I'm Only Me When I'm With You – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the authentic voice of early Taylor Swift with 'I'm Only Me When I'm With You.' This heartfelt country-pop track offers a fantastic opportunity to learn English through its clear storytelling and relatable themes of friendship and self-acceptance, revealing how language can capture nuanced emotions.

[English]

Friday night beneath the stars

In a field behind your yard

You and I are painting pictures in the sky

And sometimes we don't say a thing

Just listen to the crickets sing

Everything I need is right here by my side

And I know everything about you

I don't wanna live without you

I'm only up when you're not down

Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground

It's like no matter what I do

Well, you drive me crazy half the time

The other half I'm only trying to

Let you know that what I feel is true

And I'm only me when I'm with you

...

Just a small town boy and girl

Living in a crazy world

Tryin' to figure out what is and isn't true

And I don't try to hide my tears

The secrets, or my deepest fears

Through it all nobody gets me like you do

And you know everything about me

You say that you can't live without me

I'm only up when you're not down

Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground

It's like no matter what I do

Well, you drive me crazy half the time

The other half I'm only trying to

Let you know that what I feel is true

And I'm only me when I'm with you

...

When I'm with anybody else

It's so hard to be myself

Only you can tell

...

That I'm only up when you're not down

Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground

It's like no matter what I do

Well, you drive me crazy half the time

The other half I'm only trying to

Let you know that what I feel is true

And I'm only me, who I wanna be

Well, I'm only me when I'm with you

With you, oh yeah

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - fixed luminous point in the night sky which is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
field /fiːld/ A2	noun - an area of open land, especially one planted with crops or pasture, typically bounded by hedges or fences.
yard /jɑːrd/ A1	noun - an area of ground, usually enclosed, next to a house.
painting /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ A2	verb - the action of using paint.
sky /skaɪ/ A1	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
crickets /ˈkrɪkɪts/ B1	noun - an insect related to the grasshoppers, with strong hind legs for jumping and a chirping call.
sing /sɪŋ/ A1	verb - make musical sounds with the voice, especially words with a set tune.
live /lɪv/ A1	verb - remain alive.
fly /flaɪ/ A1	verb - move through the air using wings.
ground /ɡraʊnd/ A1	noun - the solid surface of the earth.
drive /draɪv/ A1	verb - operate and control the direction and speed of a motor vehicle. verb - to cause something to happen.
crazy /ˈkreɪzi/ B1	adjective - mentally deranged, especially as manifested in a wild or aggressive way.
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.
boy /bɔɪ/ A1	noun - a male child or young man.
girl /ɡɜːrl/ A1	noun - a female child or young woman.
world /wɜːrld/ A1	noun - the earth, together with all of its countries, peoples, and natural features.
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - a drop of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye as a result of strong emotion, pain, or irritation.
secrets /ˈsiːkrəts/ B1	noun - something kept hidden or unexplained.
fears /fɪərz/ B1	noun - an unpleasant emotion caused by the perception of danger, real or imagined.

Key Grammar Structures

• You and I are painting pictures in the sky

  ➔ Present Continuous Tense (are painting)

  ➔ The present continuous tense describes an action that is happening now. Here, "are painting" indicates that the act of painting pictures is currently taking place.

• Everything I need is right here by my side

  ➔ Subject-Verb Agreement (Everything is)

  ➔ "Everything" is a singular pronoun, so it takes the singular verb "is". It highlights the completeness and sufficiency of the current situation.

• I'm only up when you're not down

  ➔ Conditional Clause (when) with contrasting states.

  ➔ The clause "when you're not down" acts as a condition. My happiness (being "up") is directly linked to the other person's sadness (being "down"). It demonstrates codependency.

• Don't wanna fly if you're still on the ground

  ➔ Conditional Clause with "if" (Zero Conditional with modal "wanna")

  ➔ This sentence expresses a conditional situation where flying (achieving personal success) is dependent on the other person being grounded (not progressing or feeling down). "Wanna" is a colloquial form of "want to".

• Well, you drive me crazy half the time

  ➔ Simple Present Tense (drive) expressing a habitual action.

  ➔ The simple present tense "drive" indicates a regular or habitual action. It's something that happens frequently or consistently, even if not at this exact moment.

• The other half I'm only trying to Let you know that what I feel is true

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose (to let)

  ➔ The phrase "to let you know" explains the purpose of the speaker's actions, indicating their intention.

• Just a small town boy and girl Living in a crazy world

  ➔ Participle phrase (Living in a crazy world) modifying 'boy and girl'.

  ➔ The phrase "Living in a crazy world" acts as an adjective phrase describing the boy and girl. It adds context to their identity.

• Tryin' to figure out what is and isn't true

  ➔ Noun clause with 'what' acting as both subject and object.

  ➔ The phrase "what is and isn't true" functions as a noun clause, and the word "what" refers to the things they are trying to figure out. It is both the object of "figure out" and the subject of "is and isn't true".