I Swear – English Lyrics

• By: Yelawolf, J. Michael Phillips

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into "I Swear," a powerful fusion of hip-hop and urban country by Yelawolf and J. Michael Phillips, which showcases their remarkable versatility and a defiant spirit. Through its raw lyrics and unique sound, the song offers an engaging way to explore contemporary American storytelling and expressions of conviction.

[English]

Now I ain't afraid of dyin'

Y'all can meet me at the church

While all my family cryin'

They gon' put me in the dirt

I'd rather die a soldier than a coward

Every time, I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

She been hated by so many

Couldn't change her point of view

The smell of 1800 on her breath is her perfume

She rides on pills and whiskey and tequila in her veins

I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

I'm looted up on all this alcohol

I'm leaning sideways up against that far way wall

I've been chasing neon lights

But them lights ain't taking me nowhere, nowhere

Don't know if I'm alive or in a dream

Whether it's life or death or in-between

But I've braved the wicked morning, barely waking down my sleeve

I'm there, I'm there

Now I ain't afraid of dyin'

Y'all can meet me at the church

While all my family cryin'

They gon' put me in the dirt

I'd rather die a soldier than a coward

Every time, I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

She been hated by so many

Couldn't change her point of view

The smell of 1800 on her breath is her perfume

She rides on pills and whiskey and tequila in her veins

I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

She was sippin' on some Jack Daniel's

I told her, bitch, take it slow

She don't understand I'm a rock star for real

Bitch, I got whiskey by the boatload

Matter of fact, I'm in the boat home

Floatin' down the river of drugs, paddlin' the cargo

I'm a boss, I got more shit than you could take

I got a yard full of cans, more than you can rake

Bring a big black trash bag for the mess

After the party, have a maid clean up all the rest

I'm a continuous vibe, need no sleep

Have your bare feet hangin' out an old Jeep

You'll be wakin' up outside of the farm party

And I'll be gone like a dead body, yeah, shawty

I'll show you how a southern boy get gnarly

That's church, ooh, lolly, ooh, lolly

Now I ain't afraid of dyin'

Y'all can meet me at the church

While all my family cryin'

They gon' put me in the dirt

I'd rather die a soldier than a coward

Every time, I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

She been hated by so many

Couldn't change her point of view

The smell of 1800 on her breath is her perfume

She rides on pills and whiskey and tequila in her veins

I swear (just keep them whiskey shots coming)

(Just keep them whiskey shots coming)

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dying /ˈdaɪɪŋ/ A2	verb - to stop living
soldier /ˈsoʊldʒər/ A2	noun - a person who fights in an army
coward /ˈkaʊərd/ B1	noun - a person who lacks courage
hated /ˈheɪtɪd/ A2	verb - to feel intense dislike for
smell /smɛl/ A1	noun - the ability to perceive odors verb - to perceive odors
veins /veɪnz/ B1	noun - blood vessels that carry blood to the heart
alcohol /ˈælkəhɒl/ B1	noun - a drink containing ethanol
lights /laɪts/ A1	noun - things that make things visible
braved /breɪvd/ B2	verb - to face danger or hardship with courage
river /ˈrɪvər/ A2	noun - a large natural stream of water
drugs /drʌɡs/ B1	noun - medicines or illegal substances
boss /bɒs/ A2	noun - a person in charge
mess /mɛs/ A2	noun - a dirty or untidy state
vibe /vaɪb/ B1	noun - a person's emotional state
gnarly /ˈnɑːrli/ B2	adjective - difficult or challenging
farm /fɑːrm/ A2	noun - an area of land used for growing crops or raising animals

Key Grammar Structures

• Now I ain't afraid of dyin'

  ➔ Informal Contraction & Gerund after Preposition

  ➔ "Ain't" is an informal contraction for "am not," "is not," "are not," "has not," or "have not." Here, it replaces "am not." "Dyin'" is an informal pronunciation of "dying," which is a gerund used as the object of the preposition "of."

• I'd rather die a soldier than a coward

  ➔ "Would rather... than..." (Expressing Preference)

  ➔ This structure is used to express a preference for one thing over another. "Would rather" is followed by the base form of the verb, and "than" introduces the alternative.

• She been hated by so many

  ➔ Colloquial Present Perfect Passive (Omission of "has")

  ➔ In informal speech, the auxiliary verb "has" (or "have") is sometimes omitted in the present perfect tense, especially in the passive voice. The full grammatical form would be "She has been hated."

• The smell of 1800 on her breath is her perfume

  ➔ Complex Noun Phrase as Subject & Metaphor

  ➔ The subject of the sentence is the long noun phrase "The smell of 1800 on her breath." "1800" refers to a brand of tequila. The line also uses a metaphor, equating the smell of alcohol to perfume, to describe the character's lifestyle.

• I'm leaning sideways up against that far way wall

  ➔ Present Continuous & Adverbial Phrases of Place/Manner

  ➔ "I'm leaning" is the present continuous tense, indicating an action happening at the moment of speaking. "Sideways" is an adverb of manner, and "up against that far way wall" is a prepositional phrase indicating place.

• But them lights ain't taking me nowhere, nowhere

  ➔ Informal Demonstrative & Double Negative for Emphasis

  ➔ "Them" is used informally instead of "those" as a demonstrative adjective. "Ain't taking me nowhere" is a double negative ("ain't" and "nowhere"), which is grammatically incorrect in standard English but commonly used in informal speech for emphasis, meaning "aren't taking me anywhere."

• Don't know if I'm alive or in a dream

  ➔ Embedded Question (Indirect Question with "if")

  ➔ This is an embedded question, where "if I'm alive or in a dream" functions as the object of the verb "know." "If" is used to introduce a yes/no question indirectly.

• I told her, bitch, take it slow

  ➔ Direct Speech & Imperative Mood

  ➔ "Take it slow" is an example of direct speech, shown within a narrative. It is in the imperative mood, giving a command or instruction.

• Floatin' down the river of drugs, paddlin' the cargo

  ➔ Present Participles as Adverbial Phrases (Reduced Clauses)

  ➔ "Floatin'" and "paddlin'" are informal present participles (reduced from "floating" and "paddling"). They function as adverbial phrases, describing the manner or action of the subject (implied "I'm"). These are reduced clauses, implying "while I'm floating..." or "I am floating...".

• Have your bare feet hangin' out an old Jeep

  ➔ Causative "Have" (informal) + Object + Present Participle

  ➔ This is an informal causative structure, meaning to arrange for something to happen or to allow something to be in a certain state. The structure is "have + object + present participle," implying "allow your bare feet to be hanging out." "Hangin'" is an informal pronunciation of "hanging."