Heavy – English Lyrics

• By: Shawn Mendes
• Album: Shawn

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the raw vulnerability of Shawn Mendes' "Heavy," a powerful folk-pop anthem about overcoming emotional burdens and embracing help. Learning English through this song offers a unique opportunity to connect with heartfelt lyrics that speak to universal experiences of struggle and acceptance, making complex emotions accessible through simple yet profound language. Discover how Mendes' personal journey of healing shaped this special track.

[English]

It's been so heavy, it's been so long

Runnin' from everything and nothin' at all

You've been rock-steady tryna help me through

Now I'm finally ready to let you

I'm tired of all the nights awake

Carryin' this weight

It's been so heavy

I've been so lonely, runnin' from home

I've been on my own now for way too long

You've been tryna talk to me to give me the truth

Now I'm finally ready to let you (ooh), mm

I'm tired of all these nights awake

Carryin' this weight

It's been so heavy, it's been so long

Runnin' from everything and nothin' at all

You've been rock-steady tryna help me through (tryna help, tryna help)

Now I'm finally ready to let you

Ooh, ooh

To let you (oh)

Ooh (oh), ooh

It's been so heavy, it's been so long

Runnin' from everything and nothin' at all

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
heavy /ˈhevi/ A2	adjective - of great weight; difficult to lift or move adjective - serious or difficult
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move at a speed faster than a walk
everything /ˈevriθɪŋ/ A2	noun - all things; all the things of a group or class
nothing /ˈnʌθɪŋ/ A1	noun - not anything; no single thing
rock-steady /ˌrɒk ˈstedi/ B2	adjective - firm; not likely to change or be shaken
help /help/ A1	verb - to give assistance or support to someone noun - the action of helping someone
ready /ˈredi/ A1	adjective - prepared for action or use
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - in need of sleep or rest; weary
nights /naɪts/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
awake /əˈweɪk/ B1	adjective - not asleep
carry /ˈkæri/ A2	verb - to support and move (someone or something) from one place to another
weight /weɪt/ A2	noun - a body's relative mass or the quantity of matter contained by it, giving rise to a downward force; the heaviness of a person or thing.
lonely /ˈloʊnli/ A2	adjective - sad because one has no friends or company
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.
truth /truːθ/ B1	noun - the quality or state of being true.

Key Grammar Structures

• It's been so heavy, it's been so long

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous tense with 'been'

  ➔ Uses "It's been" (It has been) + adjective/time period to express a situation that started in the past and continues to the present. "So heavy" is an adjective describing the feeling, and "so long" is an adverbial phrase indicating the duration.

• Runnin' from everything and nothin' at all

  ➔ Present Participle as a Noun modifier (gerund)

  ➔ "Runnin'" (running) is a shortened form of the gerund, acting as the main activity. "Everything" and "nothin'" (nothing) are indefinite pronouns showing the extent of what he's running from.

• You've been rock-steady tryna help me through

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous with "tryna" (trying to) + Infinitive

  ➔ "You've been rock-steady" indicates that the person has been consistently supportive. "Tryna" is a colloquial shortening of "trying to" followed by the infinitive "help", indicating the continued effort to assist.

• Now I'm finally ready to let you

  ➔ "be ready to" + Infinitive

  ➔ "be ready to" expresses preparedness or willingness to do something. Here, it's followed by the infinitive "let you", meaning he's ready to allow the other person to help or be involved.

• I'm tired of all the nights awake

  ➔ "Tired of" + Noun

  ➔ "Tired of" expresses a feeling of weariness or annoyance with something. It's followed by a noun phrase, "all the nights awake", which specifies the cause of the tiredness.

• Carryin' this weight

  ➔ Present Participle as a Noun modifier (gerund)

  ➔ "Carryin'" (carrying) is a shortened form of the present participle, functioning similarly to a gerund here, emphasizing the ongoing action of bearing the burden. "This weight" refers to a figurative burden or emotional stress.

• I've been so lonely, runnin' from home

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous with 'been' + Present Participle (gerund)

  ➔ Combines the feeling of loneliness with the continuous action of running away. "I've been so lonely" describes his state, while "runnin' from home" explains the cause and adds a sense of ongoing behavior.

• I've been on my own now for way too long

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous Implied, with Emphasis

  ➔ While not explicitly in the continuous form, the phrase implies he "has been" being on his own for an extended period. "Way too long" emphasizes the duration and adds emotional weight.