It Ain't Me – English Lyrics

• By: Kygo, Selena Gomez

Lyrics & Translation

Explore themes of self-empowerment and moving on with Kygo and Selena Gomez's hit, “It Ain't Me.” Delve into the meaning behind the lyrics and discover how this dance-pop track combines personal experiences with an infectious beat, offering listeners a chance to learn about emotional resilience and standing your ground .

[English]

I had a dream, we were sippin' whiskey neat

Highest floor, The Bowery, and I was high enough

Somewhere along the lines, we stopped seein' eye to eye

You were stayin' out all night, and I had enough

No, I don't wanna know where you been or where you're goin'

But I know I won't be home, and you'll be on your own

Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?

Who's wakin' up to drive you home when you're drunk and all alone?

Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

It ain't me

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah (it ain't me)

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah

It ain't me

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah (it ain't me)

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah

It ain't me

I had a dream, we were back to 17

Summer nights and The Libertines, never growin' up

I'll take with me the Polaroids and the memories

But you know I'm gonna leave behind the worst of us

Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?

Who's wakin' up to drive you home when you're drunk and all alone?

Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

It ain't me (no, no)

It ain't me (no, no)

It ain't me (no, no)

Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

It ain't me

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah (it ain't me)

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah (it ain't me)

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah

(Ah, ooh) no, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat (ah, ooh)

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah (it ain't me)

(Ah, ooh) no, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat (oh)

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah

It ain't me

No, no, ah-ah, The Bowery

No, no, ah-ah, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah (it ain't me)

No, no, no, no, no, The Bowery

No, no, no, no, no, whiskey neat

Grateful, I'm so grateful, ah

It ain't me

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep verb - to imagine or aspire to something
whiskey /ˈwɪs.ki/ B1	noun - a distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash
Bowery /ˈbaʊ.ər.i/ C2	noun - a street and neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise
dark /dɑːk/ A1	adjective - having little or no light
morning /ˈmɔːr.nɪŋ/ A1	noun - the early part of the day, from sunrise until noon
walk /wɔːk/ A1	verb - to move at a regular pace by lifting and setting down each foot in turn noun - an act of walking
rock /rɒk/ B1	verb - to move back and forth or side to side, especially gently or rhythmically noun - a hard, solid mineral material
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - to rest with the eyes closed and the mind inactive noun - the state of being asleep
drunk /drʌŋk/ B1	adjective - under the influence of alcohol
alone /əˈloʊn/ A2	adjective - without other people; solitary
grateful /ˈɡreɪt.fəl/ B2	adjective - feeling or showing appreciation for something received
memory /ˈmem.ə.ri/ B1	noun - the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information
Polaroid /ˌpɒl.əˈrɔɪd/ B2	noun - a brand of instant camera or the photographs it produces
grow /ɡroʊ/ A2	verb - to increase in size, number, or importance
leave /liːv/ A2	verb - to go away from or depart
worst /wɜːrst/ B2	adjective - of the lowest quality, most undesirable
stay /steɪ/ A2	verb - to remain in a particular place or condition
know /noʊ/ A1	verb - to be aware of through observation, inquiry, or information
drive /draɪv/ A2	verb - to operate a vehicle and cause it to move

Key Grammar Structures

• I had a dream, we were sippin' whiskey neat

  ➔ Past Simple & Past Continuous

  ➔ "Had" (past simple) indicates a completed past action, while "were sippin'" (past continuous) describes a simultaneous ongoing action.

• Who's gonna walk you through the dark side of the mornin'?

  ➔ Going to (future) & Phrasal Verb

  ➔ "Gonna" (informal for 'going to') expresses future intention, and "walk through" is a phrasal verb meaning 'guide and support'.

• Who's wakin' up to drive you home when you're drunk and all alone?

  ➔ Present Participle Clause & Time Clause

  ➔ "Wakin' up" (present participle -ing form) modifies 'who'. "When" introduces a dependent clause showing time.

• It ain't me

  ➔ Informal Negation (ain't)

  ➔ "Ain't" is colloquial for 'am not/is not/are not'. Emphasizes emotional distance in the refusal.

• You were stayin' out all night, and I had enough

  ➔ Past Continuous & Causative 'Had'

  ➔ "Were stayin'" shows ongoing past action. "Had enough" means 'reached my limit' (idiomatic expression).

• I don't wanna know where you been or where you're goin'

  ➔ Embedded Questions & Informal Contractions

  ➔ "Where you been" and "where you're goin'" are indirect questions noun clauses. "Wanna" = want to (colloquial).

• I had a dream, we were back to 17

  ➔ Numerical Age Expression

  ➔ "Back to 17" omits 'years old', typical in English age descriptions (equivalent to '17 years old').

• Who's gonna rock you when the sun won't let you sleep?

  ➔ Personification & Willingness 'Will'

  ➔ "The sun won't let you sleep" gives human traits to the sun. "Won't" implies the sun's 'refusal' to help.

• Grateful, I'm so grateful

  ➔ Adjective Repetition & So Intensifier

  ➔ Repetition of "grateful" emphasizes emotion. "So" intensifies the adjective ('very grateful').

• I'm gonna leave behind the worst of us

  ➔ Phrasal Verb with Particle

  ➔ "Leave behind" combines verb + adverb particle meaning 'abandon permanently'. Particle position affects meaning.