First Rodeo – English Lyrics

• By: Kelsea Ballerini
• Album: PATTERNS (DELUXE)

Lyrics & Translation

'First Rodeo' by Kelsea Ballerini offers a compelling entry point for English language learners, blending relatable themes of heartbreak and new beginnings with vivid, idiomatic language. The song's use of rodeo metaphors provides a unique context for understanding common English expressions related to experience and caution. Listening to Kelsea's clear vocals and engaging storytelling will not only help you grasp vocabulary and sentence structures but also immerse you in contemporary country music's emotional depth and lyrical creativity.

[English]

I like the feelin', runnin' with the wind

That's why I went and did what I did

He and I both had our guns to sling

Damn, that showdown was embarrassing

Now I got a couple rips in my jeans

And I'm still here brushin' off a couple things

It doesn't scare or bother you, at least, it seems

I just want to tell you 'fore I get back in the ring

I rode off into the sunset

The red dust hadn't been kicked up yet

Thought I knew all of the ropes

Thought I could ride like a pro

Never knew I'd have a round two

I fell off, babe, but I found you

Take my heart, but take it slow

'Cause this ain't my first rodeo

Let 'em run, baby, don't you hold your horses back

Love's the Wild, Wild West, ain't gotta tell me that

But when you put your arms around me, I don't mind

You make me forget about the last time I

I rode off into the sunset

The red dust hadn't been kicked up yet

Thought I knew all of the ropes

I thought I could ride like a pro

Never knew I'd have a round two

I fell off, babe, but I found you

Take my heart, but take it slow

'Cause this ain't my first rodeo

High up in the saddle, we're flyin' (we're flyin')

Lay me down under amber stars shinin' (we're shinin')

Tell me that it's gonna be alright, even though

We never know if we're gonna make it out alive

But when it comes to me and you, I can't not try

Ain't it crazy, baby, how I'd never know you

If I never rode

Off into the sunset?

Hm-mm

Off into the sunset

I rode off into the sunset

The red dust hadn't been kicked up yet

Thought I knew all of the ropes (thought I knew all of the ropes)

Thought I could ride like a pro

Never knew I'd have a round two

I fell off, babe, but I found you

Take my heart, but take it slow (take it slow)

'Cause this ain't my first rodeo (this ain't my first rodeo)

(High up in the saddle, we're flyin')

Don't let me go, take it slow (down under amber stars, shinin')

Baby, don't let me go, take it slow (tell me that it's)

Rodeo, let me go, take it slow (gonna be alright, even though)

Baby, don't let me go, take it slow (we never know)

Rodeo (if we're gonna make it out), let me go, take it slow

Baby, don't let me go, take it slow

Rodeo

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
rodeo /roʊˈdeɪ.oʊ/ B2	noun - a competitive sport where riders herd livestock on horseback
saddle /ˈsædəl/ B2	noun - a seat for a rider on a horse
rope /roʊp/ B1	noun - a strong cord used for tying or pulling
gun /ɡʌn/ A2	noun - a firearm
showdown /ˈʃoʊˌdaʊn/ C1	noun - a decisive confrontation or contest
wind /wɪnd/ A1	noun - the movement of air
dust /dʌst/ A2	noun - fine particles of matter in the air or on surfaces
sunset /ˈsʌnˌsɛt/ B1	noun - the time when the sun goes below the horizon
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ that pumps blood; the centre of emotion
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - deep affection or a strong feeling of attachment
wild /waɪld/ B1	adjective - untamed; not domesticated or controlled
west /wɛst/ B1	noun - the direction opposite east
slow /sloʊ/ A2	adjective - not fast; moving at a low speed
round /raʊnd/ A2	noun - a stage or a turn in a competition; a circular shape
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - to sit on and travel on a horse, bicycle, etc.
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - to move through the air
shining /ˈʃaɪ.nɪŋ/ B1	adjective - bright; giving off light
crazy /ˈkreɪ.zi/ B1	adjective - insane; wildly enthusiastic
alive /əˈlaɪv/ B1	adjective - living; not dead
pro /proʊ/ B2	noun - a professional; someone highly skilled adjective - professional; expert

Key Grammar Structures

• I like the **feelin'**, runnin' with the wind

  ➔ Gerunds and participle clauses

  ➔ The gerund "runnin'" functions as a noun, describing the action. "With the wind" is a prepositional phrase modifying "runnin'".

• He and I **both had** our guns to sling

  ➔ Past Simple (habitual)

  ➔ Used to describe a past habitual action or state, though context might suggest a specific past event. "Both" emphasizes that both the subject do the same action.

• Damn, that showdown **was** embarrassing

  ➔ Past Simple (State verb)

  ➔ "Was" is the past simple form of the state verb "to be", expressing a state of being in the past.

• And I'm **still here** brushin' off a couple things

  ➔ Adverb of Time and Present Simple

  ➔ "Still" is an adverb of time modifying the verb "am" (present continuous), indicating the action of brushing is continuing.

• I just want to tell you **'fore** I get back in the ring

  ➔ Contraction

  ➔ The contraction "'fore" is a shortened form of "before".

• I **rode off** into the sunset

  ➔ Phrasal verb

  ➔ "Rode off" is a phrasal verb; "rode" (past tense of ride) combined with the preposition "off" changes the meaning of the verb.

• I thought I **could ride** like a pro

  ➔ Modal verb (Ability in the past)

  ➔ "Could" indicates ability in the past, combined with the base form of the verb "ride".

• 'Cause **this ain't** my first rodeo

  ➔ Contraction and possessive

  ➔ "Ain't" is a contraction of "is not" or "are not" (depending on the context). "My" indicates possession.

• Love's the Wild, Wild West, **ain't gotta tell me that**

  ➔ Contraction, auxiliary verb omission, and idiomatic expression.

  ➔ "Ain't" as a contraction. "Gotta" is a contraction of "got to", which in this context implies a must do, which is itself a more colloquial form of "have to". The phrase "ain't gotta tell me that" is an idiomatic expression indicating that the speaker already knows something.