Graduation (Friends Forever) – English Lyrics

• By: Vitamin C
• Album: Vitamin C

Lyrics & Translation

“Graduation (Friends Forever)” by Vitamin C offers a poignant and relatable narrative perfect for language learners. Through its clear, conversational English lyrics, you can explore themes of friendship, change, and the bittersweet transition into adulthood. The song's simple yet evocative language makes it an excellent tool for understanding everyday expressions and emotional vocabulary, while its timeless message of enduring bonds makes it a special piece to connect with.

[English]

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives

Where we're gonna be when we turn 25

I keep thinking times will never change

Keep on thinking things will always be the same (Same)

But when we leave this year, we won't be coming back

No more hanging out 'cause we're on a different track

And if you got something that you need to say

You better say it right now

'Cause you don't have another day

'Cause we're moving on, and we can't slow down

These memories are playing like a film without sound

And I keep thinking of that night in June

I didn't know much of love, but it came too soon (Too soon)

And there was me and you, and then it got real blue

Stay at home talkin' on the telephone

And we would get so excited, and we'd get so scared

Laughing at ourselves thinking life's not fair

And this is how it feels

As we go on, we remember

All the times we had together

And as our lives change, come whatever

We will still be friends forever

So if we get the big jobs, and we make the big money

When we look back now, will that joke still be funny?

Will we still remember everything we learned in school?

Still be trying to break every single rule

Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?

Can Heather find a job that won't interfere with her tan?

I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye

Keep on thinking it's a time to fly (Ooh ooh ooh)

And this is how it feels

As we go on, we remember

All the times we had together

And as our lives change, come whatever

We will still be friends forever

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

Yeah, yeah, yeah

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la (We will still be friends forever)

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?

Can we survive it out there? Can we make it somehow?

I guess I thought that this would never end

And suddenly it's like we're women and men

Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?

Will these memories fade when I leave this town?

I keep, keep thinking that it's not goodbye (It's not goodbye)

Keep on thinking it's a time to fly

As we go on, we remember (We remember)

All the times we had together

And as our lives change, come whatever (Come whatever)

We will still be friends forever (Always)

As we go on, we remember (As we go on)

All the times we had together (Yeah)

And as our lives change, come whatever (Come whatever)

We will still be, friends forever

As we go on, we remember (Oh, yes, we remember)

All the times we had together

And as our lives change, come whatever

We will still be friends forever (Always remember)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
lives /laɪvz/ A1	noun - plural of life: the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
times /taɪmz/ A1	noun - plural of time: a point when something happens
change /tʃeɪndʒ/ A1	verb - to become different noun - the act or instance of making or becoming different
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from
friends /frendz/ A1	noun - plural of friend: a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
track /træk/ B1	noun - a course or path that someone or something follows
memories /ˈmeməriz/ B1	noun - plural of memory: something remembered from the past
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter, including capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.
jobs /dʒɒbz/ A1	noun - plural of job: a task or piece of work, especially one that is paid
money /ˈmʌni/ A1	noun - a current medium of exchange in the form of coins and banknotes
school /skuːl/ A1	noun - an institution for educating children
goodbye /ˌɡʊdˈbaɪ/ A1	noun - the action of saying farewell
fly /flaɪ/ A2	verb - move through the air using wings
tomorrow /təˈmɒroʊ/ A1	noun - the day after today
past /pɑːst/ A2	noun - the time before the present
town /taʊn/ A1	noun - an urban area that has a name, defined boundaries, and local government, and that is generally larger than a village and smaller than a city.

Key Grammar Structures

• Where we're gonna be when we turn 25

  ➔ Future tense (gonna) in a subordinate clause with "when"

  ➔ "gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to," used to express future intention or prediction. The "when" clause introduces a time frame for the future event.

• I keep thinking times will never change

  ➔ Present continuous with "keep" + gerund expressing continued action

  ➔ The structure "keep + verb-ing" indicates the continuation of an action or thought. Here, it emphasizes the speaker's persistent belief.

• But when we leave this year, we won't be coming back

  ➔ Future tense (will not) expressing a future certainty

  ➔ "won't" is a contraction of "will not," expressing a definite future negative. It implies a strong conviction that they will not return after leaving.

• And if you got something that you need to say

  ➔ Conditional sentence (Type 1) with "if" clause in the past simple (got)

  ➔ This is a mixed conditional. While seemingly a type 1, using "got" (instead of "have") is informal and shifts the emphasis to a possibility in the present that has immediate consequences.

• 'Cause you don't have another day

  ➔ Present simple negative - expressing a lack of possibility or time

  ➔ "don't have" indicates a lack of available time or opportunity. It emphasizes the urgency of the situation.

• These memories are playing like a film without sound

  ➔ Present continuous with "are playing" used to describe something happening now

  ➔ Here, "are playing" isn't literal; it means the memories are vividly replaying in the speaker's mind. The simile "like a film without sound" emphasizes the visual and emotional impact.

• Will we still remember everything we learned in school?

  ➔ Future Simple (will) used in an interrogative sentence expressing speculation.

  ➔ "Will" at the beginning of the sentence indicates a question about a future event. Here, the speaker is wondering about their future ability to recall past knowledge.

• I guess I thought that this would never end

  ➔ Past tense (thought) with "would" expressing a past belief about the future.

  ➔ "would" is used here to express what the speaker believed to be true in the past. "This would never end" reflects their past expectation that their current situation would continue indefinitely.