FRIENDS – English Lyrics

• By: THE CARTERS
• Album: EVERYTHING IS LOVE

Lyrics & Translation

Learning a language through music is a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the culture, and “FRIENDS” by The Carters offers a great opportunity to explore the nuances of English, particularly the language of loyalty and camaraderie. Through its lyrics, you can learn colloquial expressions and the ways in which close bonds are described in American culture. This song is special because it provides a rare, personal glimpse into the private world of two of music's biggest icons, revealing the importance they place on their trusted inner circle.

[English]

My friends, real friends, better than your friends

That's how we keep poppin' out that Benz, yeah

No foes, real friends, we ain't even got to pretend, yeah

Get bands, get bands, spend it all on my friends

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me down (they never let me down)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me drown (never let me drown)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me drown (never let me drown)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

I'll never hit the ground (never let me drown, never let me drown)

My friends, real friends, better than your friends, yeah

That's how we keep popping out that Benz, yeah

Faux friends, real friends, better than your friends, yeah

Ask them, ask them, they know all my business

I don't know what I would do without all of my crew, yeah

I ain't makin' no room, yeah, I ain't makin' no new friends

I don't make no moves, yeah, without tellin' my crew, yeah

That just how we do, yeah, that just how we do, oh

Goddammit it, I love my life (I love it), Styrofoam cups, no ice (uh-huh)

Party 'fore we go inside

Never let them out my sight (ooh), they're right by my side (woo)

Them my ride-or-dies (ride), them my ride-or-dies (ride)

My friends are goals, your friends are foes (foes)

We fly, why cry? Our souls exposed, yeah

We smoke, we laugh, your stress, my stress

Closer than kin, I'm blessed, you blessed (blessed)

Ten toes, ten toes, we was out in that road, uh

Lookin' for love in wrong places, we proposed to a stove, yeah

Shared jewels, shared clothes, that's how deep this shit goes, yeah

Every week, ya got bros, yeah, all of y'all fake close, yeah

Y'all switchin' sides like NBA teams just after halftime

I'm pullin' up on my dog, make sure he okay, I don't even have time

Then copped me a Porsche with butterscotch seats, this 'fore they had mills

Live better than rappers and they don't even have bills, it's that real

Bought Emory a BM as soon as he came home

We hopped on a plane, headed straight to the Bay

That's how we turn the game on, it's game on

Ty mama died, I was there, my nephew died, he was there

He in my house more than I be there, more than Bey there

Ty-Ty there, E there, Breezy there, Juan there

High here, Chaka there, Law there, they all here, oh yeah

Dez there, Kawanna here, shit feel like Nirvana here

Crib like the SoHo House, I might stay in and grow out my hair

Tight circle, no squares, I'm geometrically opposed to you

Y'all like to try angles, y'all like to troll, do you?

Y'all talk around hoes, do you? Y'all don't follow codes, do you?

We know everything you say from niggas close to you, you emotional

When I say, "Free the dogs," I free 'em

That's how Meek got his freedom

Y'all put niggas on a t-shirt, it hurts you ain't never meet 'em

You got niggas in the feds, you ain't even tryna feed 'em

I'm tryna free the world, that's how deep I'm in

I ain't goin' to nobody nothin' when me and my wife beefin'

I don't care if the house on fire, I'm dyin', nigga, I ain't leavin'

Ty-Ty take care of my kids, after he done grievin'

If y'all don't understand that, we ain't meant to be friends

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me down (they never let me down)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me drown (never let me drown)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me drown (never let me drown)

Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

And never let me drown (never let me drown, never let me drown)

They pray and pray for me, they pray and pray for me

See better things for me, want better days for me unselfishly

They pray and pray for me, they pray and pray for me

Whenever I'm in need, they in the backseat with the aux bumping Bey

Ain't no pride involved, ain't no pride involved

In my heart, heart, heart, you know 4, 4, 4

That's my dog, dog, dog

See your dogs, dogs, dogs

Point 'em out, out, out

Point 'em out, out, out

What would I be without my friends? (What would I be without my friends?)

I ain't got no understanding (I ain't got no understanding)

'Bout them, you might just catch these hands

We fall out and we make amends, yeah, yeah, my friends

Your friends are foes, my friends are goals

Closer than kin, our souls exposed

Your friends are frauds, all they want is applause, yeah

And my friends, real friends, closer than kin

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them never let me drown

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them never let me down

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them never let me down

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

Them pull me up, pull me up, pull me up

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
friends /frɛndz/ A1	noun - a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
real /ˈriːəl/ A2	adjective - actually existing or occurring; not imagined or pretended
better /ˈbɛtər/ A1	adjective - more excellent or effective than something else
pull /pʊl/ A1	verb - exert force on (someone or something) so as to move them toward oneself.
let /lɛt/ A1	verb - not prevent; allow.
down /daʊn/ A1	adverb - toward or in a lower place or position.
drown /draʊn/ B1	verb - die through submersion in and inhalation of water.
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the solid surface of the earth.
faux /foʊ/ B2	adjective - made in imitation; artificial.
business /ˈbɪznɪs/ A2	noun - a person's regular occupation, profession, or trade.
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
party /ˈpɑːrti/ A2	noun - a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment.
sight /saɪt/ A2	noun - the ability to see.
ride /raɪd/ A2	verb - sit on and control the movement of (an animal, especially a horse). noun - a journey on a horse or bicycle or in a vehicle.
goals /ɡoʊlz/ A2	noun - the object of a person's ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.
foes /foʊz/ B2	noun - an enemy or opponent.

Key Grammar Structures

• That's how we keep poppin' out that Benz, yeah

  ➔ Demonstrative pronoun "that's" + "how" (manner adverb) + keep + -ing (gerund)

  ➔ "That's" refers to the way or method described. "Keep + -ing" indicates continuous action or habit. Demonstrates the reason behind their success.

• We ain't even got to pretend, yeah

  ➔ Double negative (ain't...got to): Colloquial usage for emphasis, equivalent to 'don't have to'

  ➔ The phrase "ain't even got to" is a colloquial way of saying "don't even have to." The double negative emphasizes that they have no need to fake anything.

• Gon' pull me up, pull me up, pull me up And never let me drown

  ➔ Future contraction "gon'" (going to) + bare infinitive, imperative implication; "never let" + object + bare infinitive.

  ➔ "Gon' pull me up" expresses an expectation or promise of being lifted up. "Never let me drown" uses "let" in the sense of allowing something to happen, followed by the bare infinitive "drown".

• Lookin' for love in wrong places, we proposed to a stove, yeah

  ➔ Present participle "lookin'" as a shortened form of "looking". "Propose to" used metaphorically, indicating a misguided effort.

  ➔ "Lookin'" is a colloquial shortening of "looking". The phrase illustrates searching for something valuable (love) in a futile and unproductive manner (proposing to a stove, a symbol of cooking drugs or something else unattainable).

• Y'all switchin' sides like NBA teams just after halftime

  ➔ Present continuous "switchin'" (switching) used to describe an ongoing or habitual action. Simile using "like" to compare the act of switching sides to NBA teams after halftime.

  ➔ "Switchin'" is a colloquial shortening of "switching." The simile illustrates the fickleness and disloyalty of the people being addressed, comparing them to NBA teams who change sides often, often without warning, after halftime.

• Crib like the SoHo House, I might stay in and grow out my hair

  ➔ Simile using "like" to compare his crib to the SoHo House; modal verb "might" indicating possibility.

  ➔ This sentence uses a simile to compare his home ("crib") to the upscale SoHo House. The use of "might" indicates a possible, but not definite, future action of staying in and letting his hair grow.

• When I say, "Free the dogs," I free 'em That's how Meek got his freedom

  ➔ Direct speech marked by quotation marks; elliptical sentence structure in "I free 'em" (dropping the object). Causative relationship implied, with "that's how" indicating the manner.

  ➔ The first sentence demonstrates direct speech and an action taken. The second sentence uses "that's how" to link the previous action to a specific outcome: Meek obtaining his freedom.

• I don't care if the house on fire, I'm dyin', nigga, I ain't leavin'

  ➔ Conditional clause using "if" + present simple ("the house on fire"), followed by the main clause with future intention ("I ain't leavin'"). Present continuous "I'm dyin'" used for dramatic effect, not literal meaning. "Ain't" is a colloquial contraction for "am not".

  ➔ This line conveys strong loyalty and determination, even in dire circumstances. The "if" clause sets up a hypothetical situation, and the main clause expresses unwavering commitment. The use of "I'm dyin'" is hyperbole to emphasize the seriousness of the situation, not a literal statement about dying. "Ain't leavin'" reinforces this determination.