Kerosene – English Lyrics

• By: Miranda Lambert

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the raw power of Miranda Lambert's \"Kerosene,\" a song that not only launched a superstar's career but also offers a visceral lesson in expressing frustration and defiance through music. Its straightforward, chorus-less structure and vivid storytelling make it a compelling piece for understanding the narrative power of country music and the catharsis of a well-crafted revenge song. This track is a special gateway to the bold, unapologetic voice that has defined a generation of country music.

[English]

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

♪ I'm waiting on the sun to set ♪

♪ 'Cause yesterday ain't over yet ♪

♪ I started smoking cigarettes ♪

♪ There's nothing else to do I guess ♪

♪ Dusty roads ain't made for walking ♪

♪ Spinning tires ain't made for stopping ♪

♪ I'm giving up on love 'cause love's given up on me ♪

♪ I gave it everything I had ♪

♪ And everything I got was bad ♪

♪ Life ain't hard but it's too long ♪

♪ To live it like some country song ♪

♪ Trade the truth in for a lie ♪

♪ Cheating really ain't a crime ♪

♪ I'm giving up on love 'cause love's given up on me ♪

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

♪ Forget you high society ♪

♪ I'm soaking it in kerosene ♪

♪ Light 'em up and watch them burn ♪

♪ Teach them what they need to learn, ha ♪

♪ Dirty hands ain't made for shaking ♪

♪ Ain't a rule that ain't worth breaking ♪

♪ Well I'm giving up on love 'cause loves given up on me ♪

♪ Now I don't hate the one who left ♪

♪ You can't hate someone who's dead ♪

♪ He's out there holding on to someone ♪

♪ I'm holding up my smoking gun ♪

♪ I'll find somewhere to lay my blame ♪

♪ The day she changes her last name ♪

♪ Well I'm giving up on love 'cause love's given up on me ♪

♪ Well I'm giving up on love, hey, love's given up on me ♪

(upbeat music)

(upbeat music)

Key Grammar Structures

• I'm waiting on the sun to set

  ➔ Present continuous + infinitive of purpose

  ➔ The structure uses "I'm waiting" (present continuous) with "to set" (infinitive) to show an action in progress with a specific purpose.

• 'Cause yesterday ain't over yet

  ➔ Non-standard negation with 'ain't'

  ➔ The line uses "ain't" as a colloquial negation instead of the standard "isn't" or "hasn't". This is common in informal speech and country music.

• I'm giving up on love 'cause love's given up on me

  ➔ Present continuous + present perfect

  ➔ The structure combines "I'm giving up" (present continuous) with "love's given up" (present perfect) to show a current action happening because of a past action with present relevance.

• I gave it everything I had and everything I got was bad

  ➔ Simple past + relative clauses

  ➔ The line uses simple past "gave" and "got" with relative clauses "I had" and "I got" to provide additional information about the nouns "everything".

• Dusty roads ain't made for walking

  ➔ Passive voice with colloquial negation

  ➔ The line uses passive voice "ain't made" instead of the standard "aren't made" to describe the characteristic or purpose of "dusty roads".

• Trade the truth in for a lie

  ➔ Imperative form

  ➔ The line uses the imperative form "Trade" to give a command or suggestion, with the implied subject "you".

• Forget you high society

  ➔ Imperative with direct address

  ➔ The line uses imperative "Forget" with direct address "you high society" to give a command specifically directed at a particular group.

• You can't hate someone who's dead

  ➔ Modal verb of impossibility + relative clause

  ➔ The line uses the modal verb "can't" to express impossibility, combined with a relative clause "who's dead" to provide additional information about "someone".

• I'm holding up my smoking gun

  ➔ Present continuous + present participle as adjective

  ➔ The line uses present continuous "I'm holding" with the present participle "smoking" functioning as an adjective to describe "gun".