Losing Sleep – English Lyrics

• By: Boyz II Men

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the universal language of heartbreak and hope with Boyz II Men's 'Losing Sleep.' This soulful R&B track offers a great opportunity to learn emotive English vocabulary and phrasing related to love and loss. The song's clear and heartfelt vocals make it an excellent choice for language learners to connect with the emotional power of music while improving their listening skills.

[English]

I leave the lights on

Turn the sound up on my TV

Trust my words, girl you'd never get the best of me

Cause you decided, we, would be divided

You made my bed but I don't have to sleep in it

Tossing and turning in my bed

Tryna get you out of my head

If I can get through the night

I'm hoping and praying I can get over you

Girl you got me losing sleep

I'm never gonna dream again

If I can't have you next to me

I'd rather not play pretend

Girl you got me losing sleep

I'll never close my eyes again

Cause when I do you're all I see

You'll only break my heart

Won't let you break my heart again, oh

Won't let you break my heart again

...

Staring at the ceiling

Counting seconds 'til the walls cave in

Tell myself that the world is not about to end

'Cause I decided, I was gonna fight it

And never ever ever see your face again

Tearing every memory apart

Tryna get you out of my heart

If I can get through the night

I'm hoping and praying I can get over you

Girl you got me losing sleep

I never wanna dream again

If I can't have you next to me

I'd rather not play pretend

Girl you got me losing sleep

I'll never close my eyes again

'Cause when I do you're all I see

You'll only break my heart

Won't let you break my heart again, yes

You'll only break my heart again

...

I'm so tired, I'm so tired

I gotta stay up, I gotta fight it

Sleep's out to get me, I'll start a riot

(Get get get away from me, get get get away from me)

I'm so tired, I'm so tired

I gotta stay up, I gotta fight it

Sleep's out to get me, I'll start a riot

(Get get get away from me)

Girl you got me losing sleep

I'm never gonna dream again

If I can't have you next to me

I'd rather not play pretend

Girl you got me losing sleep

I'll never close my eyes again

'Cause when I do you're all I see

You'll only break my heart

Won't let you break my heart again, oh

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
sleep /sliːp/ A1	verb - To rest with your eyes closed and your mind unconscious. noun - A period of resting with your eyes closed and your mind unconscious.
losing /ˈluːzɪŋ/ A2	verb - To no longer have something; to fail to keep or maintain something. (Present participle of 'lose'). In the context 'losing sleep', it means to be deprived of sleep.
dream /driːm/ A2	verb - To experience a series of images, events, and feelings in your mind while you are asleep. noun - A series of images, events, and feelings that happen in your mind while you are asleep.
heart /hɑːrt/ A1	noun - The organ in your chest that pumps blood; also used metaphorically for emotions/feelings.
break /breɪk/ A2	verb - To separate into two or more pieces, or to make something separate into two or more pieces; to cause to fail or collapse (e.g., break a heart).
pretend /prɪˈtɛnd/ A2	verb - To behave as if something is true when you know that it is not, especially in order to deceive people or for fun.
tired /ˈtaɪərd/ A1	adjective - Feeling a need to rest or sleep.
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - To use physical force or weapons to try to defeat another person or group of people; to struggle against something. noun - An argument between people or groups, or a violent struggle.
riot /ˈraɪət/ B2	noun - A situation in which a large crowd of people are behaving in a violent and uncontrolled way.
head /hɛd/ A1	noun - The part of the body above the neck where the brain, eyes, nose, and mouth are.
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - The part of the day when it is dark and people usually sleep.
decided /dɪˈsaɪdɪd/ A2	verb - To make a choice or judgment about something, especially after thinking carefully. (Past participle of 'decide').
divided /dɪˈvaɪdɪd/ B1	adjective - Separated into parts or groups. verb - To separate into parts or groups. (Past participle of 'divide').
tossing /ˈtɒsɪŋ/ B2	verb - To move from side to side or up and down, especially when trying to sleep. (Present participle of 'toss').
turning /ˈtɜːrnɪŋ/ A2	verb - To move around a central point; to change direction or position. (Present participle of 'turn').
staring /ˈstɛərɪŋ/ B1	verb - To look at someone or something for a long time with your eyes wide open. (Present participle of 'stare').
ceiling /ˈsiːlɪŋ/ B1	noun - The inside surface of the top part of a room.
walls /wɔːlz/ A1	noun - The upright side of a building or room. (Plural of 'wall').
cave /keɪv/ B2	verb - (Often with 'in') to collapse or fall inward. noun - A large natural hole in the side of a cliff or mountain, or under the ground.
memory /ˈmɛməri/ B1	noun - The ability to remember information, experiences, and people; something that you remember from the past.

Key Grammar Structures

• Trust my words, girl you'd never get the best of me

  ➔ Conditional 'would never' / Modal 'would' for strong negative prediction/refusal

  ➔ The phrase "you'd never" (you would never) expresses a strong negative prediction or refusal in a hypothetical context. It implies a firm stance or a determined outcome. The idiom "get the best of me" means to overcome or defeat someone.

• You made my bed but I don't have to sleep in it

  ➔ 'Don't have to' (Lack of obligation)

  ➔ The phrase "don't have to" indicates that something is not necessary or not an obligation. In this context, it means the speaker is not forced to accept the consequences of the other person's actions.

• If I can get through the night

  ➔ First Conditional (Type 1) with 'can'

  ➔ The First Conditional describes a real or very probable situation in the future. The structure is "If + present simple, will/can/may + base verb." Here, "can" emphasizes the possibility or ability to achieve the condition.

• Girl you got me losing sleep

  ➔ Causative Verb 'get' + object + present participle (gerund)

  ➔ The structure "get someone doing something" is a causative construction meaning to cause someone to start doing something or to be in a certain state. Here, "got me losing" means "caused me to start losing sleep."

• I'd rather not play pretend

  ➔ 'Would rather' (Expressing preference)

  ➔ "Would rather" is used to express preference. The structure is "would rather + base verb" for present/future preference, and "would rather not + base verb" for negative preference. "Play pretend" is an idiom meaning to act as if something is true when it is not.

• 'Cause when I do you're all I see

  ➔ Relative clause with implied relative pronoun

  ➔ "All I see" is a common way to use a relative clause where the relative pronoun (like "that" or "which") is omitted because it's the object of the verb in the relative clause. It means "all that I see."

• Won't let you break my heart again, oh

  ➔ Causative Verb 'let' (permission/prevention)

  ➔ The structure "let someone do something" means to permit or allow someone to do something. "Won't let" (will not let) means to prevent someone from doing something.

• Counting seconds 'til the walls cave in

  ➔ Participle Clause (Present Participle)

  ➔ A participle clause, starting with a present participle like "counting," is used to describe an action that happens at the same time as the main verb, or to provide more information about the subject. (Implied: "I am counting..."). "Cave in" is also a phrasal verb meaning to collapse inward.

• Tell myself that the world is not about to end

  ➔ 'Be about to' (Immediate future)

  ➔ The phrase "be about to" is used to indicate that something is going to happen very soon, often immediately. It suggests an action that is on the verge of occurring.

• I gotta stay up, I gotta fight it

  ➔ 'Gotta' (Informal for 'have got to' / 'have to' - Obligation/Necessity)

  ➔ "Gotta" is an informal contraction of "have got to" or "have to," meaning something is necessary or obligatory. It expresses a strong personal need or determination.