Last Christmas – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift
• Album: The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection

Lyrics & Translation

Discover a unique blend of country and pop in Taylor Swift's rendition of 'Last Christmas.' This cover provides a great opportunity for English learners to engage with a familiar holiday story told through a different musical lens, focusing on clear storytelling and emotional expression in the lyrics.

[English]

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

Once bitten and twice shy

I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye

Tell me, baby, do you recognize me?

Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me

"Merry Christmas," I wrapped it up and sent it

With a note saying "I love you," I meant it

Now I know what a fool I've been

But if you kissed me now, I know you'd fool me again

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

A crowded room and friends with tired eyes

I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice

My God, I thought you were someone to rely on

Me? I guess I was a shoulder to cry on

A face on a lover with a fire in his heart

A girl under cover, but you tore her apart

Maybe this year, maybe this year

I'll give it to someone special

'Cause last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

And last Christmas

...

And this year

Won't be anything like, anything like-

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day you gave it away

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Christmas /ˈkrɪs.məs/ A2	noun - the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ; the Christmas season
heart /hɑːrt/ B1	noun - the muscular organ that pumps blood through the body noun - the center or most important part of something; feelings or affection
year /jɪr/ A2	noun - a period of 12 months
tears /tɪrz/ B1	noun - drops of liquid secreted by the eyes when crying
next /nɛkst/ B1	adjective - coming immediately after in time; following
day /deɪ/ A2	noun - a 24-hour period; daylight hours
love /lʌv/ B1	noun - a strong affection for another person verb - to feel deep affection for someone or something; to like very much
bitten /ˈbɪtən/ B2	adjective - having been bitten by someone or something
shy /ʃaɪ/ A2	adjective - easily frightened or reserved; reluctant to speak or act
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ B1	noun - the amount of space between two points or objects
eye /aɪ/ A2	noun - the organ of sight
recognize /ˈrɛkəɡnaɪz/ B1	verb - to identify someone or something seen before or to acknowledge
wrapped /ræpt/ B1	verb - to cover or enclose something with paper, cloth, or other material
note /noʊt/ B1	noun - a short written message or a remark
meant /mɛnt/ B1	verb - past tense of mean; intended
fool /fuːl/ B1	noun - a person who acts unwisely or imprudently verb - to trick or deceive
kissed /kɪst/ A2	verb - past tense of kiss; touched with the lips as a gesture of affection
room /rum/ A2	noun - a space enclosed by walls; a place to sit or stay
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A2	adjective - in need of rest or sleep; fatigued
friends /frɛndz/ A1	noun - people with whom one has a bond of mutual affection

Key Grammar Structures

• Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

  ➔ Past Simple

  ➔ The verb 'gave' is in the past simple, indicating a completed action in the past.

• But the very next day you gave it away

  ➔ Past Simple with 'the very next day'

  ➔ The phrase 'the very next day' specifies the exact time when the action occurred in the past.

• This year, to save me from tears

  ➔ Present Simple with future implication

  ➔ The present simple 'I'll give' is used to express a future action with certainty.

• Once bitten and twice shy

  ➔ Present Perfect with idiomatic expression

  ➔ The idiom 'once bitten, twice shy' uses the present perfect to imply past experiences affecting the present.

• Tell me, baby, do you recognize me?

  ➔ Present Simple in question form

  ➔ The present simple 'do you recognize' is used in a question to ask about a current ability or state.

• I'll give it to someone special

  ➔ Future with 'will'

  ➔ The future form 'I'll give' with 'will' expresses a future action based on a present decision.

• A face on a lover with a fire in his heart

  ➔ Prepositional phrase

  ➔ The prepositional phrase 'with a fire in his heart' describes the lover's emotional state.

• Maybe this year, maybe this year

  ➔ Adverb of uncertainty

  ➔ The adverb 'maybe' expresses uncertainty about a future event.