw a change in you

  ➔ Past simple for observation

  ➔ "Saw" indicates a completed past event of noticing change.

• Whose portrait's on the mantel?

  ➔ Wh-question with possessive pronoun

  ➔ "Whose" asks about ownership, inverting subject-auxiliary for questions like "is" with contraction.

• You want a fight, you found it

  ➔ Present simple for current states

  ➔ "You want" expresses ongoing desire in the present.

• Mistake my kindness for weakness and find your card cancelled

  ➔ Imperative mood for commands

  ➔ "Mistake" in imperative warns against error, implying consequences like "find" in parallel structure.