Last Christmas – English Lyrics

• By: Wham!

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into Wham!'s iconic holiday staple, "Last Christmas," a song where the lush, synth-driven pop music contrasts beautifully with lyrics of poignant heartbreak. Beyond its festive sound, the song offers a masterclass in crafting a memorable pop melody with a universally relatable theme of lost love, making it a perfect entry point to appreciate the sophisticated songwriting layered beneath its cheerful surface.

[English]

Ah, ah-ah, ooh, whoa

Ah-ah

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 (you gave it away)

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special (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

"Happy 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 kiss 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 (you gave it away)

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special (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 (special)

Oh-oh

Oh, my baby

A crowded room, 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 man under cover, but you tore me apart

Ooh-ooh

Now I've found a real love, you'll never fool me again

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

But the very next day, you gave it away (you gave it away)

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special (special)

Last Christmas, I gave you my heart (I gave you my heart)

But the very next day, you gave it away (you gave it away)

This year, to save me from tears

I'll give it to someone special (special)

A face on a lover with a fire in his heart (I gave you my heart)

A man under cover, but you tore him apart

Maybe next year

I'll give it to someone

I'll give it to someone special (special)

Someone

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
Christmas /ˈkrɪsməs/ A1	noun - a Christian holiday on December 25th that celebrates Jesus Christ's birth
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - the organ in your chest that pumps blood around your body; the center of emotions
gave /ɡeɪv/ A1	verb - past tense of give; to provide something to someone
give /ɡɪv/ A1	verb - to provide something to someone
special /ˈspeʃl/ A1	adjective - different from and usually better than what is normal or ordinary
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of salty liquid that come out of your eyes when you cry
year /jɪər/ A1	noun - a period of 365 or 366 days, divided into 12 months
fool /fuːl/ B1	noun - a person who lacks judgment or sense verb - to trick or deceive someone
bitten /ˈbɪtn̩/ A2	verb - past participle of bite; to cut into something with your teeth
shy /ʃaɪ/ A2	adjective - nervous and uncomfortable with other people
distance /ˈdɪstəns/ B1	noun - the amount of space between two places or things
catch /kætʃ/ A1	verb - to stop and hold a moving object or person
recognize /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/ B1	verb - to know who someone is or what something is because you have seen or experienced them before
wrapped /ræpt/ A2	verb - past tense of wrap; to cover something with paper or cloth
sent /sent/ A1	verb - past tense of send; to cause something to go or be taken to a place
hiding /ˈhaɪdɪŋ/ A2	verb - present participle of hide; to put yourself or something in a place where you/it cannot be seen or found
crowded /ˈkraʊdɪd/ B1	adjective - full of people
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A1	adjective - feeling that you want to rest or sleep
rely /rɪˈlaɪ/ B1	verb - to need or depend on someone or something
tore /tɔːr/ B1	verb - past tense of tear; to pull something apart into pieces

Key Grammar Structures

• Last Christmas, I gave you my heart

  ➔ Simple Past

  ➔ The verb "gave" is in the simple past to describe a completed action in the past.

• But the very next day, you gave it away

  ➔ Simple Past + adverbial phrase

  ➔ "gave" is simple past; "the very next day" is an adverbial phrase showing when the action happened.

• This year, to save me from tears, I'll give it to someone special

  ➔ Future simple (will) + infinitive of purpose

  ➔ "I'll give" uses the future simple with "will"; "to save" is an infinitive of purpose showing why the action is done.

• Once bitten and twice shy

  ➔ Past participle used as adjective

  ➔ "bitten" and "shy" are past participles that describe a state, functioning as adjectives.

• I keep my distance, but you still catch my eye

  ➔ Present simple + contrast conjunction

  ➔ "keep" and "catch" are in the present simple to talk about habitual actions; "but" shows contrast.

• Tell me, baby, do you recognize me?

  ➔ Imperative sentence + yes/no question

  ➔ "Tell" is an imperative giving a command; "do you recognize" forms a yes/no question.

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

  ➔ Present perfect + present simple negative

  ➔ "has been" is present perfect showing a period up to now; "doesn't surprise" is present simple negative.

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

  ➔ Present participial phrase + past simple

  ➔ "saying" is a present participle forming a reduced clause; "meant" is past simple describing a past belief.

• Now I've found a real love, you'll never fool me again

  ➔ Present perfect + future simple (will)

  ➔ "I've found" is present perfect showing a recent result; "you'll never fool" uses future simple with "will" to express a prediction.

• Maybe next year I'll give it to someone

  ➔ Future simple (will) + adverb of uncertainty

  ➔ "I'll give" uses the future simple with "will"; "Maybe" is an adverb expressing uncertainty about the action.